Guild Historical starts the New Year 2012 with an issue of the greatest importance to admirers of the finest conductors of the past. Here we have six performances conducted by the incomparable German master Fritz Busch during his time as conductor in Stockholm, including an exceptionally rare account of the Alban Berg Violin Concerto, in which the soloist is the violinist who gave the world premiere and who later made the first ever commercial recording of the work. This is a true collector's item, and we also include Hindemith's brilliant Symphonic Metamorphoses on themes by Carl Maria von Weber - a true 'orchestral showpiece' if ever there was one - and quite dazzlingly performed under Busch, who knew the composer very well indeed. Also included is the Overture to Mozart's 'Cosi fan tutte', and three other rarely-heard gems: a movement from Lars-Erik Larsson's Second Symphony, an orchestration by Busch himself of a wonderful organ piece by Max Reger and an overture by Franz Berwald. All-in-all, this is a wholly exceptional disc of major significance.

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