Deryk Barker <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>You're making a big mistake.  Barbi's 6th is nothing like his 5th for
>starters and you're judging a conductor on 1 recording you heard 'a while'
>ago and another you heard only bits of? When I was young I couldn't stand
>Klemperer's Beethoven.  We grow and change....

Well, as I've already mentioned, my primary reference for classical
recordings has been the Penguin Guide, and I've generally been satisfied
with their recommendations...  However (in addition to my dislike for Solti
recordings), a certain type of recommendation of theirs has lost
credibility with me.

I refer to their advocacy of recordings by and of British artists.
(Please, to all the English people on the list, do not take offense.)
Both the Penguin guide, and Gramophone, seem to really push for recordings
by Barbirolli, Beecham, and in more modern times, Gardiner, as well as
other British musicians.  They also seem to push hard for works of British
composers...  giving, I'm almost certain, a slightly skewed view of their
musical interest or their overall importance in music history.

As they are English publications, I'm certain it's because they must be
pushing their own national musical heritage and bias.  All I know is, after
at first blindly trusting the guide and purchasing several such recommended
discs, I now view such recommendations with *extreme* skepticism.  I've
yet to be completely satisfied with any of my purchases of recordings by
Gardiner, Beecham, or Barbirolli, despite the glowing reviews.  And
performances of works by composers such as Walton and Elgar just don't hold
my interest the way the guides had me expecting.

So, unfortunately, I've come to almost ignore and avoid any recordings
by the 3 above-named conductors.  I'll try to give the Barbirolli M6 a
chance...  I've got a copy on hold for me at my local library as I write
this...  but honestly, I'm already going into it with a somewhat biased
ear...  I'll try my best to give it a good chance, however.

(That being said, I very much like most of the work of Colin Davis and
Simon Rattle, Vernon Handley [I certainly enjoyed his Delius more than the
Beecham that I ultimately ended up buying, on Penguin's recommendation.]
and Richard Hickox...  and many of the works of Benjamin Britten,
particularly opera and vocal, are among my most favorite of all...
as I think my 4-version collection of Peter Grimes would attest!)

>Chailly's 5 is beautifully played and recorded but IMHO it doesn't hold
>a candle to Inoue - and I'm sure Tony will weigh in with Shipway.

Honestly, I think I've come to find that 2 of the most important factors
that weigh in on my liking a particular recording are, in fact, the
virtuosity of the orchestra, and the quality of the recording...  basically
the "dazzle-factor." The Chailly-Concertgebouw-Decca combination definitely
frequently does this.  And why I stand a good chance of being happily
satisfied with Chailly's M6.  He may indeed miss some deeper feelings for
all I know...  but I honestly have a feeling the "dazzle-factor" will
compensate for me.  Still my frontrunner for future M6 purchase.

Albie