Buy this for Bernstein's "Petrushka"! Lenny was a terrific story teller, and he used the resources of the New York Philharmonic to tell the creepy story of Petrushka, the clown who was abused, beaten, and finally murdered in a scene at a fair in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The New York Philharmonic play so well, you must hear this to believe it.

I have heard other complete Petrushka recordings, including Ansermet/Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (Decca) and Charles Dutoit/London Symphony (DG), and Bernstein is superior to both of them. Columbia's 1970 stereo recording, reissued here by CBS, is excellent, wide ranging and contrasting in ppp to fff sound levels. I could not detect any hiss, even though it is ADD.

Bernstein's "Firebird" Suite is also excellent, but did not make quite the impression on me that his "Petrushka" did, still a terrific performance though. You will not be disappointed with this disc.