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Title: A great bargain if you know what you're in for
Review: Fifteen years after his death, DG has decided to give us ultra-bargain box sets of Bernstein's late recordings. As is well known, he could be eccentric in this period, often too slow and self-indulgent. Those flaws are at their worst here in the Sibelius Sym. #2 form Vienna and the Elgar from London. But the other Sibelius, particularly Sym. #7, shows real depth of feeling and justifies Bernstein's expressive indulgences. The Four Sea Interludes are moving for being part of the last public concert he gave in Tanglewood with the BSO, and the orchestra plays wonderfully for him. The rest of the performances fall somewhere in between these extremes. They will all remain controversial, I imagine, but there's a great deal of enjoyment to be had here if you know what you are in for.
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