Delightful and stirring music. Vibrant performances. Superb analogue sound. From 1958, 1961 and 1965, recorded in either Walthamstow or Wembley venues, Charles Mackerras and the LSO are scintillating and shapely throughout this tonic-dispensing collection – recommended to be dipped into daily. (I have, remarkably medicinal and life-enhancing.)
Opening with a swaggering Radetzky March, several Overtures (gems lost to the concert hall these days, sadly) are then paraded gloriously – Fledermaus, Gypsy Baron, Orpheus in the Underworld (including a riotous ‘Can-Can’), Merry Wives of Windsor, Abu Hassan, Mignon, Jolly Robbers – are given knockout renditions, ditto the rest here: eloquent and exuberant, played with fire and beauty, featuring magical solos – not least from clarinet (Gervase de Peyer?) and violin (Hugh Maguire?) in the 1961 Offenbach – Sir Charles (as he would become) introducing a sense of theatre, when required, and sometimes teasing the music with affection and a twinkle in the eye – whether three Hungarian Dances (two of which are in mono), Invitation to the Dance (Weber/Berlioz), et al.
The earliest tapings here are a Nordic gathering of Grieg and Sibelius, played by the London Proms Symphony Orchestra, a contractually-obliged name for “probably” the LSO, advises Eloquence’s annotation. The RCA LP cover credits the New Symphony Orchestra of London in this popular Scandinavian selection, including Sibelius’s Finlandia and Valse triste.
Whatever the identity of the musicians there is no lack of drama, emotional intensity and sensitivity, captured in just-as-good sonic splendour (Kenneth Wilkinson) as the later sessions. Eloquence 482 9360 (2 CDs).
And… a concurrent Eloquence release finds Mackerras (1925-2010) and the LSO in mid-1960s’ enlightenment of Gluck and Rameau ballet music… https://www.discogs.com/Rameau-Gluck-London-Symphony-Orchestra-Charles-Mackerras-Castor-Et-Pollux-Orph%C3%A9e/release/14090076/image/SW1hZ2U6NDE4Nzg2NDY=… plus (to give seventy minutes’ playing time) previously unreleased Cimarosa and Cherubini (the latter’s Anacréon, which in days of yore attracted the services of Boult, Furtwängler, Karajan, Klemperer and Toscanini … but who today? Only Muti comes to mind). Wonderful repertoire, stylish performances (including the use of a harpsichord in the Baroque scores), and detailed/tangible sound. Eloquence 482 9364.
https://www.eloquenceclassics.com/
Postscript: I had problems linking to the individual information-giving pages on Eloquence’s website for these two releases, so better luck here.
Kaleidoscope: https://www.eloquenceclassics.com/releases/kaleidoscope-an-orchestral-extravaganza/
Gluck/Rameau: https://www.eloquenceclassics.com/releases/gluck-rameau-orchestral-suites/
Colin