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****Excellent***Good**Fair*Poor : COMPACT DISCS

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<i> Compiled by Terry Atkinson</i>

“Bravura.” The Oregon Symphony, conducted by James DePreist. Delos. This is a basic display disc--of the performers, the engineering and the user’s audio components--but one that highlights some of the changes effected by the CD revolution. Not so long ago, a system show-off album would have featured a stellar Eastern or European orchestra and conductor playing something with cannons in it. Delos instead gives us the Oregon Symphony’s first recording in its 92-year history and Lutoslawski’s Concerto for Orchestra. DePreist guides a spirited, clear-headed reading of the stylistically conservative, orchestrally flamboyant 1950 opus. Its disc-mates are more commonplace--a bright, glib “Don Juan” (Richard Strauss) and a heroic, orgiastic “Feste Romane” (Respighi). ***

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