I must have worn out the LP when I was a kid. I didn't care for the transfer from RCA, although I could hear the piece. But this transfer is really very fine, captures the depth of the orchestra better than anything I could imagine. Makes me want to get all the Reiner/CSO recordings from this site, which I have in queue.

This was the recording which ignited my love of classical music, more years ago than I care to remember - how could I not buy it? For a recording nearly 60 years old, it still sounds remarkably good - slightly opaque and hollow at times, but with more bass than I remember from the original LP. I have heard modern recordings which sound worse. The performance is excellent, if without the extra warmth and lilt Karajan gives it. And the Chicago SO were certainly a great orchestra at the time.