Format > 180 Gram Vinyl

The organ, queen of instruments, stood for centuries solely in the service of church music. Widor, who as an organist felt himself bound to follow the traditions of Johann Sebastian Bach, was daring enough to undertake an historically significant step by founding the French organ school. Its representatives strove for the authentic performance of Bach’s works and redefined the almost boundless possibilities of their instrument in their own compositions. Widor’s Organ Symphonies, which were certainly intended to incorporate orchestral characteristics, are notable for their finely worked counterpoint, prominent rhythm, sure sense of form, and massive tonal effects, as is impressively demonstrated here in this performance of the Allegro from Symphony No. 6. The introvert 'Salve Regina' is in a very different vein, conjuring up mystic spheres with its Gregorian melodies. Likewise, Dupré’s Prelude and Fugue is imbued with a sacral character, whereby the scurrying Prelude culminates in a powerful main section. His 'Triptyque' provides a rather more worldly contrast with its dance-like nature, and nicely rounds off this record which offers an excellent cross-section of the art of two giants of the organ. What is more, the 6,900 organ pipes of New York’s St. Thomas Church ensure that the listener will enjoy a truly powerful sound.

1. Allegro (Symphony No. 6, Opus 42)
2. Salve Regina
3. Prelude and Fugue in G Minor, Opus 7
4. Triptyque, opus 51

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The musical collaboration between the pianist and arranger Marty Paich and the drummer and singer Mel Tormé was particularly fruitful. Among the dozen LPs they made for various labels, 'Swings Shubert Alley' for Verve is an absolute highlight. This is no wonder, if one takes a look at the old favorites it contains. All are composed by top musical composers ranging from Oscar Hammerstein, Cole Porter up to Leonard Bernstein. Not to forget 'On The Street Where You Live' from 'My Fair Lady'!

Born in 1925, Mel Tormé was a professional drummer before he could be persuaded to try out another instrument – and to be sure, it is his rhythm, his beat, characterized by the relaxed swing of a west coast drummer, which makes him so special. All the song titles come from the two decades between 1940 and 1960, and according to Marty Paich one of the main criteria for their selection was whether or not they had jazz potential. All twelve titles certainly do and they all offer great opportunities for soloists Art Pepper, Frank Rosolino and Bill Perkins to show off their prowess. However the songs must suit the singer too, and have suitable lyrics – and it must be said: they fit swinging Mel like a glove. Just listen to 'Hello, Young Lovers' and 'Just In Time' for confirmation of that! Although both numbers only have a very simple melodic line, they are greatly enhanced by Mel Tormé’s improvisational talents. There’s not a single number among these twelve tried and tested old favorites which could be considered a flop. Tormé and Paich prove that simple melodies can come up a winner if given attractive and thrilling arrangements. The listener will appreciate the excellent stereo recording technique which captures a broad range of timbres and allows the solo voice to swing on a soft bed of sound.

1. Too Close for Comfort - 3:59
2. Once in Love With Amy - 3:08
3. A Sleepin' Bee - 3:29
4. On the Street Where You Live - 2:51
5. All I Need Is the Girl - 3:03
6. Just in Time - 3:23
7. Hello, Young Lovers - 3:06
8. The Surrey With the Fringe on Top - 2:57
9. Old Devil Moon - 2:46
10. Whatever Lola Wants - 3:18
11. Too Darn Hot - 2:44
12. Lonely Town - 3:39

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Blues guitar simply would not have developed in the manner that it did if not for the prolific brilliance of Lonnie Johnson. He was there to help define the instrument's future within the genre and the genre's future itself at the very beginning, his melodic conception so far advanced from most of his pre-war peers as to inhabit a plane all his own. For more than 40 years, Johnson played blues, jazz and ballads his way;he was a true blues originator whose influence hung heavy on a host of subsequent blues immortals. Johnson's influence was massive, touching everyone from Robert Johnson, whose seminal approach bore strong resemblance to that of his older namesake, to Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis, who each paid heartfelt tribute with versions of "Tomorrow Night" while at Sun. Remastered by Sean Magee at Abbey Road Studios.

Lonnie Johnson Portraits In Blues Volume 6 Track Listing

1. Tomorrow Night
2. Clementine Blues
3. See See Rider
4. Raining On The Cold, Cold Ground
5. Jelly Jelly Side
6. Too Late To Cry
7. Call Me Darling
8. Why Did You Go
9. Swingin' With Lonnie
10. Please Help Me

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Richard Wagner once described his fellow composer Felix Mendelssohn as a painter of landscapes in music. Mendelssohn obviously had no objections to this judgment when he set off for England with the intention of »raking together« folk melodies that he heard there.

