Occasionally a record comes along which proves so involving that one forgets one is reviewing it. These performances are so natural and unaffected and radiate such obvious care and pleasure in music-making that I quite forgot that I was not listening purely for my own relaxation. I started with the King Christian II music, which includes ''The Fool's Song'', complete with soloist, and very good he is too, and a short ''Minuet''. (''The Fool's Song'' was omitted from Neeme Jarvi's excellent account on BIS—10/84—and included elsewhere in the BIS series.) It is now some time since I heard the Jarvi and without the least disrespect to it, or Gibson's earlier LP (CfP, 12/77—nla), I cannot remember having enjoyed the music more. Petri Sakari's performance is totally unaffected, plain and full of enthusiasm; the players sound as if they are enjoying this score and communicate their pleasure. Phrasing is attentive, musical through and through but never fussy.
The Pelleas and Melisande has some pretty stiff competition to contend with, notably from Sir Thomas Beecham and the RPO in 1962 at mid-price (EMI) and Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic (DG). While it in no way displaces either, it is still a version I would want to have. It is imaginative, totally musical, strong on atmosphere and observant of dynamic subtleties. There may be readers who might find some of the tempos on the slow side; I would prefer to call them unhurried, for in context they feel right.
Unfortunately there is only room for five movements from the Swanwhite music. All are beautifully played; every detail is allowed to take its time and the phrasing, though attentive, is free of the slightest taint of narcissism. Let ''Swanwhite and the Prince'' serve as a example of how well thought out and natural in feeling the phrasing is! Added to this, the Chandos recording is beautifully transparent, warm and well-detailed. Recommended with enthusiasm.'