John Smyth:

>A Gramophone critic suspects that the Nagano recording of Deserts employs
>a modern remix and I think he's right.  The Chailly tape insertions were
>provided by the Columbia University Computer Music Center and they sound
>a little older and less atmospheric.  Were they the original ones used by
>Varese? The liner notes don't say.  Is it frightening that I'm obsessing
>about such things?

Yes, but it's understandable.

>The original version of Ameriques, by the way, is spectacular, as is the
>orchestral version of the early  "Un Grande Sommeil Noir."

Oh man, these are gorgeous and gorgeously done.  I'm in love with the
Chailly set.  I plan on a full review, probably within the next three
years, by which time it probably will have disappeared.  Consequently,
I really can't recommend Chailly's performances strongly enough to those
into the "radical" line of classic modern music.

Steve Schwartz