Hearing is believing. I have had occasion to praise these performances as individual issues, and now here they are together, at four CDs for the price of two. Sheherazade may not be “the best”, and everyone will have their favorite performance of this particular chestnut, but it’s still very good, and everthing else is terrific. I could very easily live with just these versions of the Russian Easter Overture, the various opera suites, the Piano Concerto, and the symphonies. Antar (Symphony No. 2) is easily the best performance ever recorded, while the other two symphonies have a freshness and direct appeal that supports their claim to be much better music that most listeners (including me) usually credit. The Malaysian Philharmonic under Kees Bakels plays with real enthusiasm and fire, and as always BIS’s sonics represent that last word in brilliance. At this price, and with more than 5 hours of marvellous music, you have no excuse but to urgently snap up this set. [9/14/2007]
