If you're looking for a crisp, polished studio recording, go elsewhere. This is just a so-so recording at what I assume to be a live performance (a nice phlegmy cough starts off the Montagues and Capulets). Seems like the microphone must have been placed right next to the horn section - when they pipe in its really brutal and jarring. But such is live music. A little disappointed, but on the whole, a decent CD of one of my favorite works - for six bucks I'm willing to overlook its flaws.