Deryk Barker a dit: >For me JB's 1,2 and 4-7 rank with the finest there are; his 3rd is quite >slow and the only near-disappointment: it's a lovely performance but >doesn't displace others in my affections, whereas the others mainly do. >His 5th is incredible as is his 7th. Deryk, does this 5th surpass his live one on the former BBC Radio Classics? Because that one is a worldbeater for sure! >I made the mistake of listening to JB's set before (trying) Ashkenazy's >which I recently picked up used. Although I enjoyed VA's 1st when it came >out, I found I could hardly get through a single complete work so bland did >it all sound. Can't agree. I think Ashkenazy found a true, unaffected Sibelian voice in his cycle that is really touching. His 3rd and 6th are still tops for me (with Beecham alongside for the 6th.) And though for the 2nd I prefer a Kajanus/Jarvi-style blazing first movement, when I want to hear it done broad and grand I turn to the Ashkenazy. Speaking of the 2nd, do you agree with the previous poster that the Barbirolli 2nd in this set is not quite a match for the earlier one on Chesky? Jon Lewis [log in to unmask]