Mahler123
+1! But, unfortunately, I think, too often the same conductors who use small forces as Berglund with Sibelius and Harnoncourt with Beethoven do with the COE, also do it with period instruments, etc, Gardiner, something I'm no too attracted to. I really like Schumann's symphonies, especially the the 'spirit' of the 1st, the Spring Symphony my intro to Schumann. I just love this piece (not to the exclusion of the others) because it does recall 'spring' for me. With one exception I found large forces drag this sound down. The exception, which I'm sure many would disagree, is Bernstein's with the Wiener Phil on DG. I've not heard Dausgaard's Schumann but I will. Thanks.