Well, I finally got my package o' Horenstein from Berkshire Record Outlet. Regarding his Mahler 3-- it's all true. A towering face-crusher of a performance, and surprise surprise, my new favorite. Sufficiently different from the Kubelik though that I'll still wanna hear K. from time to time. Horenstein's is more "pagan"; Kubelik's is more "springlike". A fine distinction which may exist only in my mind. The Horenstein has better sound-- in fact this is pretty much my ideal recorded sound right here. Levine I'll now be passing on to a friend, despite the wonderful Maurice Sendak cover illo, which I may have to make a color xerox blowup of first. I still want to add the Barbirolli, but that'll probably be it for Mahler 3rd's for me. Horenstein's Tchaikovsky 6 on Royal Classics with the LSO from the late 60's is also mouthwateringly well-recorded. I basically just wanted a robust, not-too-indulgent recording of this piece for when I get in that rare but specific Tchaikovsky mood. I guess this is a not overlong T6-- it's done in about 47 minutes. For $1.99 I'm very pleased with this one. Faust Symphony with the BBC Northern Orchestra on Intaglio-- great performance, especially loved the woodwinds-- but there's maddening dropouts on one channel. Can anyone who has the Music & Arts transfer tell me if these dropouts exist on that? They're most prominent right near the end of the 1st movement. If the answer's no, I don't think I'll be buying any more Intaglio releases. The Music & Arts is ten bucks at CDNow currently and I'll spring for that if it's an improvement. Schoenberg Chamber Sym 1/Sibelius 5 with the BBC Northern on Intaglio was kind of a dud. The SIbelius is a very straight performance, and for some reason this piece really doesn't work for me straight like the 3rd or the 6th does. I want an impassive, beyond-mortal-ken approach to the 5th, accentuating the whole "pedal-points of nature" thing. Vanska is still tops for me here, though I do have the Barbirolli/Halle coming in the mail on LP, and am very anticipatory about that! The Schoenberg didn't move me. I'll stick with Rattle for now. Horenstein is almost 4 minutes faster, if that means anything. Anyways, this one didn't have dropouts like the Liszt at least. Thus ran my Horenstein baptism. I realize I'm obliged to get his Mahler 8 and his later Mahler 9, if i ever see it anywhere, and such will happen in the fullness of time. For now I'm happy to have the Grandpappy of Mahler 3's. Jon Lewis [log in to unmask]