Schubert: Symphony No. 8 / Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4

Giuseppe Sinopoli literally burst upon the classical music scene with this gorgeous recording of two repertoire chestnuts. His musical accomplishments were abetted by a marvelously stupid set of program notes in which he talked about Schubert's lack of personal hygiene and other none too salient facts. And if his musical career seems not to have fulfilled the promise of this spectacular early recording, at least we have this evidence of what might have been. --David Hurwitz