Matthew Gillett wrote in response to me:

>>The sound on Gieseking's WTC on DG and on Toscanini's Traviata on
>>RCA ruined it for me.
>
>Coincidently, I'm listening to the very same Traviata recording
>now.  Bought it this afternoon.  I'm interested to know what it is
>about it you do not like Don?  I have not listened to a lot of
>historical recordings as yet so am intrigued as to your thoughts.

Please don't be intrigued; I have little insight to offer on this, but here
it is:

I just have two recordings of La Traviata.  I bought the Kleiber (?)
recording on DG a few years ago.  I was impressed with the sound quality
and the performance.  A few weeks later, I bought the Toscanini.  I didn't
think the performance was any better than the DG, and the sound was "bad"
in comparison.  I just couldn't get through the sound:  muddy and recessed.
One important note to make is that I'm not a major Verdi fan; I usually
find that the tolerance of poor sound is easier when I love the work in
question as well as the performance.

Matthew appears to think well of the Toscanini, and I think that's great.
I wish I could have broken through the sound and been able to concentrate
fully on the performance.

Don Satz
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