Janacek Sinfonietta For Orchestra MacKerras Pro Arte Orchestra - Hindemith Symphonic Metamorphoses On Themes Of Weber - Abbado LSO

Janacek Sinfonietta - Hindemith Symphonic Metamorphoses

The Janacek Sinfonietta originally came out on a budget label Pye “Golden Guinea” the price being 21 shillings in old money, where it was coupled with performances of four of the preludes to Janacek operas. The other side originates from a Decca recording where the Hindemith was coupled with, you guessed it, the Janacek. The original Golden Guinea cover is reproduced here also. Purchases of this recording however, will have got the best end of the deal because the Abbado LSO version of the Sinfonietta was surprisingly cautious, someone remarked at the time like driving a grand prix racing car around the circuit with the brakes on. There is no problem with the Mackerras who gets a terrific and terrifically exuberant performance out of the Pro Arte orchestra. Spectacular stereo, acoustically a little dry but that helps project the performance. The Abbado LSO Hindemith is also very good. So if you want a really vintage Sinfonietta in what is still spectacular sound, I see no reason to hold back,