Yesterday evening, I really enjoyed listening to Korngold: the Much Ado about Nothing suite, and Gesang der Heliane (David Frühwirth) and Suite for Two Violins, Cello & Piano (led by Benjamin Schmid). Somehow, Korngold attuned perfectly with my mood. His bitter-sweet harmonies are so fin de siècle!

It also confirmed my growing suspicion that "big names" don't always mean best, or most appropriate, performances. This all-Austrian cast seemed to take to Korngold like ducks to water. Admittedly, major figures such as Kreisler, Heifetz, Furtwängler, Richter can make quite a difference in music that suits them. But I'm not too sure now about the second and third division players. Difficult to imagine Korngold being played more idiomatically than by Früwirth and Schmid – even when Seidel and Heifetz are taken into account.