Paul Paray - The Mercury Masters: Volume 1

"Judging from the first releases by him and the newly resuscitated Detroit Symphony Orchestra, [Paray] should soon come into his own. His reading of this much-played symphony is a thrill from start to finish." High Fidelity, November 1953 (Franck)

"Once again, Paray reveals his mastery at interpreting modern French music. The [Pelléas Suite] emerges as the essence of beauty and simplicity, while La Valse, infused with new life, is made to rise to thrilling dramatic heights." High Fidelity, December 1954 (Fauré/Franck/Ravel)

"A Seventh of strong assertion and iron-clad rhythm, a Teutonic paean to substantial motion … The whole has no more subtlety than the surf when the ocean is violent, but it has the same kind of conviction." High Fidelity, January 1954 (Beethoven: Symphony No. 7)

"Mr. Paray is one of the few universalists who can acquit themselves well of almost any musical problem … This writer is not a student of [Les Préludes], but he knows no recording of it better than this, nor any reason why there should be one." High Fidelity, November 1954 (Schumann/Liszt)

"[Paray] has a way with this music that knows few, if any, parallels among present-day conductors. He makes it live and breathe, infusing it with a magic mixture of subtlety and excitement. Thus, his Sorcerer's Apprentice abounds in drama, suspense and humour from beginning to end." High Fidelity, November 1954 (Dukas/Fauré/Roussel)

"[The DSO] play French music with altogether admirable style and technique, and though the former may be due to Paray's expert coaching, the latter is very clearly their own possession - and a most remarkable one it is." Gramophone, February 1955 (Dukas/Fauré/Roussel)

"This is not balance as we recognize it but it is perhaps better, in a splendour of brass and full identity of the woods beyond a concert-hall experience of the throttled instrumentation of the music. It is the most startling version, and perhaps also the best." High Fidelity, February 1956 (Brahms, Symphony No. 4)

"His interpretations are all well-judged … these players show not only brilliance but a very attractive lightness of rhythm … The swiftly moving but very quiet Prize Song theme is just right." Gramophone, October 1956 (Wagner)

"I couldn't believe my ears, and darted to the turntable to see if it was set by mistake to 45. But it wasn't; Paray really was taking the first movement like that." Gramophone, January 1957 (Beethoven, Symphony No. 6)

"The approach is fresh and full of vitality. The lush melodies and harmonies get plenty of attention, but are never allowed to cloy … The Detroit Symphony, which he has built into a top-notch orchestra, responds magnificently." High Fidelity, February 1957 (Chausson)

"Four of the finest Wagner performances currently available. Paray is one of those remarkable French musicians who can give impressive and stylistically sound accounts of German scores, and the orchestra responds beautifully to his leadership." High Fidelity, February 1957 (Siegfried's Rhine Journey, etc)

"Recommended without reserve … Paray and his orchestra play each [excerpt] most sympathetically … the Tristan Prelude is extremely well built by Paray." Gramophone, July 1957 (Wagner)
"Paray's treatment … imparts new flavour and excitement." High Fidelity, August 1957 (Bizet)

"Paray … builds the work from beginning to end, with a truly moving climax resulting … Nowhere do I know of a recording that transmits the tremendous peaks of the finale with such transparency. The disc is wonderful in every way." High Fidelity, March 1959 (Saint-Saëns: Symphony No 3)

"Paray's is one of the best-proportioned versions of the richly romantic Rachmaninoff Second Symphony in recorded form, and the conductor manages to draw superb performances from his orchestra." High Fidelity, March 1964 (Rachmaninoff: Symphony No 2)