Mercury's standard close-perspective engineering puts you in the front row, or maybe even on the conductor's podium, where every detail (the woodwinds in particular) registers with razor sharpness. While no one new to these recordings will mistake them for modern-day productions (the tape hiss is a dead giveaway), it's nonetheless stunning how well these performances sound nearly five decades later. Still, the difference is not so dramatic that owners of the original CD issue need dip into their pockets again--but newcomers shouldn't hesitate to experience these classic performances from a legendary label. [12/14/2004]