My first wife was 8 years older than I. My current wife is 2 years younger.
My all-time favourite Finzi piece is Dies Natalis for tenor and strings. Setting luminous words by metaphysical poet Thomas Traherne with music that matches their beauty, I find it very moving. One of the movements is purely for the string orchestra.
The Decca recording with the composer’s son conducting the English Chamber Orchestra is still unsurpassed in my view.
Roger
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And by now, people know that he most probably didn’t stop with affairs but failed to seek consent when he conducted himself…
And yet, Martha still depends Charles by rejecting touring in the US. Admirable. 
Thanks for that heads up. I love that piece, but I’m not familiar with that recording. I can’t seem to find it. I see some London/Decca recordings of it, but they are with Philip Langridge and Hickox conducting the LSO. I have generally listened to the Martyn Hill performance with Hickox and the City of London Sinfonia on Erato. I love Hill’s interpretations of Finzi songs, especially A Young Man’s Exhortation.
Apologies, it was recorded by EMI not Decca. I’m not sure it’s currently available as a single disc, but it is included in a 5CD Warner Classics box set of music by Vaughan Williams, Finzi and Holst. You can find it on Presto’s web site (search under Finzi Dies Natalis) and it’s possible to download just the Finzi; you don’t need to buy all 5 discs. Annoyingly the Warner reissue leaves out the words but you can find these online.
Roger
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I found it, thank you! It is also available on Qobuz. The collection is called “Very Best of English Song” on Warner records. I have queued it up for a listen!
I cannot recommend this reading of Sibelius highly enough, albeit I have not heard Malkki’s version of his symphonies. The booklet also contains information I had not come across before now.
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Thanks Camphuw, I’ll look this one up. I love Lemminkäinen…
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Has Malkki recorded the Sibelius symphonies, although I am not aware of them? Or is she going to? Potentially, with the Helsinki orchestra she knows so well, she could bring us some revelatory readings.
ProStudio Masters has added a number of DSD-only DG titles since I last checked. No reference to Emil Berliner, but for the three I checked, each had an SACD release from Tower Universal Vintage. Any info on that series?
Not yet though I would guess she has been asked to!
On tap for tonight is my latest vinyl acquisition: Carl Schuricht / VPO Bruckner 8 on EMI/Testament (vinyl reissue).
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My investigation leads me to believe that a number (all?) of these DSD files contain music also found on SACDs mastered by Emil Berliner Studios. (When I can find an image of the SACD with the Obi, the Obi references Berliner). I’m thinking of picking up a “two disc” set of music by Richard Strauss with Karl Bohm as conductor and Fournier playing the Elgar and Dvorak cello concertos. If they’re good, I’ll probably pick up s few more.
I picked this Naxos CD recording of Finzi Clarinet music in local charity shop just today…
Lovely recording with excellent playing. Seems a well regarded version (by Gramophone and others).
Good find and inspired by your posting, @maison00
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Ok. Somehow this thread usually gets back to Beethoven every hundred posts or so, and here goes! My morning listening today is the Eroica symphony with the VPO conducted by Monteux. 1958, I think, on Decca. Produced by John Culshaw. A great recording that captures some of the emotion and power of the wartime Furtwangler recordings, but in stereo and amazing sound overall. I highly recommend this one which is part of a whole set of the Beethoven symphonies plus the usual overtures.
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What did you think of this one JDP? Good sound and performance?
I’ve played it once so far and thought it was great. I plan to play it again later this afternoon.
VPO brass section unleashed. What a wondrous thing. 
I recommend this version. I am looking forward to the Giulini set of Nos. 7-9 coming from DG Classics in a few months, and The Original Source series reissue in August on 17-LPs of Karajan’s cycle with the Berliner.
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Two simply magnificent records from the most recent DG Original Source series.
Tom Mowrey, DG’s main man on the ground in the U.S. in the 70’s reckons this Strauss, Zarathustra recording is the greatest Classical recording he knows of. He is listed as the producer on the record , but generously says the reason it sounds so good is all down to recording engineer Gunther Hermanns. Whoever is responsible, I’m grateful. This is uber demo stuff. An extraordinarily huge and realistic recreation of a performance in Boston Symphony Hall. I’m left very aware that either my speakers, my room or most likely, the interaction between the two is stopping me hearing all that’s available on the disc.
The Planets is well documented as a sonic spectacular even in original issue form, but the OS version adds so much more.
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