There’s not much worth recommending here. The Staatsorchester Kassel sounds like a thoroughly mediocre band, with thin strings and woodwinds that are often intonationally challenged. Roberto Paternostro leads a singularly unimaginative performance, plodding in the first-movement development section, blandly swift in the scherzo, and prosaic in the Adagio. Petra Labitzke sings the finale well but without any special distinction. Sonically this is decent, though the solo violin in the scherzo lacks presence–but with so many great recordings of this symphony available, what on earth is the point of releasing this one? Don’t waste you time. [5/25/2004]
