Robin Mitchell-Boyask:

>Not my first choice, not even in my top ten, but I'm prepared to listen
>with an open mind.  He hasn't worked here in 5 years -- and those last
>groups of concerts were pretty awful -- and the pick seems more
>made out of desparation than any huge desire to have the 60 year old
>Eschenbach here.

I've never heard Eschenbach live, but the recordings I have by him with
the Houston are quite fine.  Still, the chemistry between conductor and
orchestra may be missing here.  In particular, Eschenbach favors a clearer
attack than the Philly is used to giving.

Steve Schwartz