Audiophile XRCD24 Mastered from the OriginalAnalogue EMI Master Tapes!
Can Be Enjoyed on Any CD Player!
A tall imposing figure, so tall, in fact, that he often dispensed with a podium,Efrem Kurtz was a distinguished Russian conductor, who had studied with Glazunovand Tcherepnin and was a pupil of Arthur Nikisch. Kurtz had a broad symphonicand operatic repertory and conducted the premieres of works by Copland, Barber,Walton, Hindemith, Stravinsky, Shostakovich and Khachaturian. But he was mosthighly regarded for his interpretations of Russian music.
Kurtz was a familiar name to the record collector of the 1950s and embarked upona series of Tchaikovsky ballet recordings with the Philharmonia Orchestra forEMI in 1958. HIQ has already released Swan Lake and the release The SleepingBeauty is in preparation. Of this Nutcracker highlights Gramaphone wrote: “Thisis probably as good a selection as could reasonably be expected.”
In the original review in The Gramophone of November 1958, R.F. remarked: “Theorchestral quality is superb, and the dynamic contrasts tremendous. If you canhear the opening pizzicato notes of the Sugar-Plum Fairy, the end of the Valsedes Fleurs will have your neighbours banging on the wall in desperation.”
Features:
Mastered from the Original Analogue EMI Master Tapes
Superior Audiophile XRCD24
XRCD24 is a standard “Red Book” CD and can be enjoyed on any CD player
Musicians:
Philharmonia Orchestra
Efrem Kurtz, conductor
Selections:
Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
The Nutcracker Op. 71
1. Overture
2. No. 2 – Marche No. 3 – Petit Galop Des Enfants Et Entrée De Parents No. 8- Scène No. 9 – Valse Des Flocons De Neige
3. No. 12 – Divertissement
a. Le Chocolat
b. Le Café
4. No. 12 – Divertissement
c. Le Thé
d. Trépak
e. Danse Des Mirlitons
5. No. 13 – Valse Des Fleurs
6. No. 14a – Pas De Deux
7. No. 14b – Pour Le Danseur
c. No. 14 Pour La Danseuse
d. No. 14 – Coda – Valse Finale
Recorded March 1958, Kingsway Hall, London. Recording Producer: Peter Andry.Balance Engineer: Neville Boyling
