Ives Symphony No. 2 - Leonard Bernstein conducts the New York Philharmonic

First stereo recording of Ives's 2nd Symphony

Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic gave the first performance of this symphony on 22 February 1951, and made this first stereo recording on 6 October 1958; it was originally released in 1960 on a Columbia LP. The performance is one of those classics that never gets old, especially when heard in this HDTT version. While the early Columbia sound is exaggerated "conductor's podium" stereo, and doesn't vary much among the several versions I've heard, the HDTT is the most natural sounding of them. It has a somewhat smoother overall sound, with the original edgy highs tamed a bit, and bass that isn't quite as "woolly" as on the LP release from which I first heard the music many years ago. This is its best release yet.