Erich Kunzel never has been a terribly spectacular conductor, but this release largely lives up to its title. The Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah suffers a slight loss in tension near the end, and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Dance of the Tumblers hasn’t quite the energy and sparkle that Bernstein and Järvi bring to it, but clean playing and very fine sonics go a long way toward making amends. Kunzel paces Dukas’ Sorcerer’s Apprentice very satisfyingly, doing justice to the music’s humor as well as to its brilliance, and his Les Préludes builds to an excitingly grand climax with no trace of vulgarity. It’s also nice to have Weinberger’s Polka and Fugue from Schwanda the Bagpiper back and readily available in a fine modern version. Despite short playing time, at mid-price there’s plenty to enjoy here.