What he harvested during his travels only came to fruition twelve years later in the form of his “Scottish” Symphony, now heard in this wonderful performance by Peter Maag and the London Symphony Orchestra. Maag’s intelligent conducting retains a balance between magical romantic timbre and analytical objectivity, whereby a wholly intentional underlying elegiac mood even spreads its veil over the hymnal third movement and the thrilling finale. His well-moulded interpretation is supported by a clearly stratified orchestral sound which is a real joy to hear, remaining pure and refined, even in the sonorous tutti. And what could be more fitting to round off this “Scottish” programme than the concert overture “The Hebrides“? Many a Mendelssohn lover would say that this recording should be cast in iron for posterity. But instead, here it is on four 45rpm discs – a real collectors item!

1. Fingal's Cave, Overture for Orchestra, Op. 26
2. Andante con moto-Allegro un poco agitato (No. 3)
3. Vivace non troppe (No. 3)
4. Adagio (No. 3)
5. Allegro Vivacissimo-Allegro maestoso assai (No. 3)
6. Allegro vivace (No. 4)
7. Andante con moto (No. 4)
8. Con moto moderato (No. 4)
9. Saltarello:Presto (No. 4)

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The Who’s legendary third album, The Who Sell Out, released in 1967, was a concept album of songs made into advertisements, with the cover art featuring members of the band pretending to endorse various products. The band actually was doing a few commercials at the time, so this album was intended to poke fun at that. This was the first pop album ever to not list the song titles on its cover. Featuring 10 bonus tracks from the deluxe edition plus the reproduction of the poster contained in the first 1000 copies.

1. Armenia City In The Sky
2. Rael 2 (Bonus Track)
3. Heinz Baked Beans
4. Glittering Girl (Bonus Track)
5. Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand
6. Melancholia (Bonus Track)
7. Someone's Coming (Bonus Track)
8. Shaky Hand
9. Odorono
10. Jaguar (Bonus Track)
11. Early Morning Cold Taxi (Bonus Track)
12. Tatoo
13. Our Love Was
14. Hall Of The Mountain King (Bonus Track)
15. I Can see For Miles
16. Girl's Eye (Bonus Track)
17. I Can't Reach You
18. Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand (Bonus Track)
19. Glow Girl (Bonus Track)
20. Medac
21. Relax
22. Silas Stingy
23. Sunrise
24. Rael 1

Felix Mendelssohn composed the concert overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1826 while the remaining incidental music, composed for a performance of Shakespeare’s famous play, was written many years later. His well known Wedding March and the other important numbers of A Midsummer Night’s Dream are included in this sought-after DECCA recording. This composition is Mendelssohn’s most important stage works and a great favourite, which explains why it is so frequently performed (especially the overture) and recorded. World-class musicians like the soloists Jennifer Vyvyan, Marion Lowe and the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Peter Maag, and supported by the Women’s Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, give a masterly performance of this delightful work which offers an insight into Mendelssohn’s early and late compositional styles. The quality of the performance leaves nothing to be desired and the listener is carried away to a world of dreams, not only during a summer night.

1. Overture Opus 21
2. Scherzo Opus 61 No. 1
3. 'You Spotted Snakes' Opus 61 No. 3
4. Intermezzo Opus 61 No. 5
5. Nocturne Opus 61 No. 7
6. Wedding Marche Opus 61 No. 9
7. Dance Of The Clowns Opus 61 No. 11
8. Finale Opus 61 No. 12

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Charles Mingus’s name appears no less than five times on the record sleeve! His vanity may be open to criticism, but in the case of this particular disc, the Impulse record company was quite right to place him so forcefully in the limelight: Charles Mingus, who died in 1979, is here composer, bass player, arranger, leader and ‘animal tamer’. He composed six of the seven numbers - if you can call it ‘composing’, that is, when he sings the harmonies over the telephone or plays them to his musicians, only to demand exactly the opposite from them in the recording studio! As a bass player, his meaty sound drives the soloists onwards, only for him to change the tempo abruptly at the very next moment, and forcing them to change their well-trodden improvisational path.

He learned to arrange music from Duke Ellington, whose way of working he adopted: notes are not set down for just anyone to play, but for a specific musician. And here we have the crème de la crème: Booker Ervin, Eric Dolphy and Charlie Mariano.

