William Steinberg’s famous readings of Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra and Holst’s The Planets newly remastered at 24-bit/192kHz.

1 Blu-ray Audio disc (new quadrophonic remastering) + 1 CD (new stereo remastering) in DigiPack format.

These recordings remain mementos of Steinberg’s brief tenure as the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Music Director (1969-1972) – cut all too short due to ailing health – and are of the first rank both musically and technically.

Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first performance of The Planets.

Includes booklet notes (English and German) on Steinberg and the BSO and an essay on quadrophonic recording.

“Steinberg had the most unconventional stick technique that required us to listen very intensely. The need to watch him closely, along with his rock-solid rhythm, turned Hindemith, Strauss, and Holst into powerful statements.” – Ronald Feldman, BSO cellist, 1967–2001

“For me one of the high points of the recording sessions [for DG] was the recording with Steinberg of Zarathustra and The Planets, both of which received what to my mind were definitive recordings.” – Robert Barnes, BSO violist, 1967–2016

“The warm resonance of the Boston acoustic adds to the sentient feeling of Steinberg's performance and, with superb playing from the Boston orchestra , the lyrical power of the reading is projected splendidly.” – Gramophone on ‘The Planets’

“Steinberg creates great excitement in ‘Jupiter’ and elsewhere, and his orchestra is on its toes throughout.” – Classic

“Sonically this recording [of ‘Also Sprach Zarathustra’], is warm and wide-ranging with timbres clear and true […] This is a carefully considered reading with the conductor [and] this performance grows in stature the more one listens to it. […] Steinberg’s ‘Planets’ […] never fails to connect and communicate. Indeed, if there’s one recording that delivers all the complexity – and skill – of Holst’s great score it must be this one.” – MusicWeb International