Debussy Orchestral Works. Boston Symphony Orchestra / Charles Munch.

RCA Papillon (Mid  price) (Cassette) GK86719; (CD) GD86719 (62 minutes: ADD). Item marked ^a from VICS1041 (6/67), ^b SB6540 (8/63).

La mer ^a. Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune ^b. [Nocturne] Nocturnes ^b – Nuages; Fetes. Printemps – suite ^b.

Debussy La mer ^a. Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune ^b.

Ravel Bolero ^a. Daphnis et Chloe – Suite No. 2 ^b. Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra / Herbert von Karajan.

DG (Mid  price) (CD) 423 217-2GMW (64 minutes: ADD). Item marked ^a from SLPM139010 (11/66), ^b SLPM138923 (3/65).

At medium price both these issues are a bargain. Certainly all the performances go back over 20 years and according to the booklet the Munch recording of La mer was made in December 1956. But generally the sound doesn't show its age enough to put you off, even if there are things that would be different today, such as the fairly robust level at the start of Karajan's Bolero, incidentally, as has been pointed out elsewhere, this performance seems to accelerate but proves on checking—and I have rechecked—to be surprisingly steady at just over 60 crotchets to the minute.

I think that the Munch La mer has been transferred at too high a level, but believe this reflects the original issue on LP. This makes the sound a bit wearing on the ear and additionally brings a noticeable tape hiss, but an adjustment of volume and treble controls improves matters without detracting from the impact of a performance which has weight and some sensitivity. The same applies to some of the other music in this RCA issue and I may as well confess that I find Karajan's account of the same work both more subtle and more exciting.

I also prefer Karajan's account of the Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune, though this is done well by Munch, and the Berlin Philharmonic flautist Karl-heinz Zoller is especially sensitive. But the Munch performances are worth having, not least the thoughtful Nocturnes, and this compilation is useful too for including the rarely-heard Printemps—though I have never thought it a very good piece. However, Karajan and his orchestra are masterly (and rightly celebrated) in these performances of both the Debussy and the Ravel and between these two issues I would not hesitate for an instant before choosing the DG, which is beautifully recorded too.

CH