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Title: Sounds magnificent
Review: I have Boulez's earlier Sony recording of the Varese but I haven't listened to it in a while so I can't compare it to this. I bought this mainly to hear what the Chicago Symphony sounds like these days (as it turns out, this was recorded in 1995 (Ameriques, Ionisation) and 1996 (Arcana, Deserts), so it isn't as current as I'd hoped). To me, what Varese is all about is the magnificent sounds that an orchestra can make and this recording delivers the goods. I guess the critics don't like this performance that much, but I don't sense a lack of excitement without other records I've heard over the years fresh in my mind, and I find the recording so luminous, dynamic, and crystal clear that I can't help recommending it without reserverations. After all, Varese IS about SOUNDS and this recording has them in spades.
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