Someone (sorry I can't recall who) on the list recently disparaged Mozart's
Symphonie Concertante, which happens to be one of the very first pieces by
Mozart that I fell in love with.  I didn't respond to the comment when I
saw it, but last night I heard a recording (conducted by Abaddo, with I
believe two orchestra members as soloists) that made me understand why some
people might not like the piece:  it seemed bland and perfunctory.  Which
had the effect of sending me scurrying back to my favorite recording of the
work:  Heifetz & Primrose, conducted by Wallenstein and recorded in 1960.
I challenge anyone to listen to this performance and not be thrilled.  The
two soloists play off each other and off the orchestra in a way so organic
that they seem to all be of a single mind and purpose.  After all these
years, it still works magic for me.  The CD also contains the Brahms Double
Concerto with Piatigorsky on cello, and the Bach concerto for two violins.
I won't make the same claim for their Bach, but the Brahms is also quite
excellent.

Dave Wolf  [log in to unmask]