"There are three recordings of Toscanini's take on Verdi's Requiem, each stunning in its own way. This one from 1938, despite the tubby, always problematic but certainly listenable sound, is remarkable for how much instrumental detail is audible and dramatically part of the whole: the descending cello notes during the "Kyrie"; the maniacal piccolos accompanying the "Dies irae" that give way in the soft, following passage to clear clarinets and oboes; the bassoon in the "Quid sum miser". The choral work is the best of the three performances. Through their impressive technical facility, expressive range (they're capable of singing from pppp to ffff), and impeccable diction, the BBC forces imbue the text with great meaning." (Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com)