"Fans who know this work from its Deutsche Grammophon premiere conducted by the composer and with the voices of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Edda Moser no less, will be interested in comparing and contrasting these two performances. The 1968 recording still sounds remarkably good, though this new SWR version captures more orchestral detail and in a less artificial sounding stereo mix. There is a reason for this however, in that the left side of the stage is designated "the Side of the Living" and the right side, "the Side of the Dead." This aspect of the score is less well-defined in the SWR recording. Peter Eötvös is a touch more energetic in his conducting, bringing the whole in a good five minutes shorted than Henze, who is by no means a slouch, but gives just a little more space to the second part in particular. This cast is every bit the equal of the older recording, but true Henze scholars will want both".