Many of us will have treasured the 1938 recording on 78s conducted by Bruno Walter, an historic issue made just before the Anschluss. He is the conductor of another classic version here, recorded in a happier Vienna in 1952, when the tenor soloist was Julius Patzak and the mezzo Kathleen Ferrier, who was to die from cancer a year later after a career of just 10 years. It is impossible not to have this in mind as she sings the great Farewell movement. The music in places lies rather high for her but the slight strain adds to the effect. Walter had conducted a famous performance with Ferrier at the first Edinburgh Festival in 1947. She was overcome with tears and omitted the final 'Ewig'. Afterwards she apologised to Walter who replied: 'Miss Ferrier, if we were all such artists as you, we should all have been in tears.'