...Decca has just reissued Ansermet’s vintage 1961 recording, with the Suisse Romande Orchestra in its Legends series, and...[the] tautness and projection of this brilliant score is quite amazing... [A]n electrifyingly great performance... Ansermet’s opening with hard-sticked timpani, extrovert trumpeting and fervently spirited ‘Oles’ creates an altogether different sound world of dramatic primary colours and rhythmic pungency. He has the advantage of the characterful Teresa Berganza as his soloist, and the ballet swings along spontaneously, with infectious zest, the Swiss orchestra on its toes and clearly enjoying every minute. Every detail of Falla’s superb score is sharply and richly focused, the colours lighting up radiantly. Just try the opening of Ansermet’s Neighbours’ dance to hear just how this music should be played, while the horn and cor anglais fanfares which announce the gutsy ‘Miller’s Dance’ could not be more commanding. The finale just grabs the listener, and carrries the music along with thrilling impetus to make a thrillingly expansive climax. This is a truly marvellous performance and the spectacular Victoria Hall recording, produced by James Walker and remastered by Andrew Wedman could hardly be better had it been made yesterday.

Ansermet’s [El amor brujo] is very early stereo (1955) and not as opulent as El sombrero, but it still sounds remarkably lustrous. The performance is not quite as distinctive as its companion, but is still brightly etched, ‘El circulo magico’ being quite bewitching; and the strings as well as the horns bring splendid bite to the ‘Fire Dance’. The finale does expose the weakness of the Suisse Romande Orchestra in the middle strings, but has far more passion than Fruhbeck generates. This Decca reissue really is a remarkable CD, fully worthy of its Legend status.

-- Ivan March, Gramophone [10/2000]