As a leader, Mingus created his own special moments such as when he forces the whole ensemble to follow him in his spontaneous, contrapuntal ideas.

And during the whole of his life he felt like an animal tamer in the music pit. At these recording sessions in January and September 1963, real personalities sat on the stools - and Messrs. Byard, Williams, Preston and Richmond were by no means meek little creatures.

Looking for a tip as to which title to play first? What else can one say but ‘try them all’. They’re all great! And the pressing too, is absolutely first rate, with none of the streaks that the old Impulse vinyl records always had. One is only too willing to forego the wishy-washy sound that is found on so many of the cheap re-releases - you’ll find that the playing of the ensemble is crystal-clear on this album!

1. II B.S.
2. I X Love
3. Celia
4. Mood Indigo
5. Better Get Hit in Yo' Soul
6. Theme for Lester Young
7. Hora Decubitus

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This title is not eligible for further discount.

1. Ol' 55
2. Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You
3. Virginia Avenue
4. Old Shoes
5. Midnight Lullabye
6. Martha
7. Rosie
8. Ice Cream Man
9. Little Trip To Heaven
10. Grapefruit Moon
11. Closing Time

This MPS recording from 1976 has tremendous presence, capturing this fine trio at the top of their form.

1. Nite Mist Blues
2. Feelings
3. Satin Doll
4. Work Song
5. Drown in My Own Tears
6. Battle Hymn Of The Republic

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Compositions and arrangements for pop group and symphony orchestra belong to the British pop scene like the Queen to the Commonwealth. The Moody Blues, one of a seemingly never-ending number of groups which sprang up in the North of England, ventured early into new territory in that they undertook an ambitious project which sought to mediate between classical tradition and modern music and which might very well be described as real “crossover”. Their very first long-playing record, made in 1967, was a smash hit right from the start. The album Days of Future Passed jumped into the US charts within a few weeks and remained there for almost two years, bringing the group their first Gold Disc. As the title suggests, the six individual recordings fit together within the programmatic framework of a passing day. This synthesis of orchestral music and original “flower power sound”, where the past melts with the future, results in Nights in White Satin, a timeless super-hit. What is more, the brilliant tonal definition of DECCA’s patented “Deramic Sound System” does not cease to amaze and certainly does justice to this extraordinary recording.

1. The Day Begins
2. Dawn: Dawn Is a Feeling
3. Morning: Another Morning
4. Lunch Break: Peak Hour
5. Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon)
6. Evening: the Sun Set: Twilight Time
7. Night: Nights in White Satin

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The amazing skill of two great virtuosos, Joseph Leutgeb and Anton Stadler, inspired Mozart to compose the concertos heard here. Recorded November1959 at London's Kingsway Hall, this DECCA recording gives us an excellent idea of how the concertos would have sounded in Mozart's day, thanks to two of today's very best instrumentalists – the clarinettist Gervase de Peyer and the horn player Barry Tuckwell.

Amazing lightness, warmth of tone and perfect intonation are the hallmarks of the soloist and London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Peter Maag in the clarinet concerto, which Mozart completed only a few weeks before his death. The two horn concertos heard here were also written during Mozart’s final creative period in Vienna. Just one hearing is enough to let them be remembered for all time – for these concertos employ to the full the horn’s rich and widely varied range of expression. Broad arching melodies, tripping runs and merry hunting calls in the final movements guarantee musical enjoyment, and for this we owe our thanks to both the past and present masters of their instruments in this delightful recording.

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Mozart wrote the Divertimento No. 1 at the age of six, while A Musical Joke and Eine kleine Nachtmusik were composed shortly before his death.

From what one hears, apparently only a few music lovers enjoy listening to Eine kleine Nachtmusik. Far too often has it been performed routinely rather than being filled with life. This recording is quite different: living up to his reputation, Karl Münchinger proves that this favourite can be imbued with significance.

The historical roote of the serenade lie in the suite which consists of varied contrasting dance movements. In the spirit of this tradition, Münchinger offers a clear and unfussed interpretation which is absolutely credible and has a freshness rarely heard. The ensemble plays both cheerfully and and wittily. In A Musical Joke, Mozart parodies amateurish composers of his own era, and the orchestra quite obviously participates in the fun.

This LP is distinguished by its musical and tonal balance and is one of DECCA’s best sound recordings.

