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Title: A must have!
Review: I am a big fan of Orff's Carmina Burana; not so much of Beethoven. So I personally would have prefered that the 'Choral' Symphony was not a part of this disc. About the only connection between the two pieces is that they are both conducted by Seiji Ozawa.That said: The performances throughout are exceptional. I first saw the performance of the Carmina Burana some years ago when it was televised on a public broadcast station. Kathleen Battle's solos are so beautiful and heartfelt that it drove me to tears of joy; and she still has that effect on me. I have owned numerous copies of the Carmina Burana; this is by far my favorite version. Although I find Beethoven's symphony to be tedious, the performance is superb.This is a must have on the strength of the Carmina Burana alone. If you are a fan of Beethoven and his 'Choral' Symphony, then it is even more so.
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