“The Kansas City Symphony have been on a roll with Michael Stern…[Miraculous Metamorphoses] are works that provide conductor and musicians with a spectrum of atmospheres and colours into which they can sink their respective teeth. Stern and his orchestra do so to captivating effect, without resorting to sonic exaggeration. … Hindemith's Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes of Weber has tonal splendour to spare but it also receives a detailed account full of subtle gestures and disciplined ensemble. … Prokofiev's suite from The Love for Three Oranges…is among the composer's zestiest inventions and the Kansas City contingent make vibrant business of the score's whimsies and hues. … [In The Miraculous Mandarin the] solo clarinet brilliantly essays the girl's seductive machinations and the orchestra enter into the violent spirit of things with fierce sophistication. … turn the volume up to gain the full impact of this searing performance.” —Donald Rosenberg, Gramophone
Labels: Gramophone Magazine, Kansas City Symphony, Michael Stern, Miraculous Metamorphoses, Review