La Mer / Nocturnes

La Mer is given one of its most satisfying recorded performances. Far from indulging himself, Giulini maintains an admirably disciplined approach, paying extraordinarily loving attention to the details with which this score teems. The textures have such cloud-like softness and insubstantiality, and the Philharmonia's playing for Giulini indicates why it was up there as one of the world's very top orchestras at the time.