Some contentious (but deeply felt!) opinions below - so please don't get offended.Originally Posted by morris_minor
All opinions are mine, and your mileage may vary, as they say!
Boult and Handley.
Is that the stereo Boult set?
Hmm. Both a bit variable, imo.
Handley lacks oomph and can lack for 'fire in his belly'. I read an interview given by him in Gramophone a few years back, and he was proud of his unexcitable approach. Takes all sorts I guess, but I think RVW is a deeply passionate composer, and I think that is missing in Chuck Handley's RVW interpretations.
I find him much overrated in RVW, but I really enjoy his Elgar, where he does take a more passionate stance.
Boult's stereo 3rd is incomparable, really wonderful, but his 5th is a bit perfunctory and a distinct let down for me.
The 8th and 9th for a long time were underrated - largely because it's only recently with Haitink and (especially) Slatkin that the music has been understood in any sensible way and comes over very strongly. No slacking off in old age for RVW, far from it! But I don't think you'd know that from older recordings.
Previn is an excellent allrounder, but the RCA sound quality is def past its sell by date, which is a great shame.
How to characterise Haitink?
Clear headed, with a fine ear for dynamic gradations, surging and passionate when the music calls for it, but with genuine tenderness where appropriate.
I like his whole cycle a lot - and it has excellent sound quality, although the re-mastering/transfer for the budget set has resulted in rather too forward/bright a sound, imo.
I'm collecting the original EMI CD issues, superb sound!
All imo, ymmv.
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