Our local orchestra performed the rarely heard yet absolutely wonderful Capriccio sinfonico by Giacomo Puccini. An early work, it is a concise 15 minute, 3 section gem full of drama and incredible melody. Think of Tosca distilled to 15 minutes.
So I dug out this great album of rarely heard Puccini orchestral music, recorded in the 80's and available in many iterations since then. The sound is quite good, Chailly does not enter into a debate whether this is "good Puccini" or not (some of the works including the Capriccio and the earlier and equally charming Preludio sinfonico were from his student days in the Milan Conservatory,) he and the RSO Berlin treat it as if it was gold from the pen of a mature master.
Wonderful.
![Image](http://www.arkivmusic.com/graphics/covers/non-muze2/large/150227)