Hope you enjoy the Strauss, Alison (and good to see you here again
). I shall be going to see Haitink and the Chicago SO at the Proms playing DSCH4. His recording of Mahler 6 gets a critical mauling in this month's IRR, though.
I very much like the work of Mark Elder, especially his Hallé Elgar series. I read that they're recording The Dream of Gerontius later in the summer, which should be something to look forward to. Oramo's Gerontius last year was very good too. Elder is also a fine Verdi conductor.
Gergiev? Well, it's little secret here that he's one of my favourite conductors - wilful, impetuous at times and not everything he does comes off, which is hardly surprising given his legendary hectic concert schedule, but I've spent many hours being thrilled by Mariinsky perfomances, CDs, concerts with the Philharmonia (who can forget his Diaghilev series at the RFH?) or the LSO (Prokofiev symphonies at the Barbican). I haven't been able to get to any of his Mahler concerts, but have bought the CDs of the 6th and 1st (the latter today) - at £6 a throw, I reckon it's hardly a great risk. He's back to more familiar territory next season, with Rachmaninov and Prokofiev, but, just for the devilment, I'd love to hear him have a go at RVW or Elgar!!
