James Tobin <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Deryk Barker advises:
>
>>Avoid the Dutoit.
>
>Why? I ask because even before it came out, and then afterwards, someone
>in Fanfare urged that this was the one worth waiting for.  Never added it
>to my collection, though.

FWIW, "the Planets" is a piece that I am quite fond of and am slowly
building up a collection of.  This time, I am actually in agreement with
Deryk although this recording seems to have its fans.

I know that you mentioned that you wanted good sound in a recording and the
Dutoit does have that and has recently been reissued at a mid-line price.
But I found it to be kind of dull.  There is a excellent recording on the
Laserlight lable by a conductor named Geoffrey Simon.  This is full digital
and DIRT cheap.

May I suggest getting the Simon and an older analogue recording by Boult?
Both together should cost about the same as a full price disk and give you
a feel why the old curmudgeons on this list seem to like older recordings
so much.  I have Boult's last recording and right now it and the Simon
would be the two that I listen to the most.  I want to add the MacKerras
and maybe the Vernon Handley at some point.

How is the sound on the Handley (have to watch those new "Royal
Philharmonic" recordings) and has anyone heard Hickox?

Steve M. (Northern Virginia)