My introduction to the work was the Angel LP from 1964 with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and George Szell… and yes, I’m aware that it’s a performance that tends to divide rooms.

Today is Stephen Sondheim’s 90th birthday, and it’s not going as planned.

It was love at first hearing. The music was glorious, the conducting bouncy and pointed, and the singers sure sounded terrific to me.

If you want to be sophisticated, drink a cocktail while listening to this particular record.