A perfectly acceptable recording by a perfectly respectable conductor leading a perfectly reputable orchestra, this disc will give much pleasure to fans of
Hans Graf and the
Houston Symphony.
Graf is a more than able German conductor who knows his way around an orchestra, knowing how to balance a sonority, how to shape a phrase, how to control a tempo, and how to manage an ensemble.
Houston is a more than competent orchestra with a strong string section, a colorful wind section, a brilliant brass section, and a precise and powerful percussion section. Together,
Graf and
Houston turn in a character-laden version of
Stravinsky's Divertimento from his ballet Le baiser de la fée with a fine sense of rhythm and an energetic version of
Bartók's ballet The Wooden Prince with an outstanding sense of form. For listeners unfamiliar with the music, these performances will certainly satisfy. For listeners already familiar with the scores, these performances, although not effacing memories of
Stravinsky's recording of the complete Le baiser de la fée with the Cleveland Symphony or
Dorati's recording of The Wooden Prince with the
London Symphony, will surely entertain. Koch's sound is a bit distant, a tad gray, and a little shallow.