From: Steve Schwartz wrote:

>Gustav Mahler
>Symphony No. 7 in e
>New Philharmonia Orchestra/Jascha Horenstein
>Recorded August 29, 1969, Royal Festival Hall
>Music & Arts CD727 Total time: 74:45

Just a very small point to start with.  Not Steve's fault but the venue
given on this Music and Arts version is wrong.  The performance took place
at the Royal Albert Hall.  All the "pirate" versions of this broadcast
performance (of which this is but one of four) carry the wrong venue.  Only
the recent official version on BBC Legends gets it right.  Not surprising
since the performance took place under the auspices of the BBC at the 1969
Proms.  (I remember hearing the original broadcast on a balmy Summer's
night and I think Deryk Barker was in the hall.) It is interesting to
speculate how the wrong information came about, but I had better not do so
here.  Dave has enough litigation on his hands.

I am delighted to read Steve's enthusiasm for this great performance.
He is right in every respect.  The history of the recording is mapped in
a triple review that myself, Simon Foster and Tony Movshon wrote on Music
Web at:

   http://www.musicweb.uk.net/classrev/2000/nov00/Mahler7Horenstein.htm

There is plenty in there to compare technically the sound of the four or
five releases that can be bought containing this performance of which the
above, or the one on Descant, are in sound terms the best.

Just one small point in correction of a point that Steve makes:

>I do know of a monaural Horenstein recording on Vox, but I haven't heard
>it.  At this point, it's the only unheard recording I'm tempted to give a
>serious listen to.

Alas, there is no other recording of the Mahler Seventh by Horenstein.  The
only Mahler symphonies Horenstein recorded for Vox in mono are the First
and the Ninth.  Maybe that is where the confusion lies.

Tony Duggan, England.
Mahler recordings survey:
http://www.musicweb.uk.net/Mahler/