Kurtz era o nome sempre associado à Philharmonia pelos coleccionadores de discos dos anos 50, e Yehudi Menuhin estava no seu melhor seguindo a longa tradição de violinistas consagrados nos solos de Swan Lake. Efrem Kurtz tinha uma técnica graciosa e sem batuta que resultava numa resposta fluída e controlada da orquestra que tornava mais vívida a música romântica em particular.

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• Vinil Audiófilo 180 Gramas
• Corte a partir das Master Tapes Originais Analógicas da EMI
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• Arte e grafismo da capa original

"Corte nos Estúdios Abbey Road a partir das Master Tapes Originais Analógicas num lathe Neumann VMS82 alimentado com um sinal prévio através de um deck Studer A80 especialmente modificado com uma cabeça de avanço especial, permitindo realizar um corte num processo completamente analógico. Prensagem realizada com as máquinas originais da EMI pela The Vinyl Factory em Hayes, Inglaterra."

"A tall, imposing figure in front of an orchestra, so tall that he often dispensed with the usual conductor's podium, 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. Much sought after in the music of his native Russia, and in the ballet music in which he first made his name conducting Anna Pavlova, Kurtz was a link back to the musical life of pre-revolutionary St Petersburg." So wrote most eloquently Noel Goodwin in his 1995 obituary in the Independent of the distinguished Russian conductor, who had studied with Glazunov and Tcherepnin no less, and was a pupil of Arthur Nikisch.

Kurtz was a familiar name with the Philharmonia to the record collector of the 1950s and Yehudi Menuhin was in his prime. Menuhin's presence on the recording can be explained by a long tradition of celebrated violinists performing the solo violin parts of Swan Lake.

In the original review in The Gramophone of December 1958, W.S.M. remarked - "The sound of the orchestra is extremely well defined all the way through, and the tunes are enunciated in a most dapper fashion; Kurtz really understands the style of the music..." and found Menuhin's solo violin contributions "make you sit up and listen hard, to his phrasing and expression..." and concluded that compared with rival versions, this record was "more stylish and more attractively played. Don't try to dance to it, but do listen to it."

Gravado em 1958 no Kingsway Hall, Londres. Produtor de Gravação: Kinloch Anderson & Peter Andry. Engenheiros: Neville Boyling & Robert Gooch.

Músicos:

Yehudi Menuhin, solo violino
Philharmonia Orchestra
Efrem Kurtz, condutor

Lista de Faixas:

Lado A
    TCHAIKOVSKY: LE LAC DES CYGNES (SWAN LAKE), Op.20 Ballet Suite
    1. (a) Introduction, (b) No.2: Valse (Act I), (c) No.4: Pas de trios, Nos. 1 to 6 (Act I)
    2. No. 5: Pas de deux, Nos. 1 & 2 (Act I)

Lado B
    TCHAIKOVSKY: LE LAC DES CYGNES (SWAN LAKE), Op.20 Ballet Suite (contd)
    1. (a) No.5: Pas de deux, Nos. 3 & 4 (Act I), (b) No.10: Scène (Act II), (c) No.13: Danses des cygnes Nos. 1, 2 & 4 (Act II)
    2. (a) No.13, Danses des cygnes, No.5 (Act II), (b) No.20: Danse hongroise (Czárdás) (Act III), (c) Danse russe (from Supplement)

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