Marcus Maroney wrote:

>While I admire both Studer and Norman in this piece (I also enjoy
>Janowitz/Karajan on DG and Auger/Previn on Telarc)--the obvious choice
>for this music is Schwarzkopf/Szell.  This is an essential recording in
>any library and EMI's remastering has done wonders for the sound of the
>orchestra.  Schwarzkopf has never sounded better, and I think Szell is
>perhaps one of the top three Strauss conductors out there--this recording
>just sounds natural, refined, and--well--beautiful.  Mid-price too.

I agree about Schwarzkopf/Szell, easily the best of the three official
Schwarzkopf recordings (the others being with Karajan & Ackermann).  Still,
there is another favourite one for me: Lisa della Casa.  I can't choose
here.  When I have just heard Schwarzkopf I always think this is the best
recording ever and when I just heard della Casa it's the same thing....  I
bought the Studer when it came out, didn't like it much and didn't play it
again for a very long time until recently when I decided to give it another
spin and was pleasantly surprised.  I have 10 others or so but none reach
the Schwarzkopf/della Casa level IMO.

Philip