This album of orchestral favorites, compiled from a variety of prior releases, showcases Telarc’s celebrated recording technique as much as Leonard Slatkin’s and the St. Louis Symphony’s performance prowess. The 20-plus-year-old recordings originally were made at a 50 kHz sampling rate, the full measure of which is finally available in the home thanks to SACD, bringing with it enhanced clarity and presence, as well as slightly increased dynamic impact. However, it also exposes the acoustic limitations of St. Louis’ Powell Hall, which tends to dampen high frequencies and make strings sound thin-bodied and distant. (This orchestra makes a far bolder impression in Carnegie Hall). Slatkin’s readings are consistently colorful and energetic, with Grieg’s Peer Gynt particularly impressive (highlighted by a rousing Hall of the Mountain King). Although Stokowski and Temirkanov bring more grit and gusto to Russian Easter Overture, and Bizet’s Carmen Suite has been done with more atmosphere by Karajan and López-Cobos, overall this disc makes for a nicely varied, musically enjoyable, and sonically impressive 80-minute program.
