Repertoire: The BEST and the WORST Bartók Miraculous Mandarin

This masterpiece, one of the great expressionist horror stories of the early 20th century, has been very lucky on disc. The music is so atmospheric, colorful and creepy, that most conductors don't attempt it unless they're prepared to do it justice. That doesn't mean that some versions aren't lousy, and I'll discuss one of them, but the vast majority are worthy--and I offer fourteen of those. Musical Examples courtesy of Naxos Records