Bob Kasenchak wrote:

>The only Boulez/NYPO CD with any Baroque on it I can track down is:
>
>Handel: Water Music; Royal Fireworks Music
>Sony/CBS CD MYK 38480

If this Water Music is a reissue of the old vinyl version, I don't
recommend it.  (Unless you are a collector of "Boulez oddities" as
opposed to "enjoyable versions of Baroque favorites.")

Almost 20 years ago I was listening to the radio in my first apartment in
Brooklyn, and tuned in in the midst of the most delightful performance of
the Water Music I've ever heard.  It was lively, had a wonderful sense of
play and grace as well as plenty of rhythmic and sonic ooomph, and I was
completely charmed.  Turned out it was Haitink in a live performance with
the Concertgebouw.  It was such a joyful listening experience that I wanted
to hear the whole piece right away again, and put on my recording of it:
the Boulez.  Ugh!  Leaden, academic, dry, by comparison.  I was deeply
disappointed:  in fact, since I was a real fledgling musician then, it
brought home to me in a valuable way the enormous difference that one
performance vs.  another can make in one's entire sense of a piece of
music.

Some poor unfortunate acquired this recording from me via a yard sale,
and probably thinks s/he hates the Water Music.

Meanwhile, the Haitink live version remains something of a "Lost Chord"
experience for me (thanks to Sullivan for the reference).  Who has a
stellar, joyful-making, stylistically satisfying recording of this piece
to recommend?

Thanks!
Danielle