Critic, John J. Puccio offers high praise on his Classical Candor blog for our latest Kansas City Symphony recording:
“Although one can certainly find a multitude of other available recordings of these pieces, few of them combine the expert performances and audiophile sound we find here.
“The Wasps…Maestro Michael Stern and his Kansas City Symphony play with high good spirits. It’s fun stuff, especially the overture, which begins with sounds of a swarm of wasps.
“Fantasia on “Greensleeves”…Stern takes his time to get the full measure of the work, yet he never lags or dawdles. It’s quite beautiful.
“Maestro Stern brings out all the color, picturesqueness, and delight the Enigma Variations have to offer. Moreover, there is a serious air of mystery around the music. The conductor also seems to delight in the score’s contrasts, emphasizing the composer’s lyrical charm, brawny athleticism, and stately, aristocratic grace.
“You are very much in the audience for this one, sitting in the auditiorium…One senses an excellent depth, air, and dimensionality to the sound, the bass deep and taut, the highs well extended. Just as important, there’s a wide dynamic range and a strong impact involved.” — John J. Puccio, Classical Candor