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Title: Class acts
Review: Kudos to Sony for making these recordings available at a bargain price. First, although Mehta's relationship with the NYPO was somewhat rocky, they were certainly "on" this night along with Gilels. Gilels is a legend and I wanted to hear his Tchaikovsky. He does not disappoint. The combination of technical prowess along with romantic feeling can be heard throughout. It is a live recording, and there is a sense of it being a special occassion. The violin concerto is equally satisfying. Although this is a showpiece, Oistrakh doesn't dazzle us at the expense of the music. Again, the absurdly difficult technical demands of this piece are handled in stride, but the overall sense of emotion is maintained. How can you pass this up?
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