Tuckwell's 1967 record of both concertos by Richard Strauss added for good measure the concerto by old Franz Strauss, Richard's father and a man remarkable not only for his fame as one of the greatest horn players of his day but for his deep suspicion of Wagner—a suspicion that came to be extended to his own son. It is a pleasant piece, not surprisingly nearer to the world of Schumann and even Weber, whose Concertino is the extra work on the new Philips record. This is affectionately played by Baumann, who handles the jovial rhythms with the right sense of amusement and does admirably by the famous, or notorious, passage when the horn plays chords, growling away in the bass.
But prime comparisons will be with the two versions of the Richard Strauss concertos; and here I declare a continuing loyalty to Barry Tuckwell's performances. The recording comes up remarkably well, with a fair sense of balance and depth in the orchestra and a warm sound for the solo instrument. The new Philips version is slightly clearer in definition, but not to an extent that affects decisions between the solo performances. There is little enough to choose here, for Baumann is a very fine artist with a confident style of phrasing, a glowing technique and a handsome tone. Yet Tuckwell seems to me to have that extra ease which makes for the fluency the works need, especially the second of them. These are superlative performances of elegant, attractive pieces.'