"In my review of Loren Maazel's recording of the complete Romeo and Juliet ballet score for Decca, I said that it was hard for me to imagine how the playing and conducting could be bettered. I wish I had heard this recording before making that statement because Esa-Pekka Salonen's set of excerpts runs rings around Maazel in terms of liveliness and sheer balletic dance-ability. Maazel sounds almost plodding and dull by comparison. This is playing and conducting of tremendous polish and commitment. This CD has an advantage over Maazel's recording in that it was recorded in digital sound. The recording balance and definition are most realistic."