Christine Labroche:

>Could anyone _warmly_ recommend a particular recording?

Well, I've heard the Dohnanyi, the Solti, the Reiner, the Ormandy, the
Szell, the Boulez (NY Phil and Chicago), the Bernstein (NY Phil)

Of *interpretations*, I like Bernstein's best, but the NY Phil simply isn't
up to the piece, particularly in the finale.  Same goes for the Boulez/NY.
I have been quite disappointed with Boulez and the Chicago doing Bartok.
Very smooth, very stuffy.  The Solti, Ormandy, and Dohnanyi are OK, with
the Dohnanyi taking the edge of better all-around playing.  The Solti wears
me out because it's short of breath - no long paragraphs; a series of
jolts.  The Ormandy is the most colorful I've heard, but the rhythm is
mushy.  Szell's should have been the best performance, but he takes a huge
cut (which Bartok, in a weak moment, sanctioned) in the final movement.
There's really no excuse for this.  This leaves the Reiner and the Chicago
on RCA.  It's been my favorite performance for years.  Great playing,
superb sound (even better on CD), long arcs of musical argument, sharp
rhythm.

Steve Schwartz