SAINT - SAENS - Le Carnaval des Animaux (Sealed) (2LP)

Everything is clear. Rhythms spring. Individuals get to leave their cherry bombs on the doorstep or to sing beautifully. Argerich and Freire, for example, outrageously mug up "Pianistes", rhythmically pulling the pianos ever more wildly out of sync, and then bringing them back together with a bang at the "coda". Irena Grafenauer's flute chirps merrily in "Volieres". Eduard Brunner on clarinet emits the cuckoo's cry from the middle of the deep woods. I've rarely heard it sound so lonely. Overall, the performance blends extremely high musicianship with kiddie rough-house. - Classical.net