Kurtz was a familiar name with the Philharmonia to the record collector of the 1950s and Yehudi Menuhin was in his prime following a long tradition of celebrated violinists performing the solo violin parts of Swan Lake. Efrem Kurtz had a graceful, baton-less technique that drew a fluid yet well-controlled response from the players and infused a vivid poetry into romantic music in particular.

• Hi-Q Records Supercuts
• 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl
• Cut from the Original EMI Analog Master Tapes
• Mastered at Abbey Road Studios
• Features Original Album Artwork

"Cut at Abbey Road Studios from the original stereo analogue master tapes with the Neumann VMS82 lathe fed an analogue pre-cut signal from a specially adapted Studer A80 tape deck with additional 'advance' playback head, making the cut a totally analogue process. Pressed using the original EMI presses at The Vinyl Factory in Hayes, England"

"...the disc confirms the suspicion that Efrem Kurtz is probably the finest conductor of ballet music in the world, certainly the supreme exponent of Tchaikovsky's ballets... A winner of a record." - Gramophone, September 1960

Efrem Kurtz, an imposing figure on the podium, who, with a graceful baton-less technique drew exceptionally lyrical playing out of the orchestras he conducted and was in great demand for his native Russian repertoire.

In the review of the stereo LP in The Gramophone of November 1960, W.S.M. confirmed his initial thoughts: “It is an extremely enjoyable cross-cut of Sleeping Beauty, performed magnificently under a conductor who understands Tchaikovsky’s ballet music completely. Yehudi Menuhin contributes only one solo, but that [is] a most distinguished one. The stereo is perhaps rather warmer and vivid than the very acceptable mono...”

Track Listing:

Side One

“LA BELLE AU BOIS DORMANT” (“THE SLEEPING BEAUTY”), OP.66 (TCHAIKOVSKY)

Suite from the Ballet

(1) – INTRODUCTION. PROLOGUE: No.2, Scène dansante. No.3: Pas de six

ACT 1 (2) – No.6: Valse. (3) No.8: Pas d’action

Side Two

“LA BELLE AU BOIS DORMANT” (“THE SLEEPING BEAUTY”), OP.66 (TCHAIKOVSKY)

Suite from the Ballet (cont.)

(1) ACT3 – No.22: Polonaise. No.23: Pas de quatre. (2) No.25: Pas de quatre. (3) No.26:

Pas de caractère. (3) No.28: Pas de deux. (4) No.30: Finale et Apothéose.

THE PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA

conducted by EFREM KURTZ

Violin Solo: YEHUDI MENUHIN

Recorded April 1958, Kingsway Hall, London. Recording Producer: R. Kinloch Anderson. Balance Engineer: Neville Boyling