Steve Reich’s New York Counterpoint is delightful. Or perhaps I’m being autistic in my liking for repetitive abstract patterns.

Argerich and Freire’s Ravel and Rachmaninov are incredible.

The best orchestra-conductor combination for Shostakovich. Too bad they didn’t record more together. The CSO’s technical ability and superhuman brass section make them the perfect orchestra for Shostakovich, and Previn has always been suitably savage and witty in his Shostakovich interpretations.

I still can’t get over Barenboim and Lupu’s performance. Nothing seems to live up to it.

Could just about keep up when they were still in South Africa, but couldn’t figure out what was going on after they hit America.

The main narrator comes out very clear in this, but at the expense of the orchestra. Chailly’s with the Concertgebouw has better balance. I figured out most of the words from Boulez’s then set about enjoying Chailly’s.

I am talking about the third movement of course. It’s pure genius.

For music class.

Di Stefano is a bit strange in the famous swaggering arias (questa o quella and la donna e mobile).

Gobbi is just awesome though.

Not as good as most of his other books.

Another perk from Dava Sobel.