Early on in our married life my husband declared for Norman in these songs,
while I went for Schwarzkopf.  We had a head-to-head comparison of our
recordings but neither converted the other.  I notice you didn't mention
one often-praised recording:  della Casa (DECCA Legends 467 118-2) reviewed
at:

   http://www.filmmusic.uk.net/classrev/2001/Jan01/Strauss_4last.htm

The voice-and-piano version is very much a curiosity and rarely heard.
(Though I am glad it exists for the benefit of us singers who don't have
an orchestra at our disposal).

Virginia Knight
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Personal homepage: http://www.ilrt.bris.ac.uk/~ggvhk/virginia.html