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It is not often that incomplete works enjoy great popularity. And it is even rarer that a torso should exercise such great importance in music history, but this is the case with Mozart’s Great Mass, K. 427. The C minor Mass is always spoken of as if it were complete: it is spoken of with reverence, eyes looking towards Heaven, lost in the beauty of the music, transported to celestial heights. Mozart combines the compositional style of the Baroque masters with the more modern style of the Viennese Classic. Lofty arioso sections alternate with tremendous choral sections for up to eight parts whose splendid and spectacular timbre broke the bounds of tradition and set new standards for the genre.

This Mass is, of course, not merely performed but celebrated, as the Berlin RSO under its Principal Conductor Ferenc Fricsay has so admirably demonstrated in this recording. Precise entries, strict tempi, a polished orchestral timbre and vocal soloists so brilliant one might think they were standing in one’s own front room lend this recording top marks for musical quality and repertoire value.

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Friedrich Gulda is known to all. He is the musical wizard with the embroidered cap, an artist who is equally at home in jazz, the Viennese lied, or the works of the Viennese Classic. Gulda might have only performed a small number of his Austrian compatriot?s 27 piano concerto ? but with these few he certainly created a sensation. That the present recording of the Concertos Nos. 20 and 21, even after 25 years, is still regarded as ranking among the very best performances is something that can be heard after just a few bars. The minor-key first movement of No. 20 begins with a measured tempo and precise articulation, then the piano joins in with almost sober clarity and proceeds to lead a concentrated, tightly enmeshed conversation with the orchestra.

The C major Concerto sparkles brightly with its thrilling, virtuoso part-writing and transparent, almost chamber-like instrumental ensemble. Details left only fleetingly touched and casual phrasing will be sought in vain in this highly analytical interpretation of Mozart?s musical intentions. The listener will do well here to forget the popular concept of a fun-loving, high-spirited Mozart and to recognize the ardent, passionate side of the composer.

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 20 in D Minor
Allegro
Romance
Rondo

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 21 in C Major, K. 467
Allegro maestoso
Andante
Allegro vivace assai

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“Now I am going to compose a Sinfonia concertante”, wrote Mozart to his father, quite unsuspecting that his contribution to this hybrid of concerto and symphony would not bring the immediate approval and success to which he was accustomed. But opinions have changed drastically since then, especially since the Sinfonia concertante K. 364 has far greater depth to it than its title suggests. The wealth of melodic ideas, subtly allotted alternately to the soloist and the orchestra, testifies to the fact that this is one of Mozart’s mature orchestral masterpieces which he composed while in Vienna. The superb performers in this DECCA recording guarantee that the listener will not only enjoy the deceptive merriment of the outer movements but will be deeply moved by the sad Andante. What bad luck for rival performances! But when father and son take up their bows, this is the recording to beat all recordings! On the B side, the Duo for Violin and Viola, K. 423 is a welcome bonus since it offers a wonderful opportunity for a display of virtuosity and counterpoint. And of course the old question pops up once again as to who is the better master of his instrument: father or son? The answer is simple: neither the one nor the other! – Both, of course!

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Like all the works he composed during his extremely productive years in Vienna, Mozart’s last two symphonies are remarkable for their ambitious and demanding individuality, despite the fact that they were written in the amazingly short space of only six weeks. Any inference to the dire circumstances in which the composer was living at the time might possibly be detected in the grave character of Symphony No. 40 in G minor. The so-called Jupiter-Symphony, however, which owes its name to the Roman god, brims over with an endless joy of life. The powerful final movement with its combination of fugal technique, rondo and sonata form is quite rightly regarded as a unique compositional achievement in the classical era. The Mozart specialist Carlo Maria Giulini, who only enters the recording studio when he is quite totally sure of a thing, has set down a performance here which does without orchestral fireworks and concentrates on a seemingly endless flow of melody. The orchestral playing is light, airy and unpretentious, the strings as soft as silk – what more could Mozart have wished for.

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MOZART/SYMPHONY #36/PIANO CONCERTO NO. 15/LEONARD BERNSTEIN-VIENNA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

This is a Speakers Corner re-issue of the original Decca release that is the same in every detail.

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The Original Studio Album PLUS a Bonus LP of Live Material!

On the cover is Michelangelo's 'The Creation Of Man,' where God reaches out his hand: the intentions of the makers of Fathers And Sons could hardly be more illustrative. The enigmatic message of this album is clearly that these prodigal sons, these one-time gods of the Chicago blues, are to be given a helping hand to their comeback. And this was sorely needed, for although the Chess label had achieved good sales figures one year previously with the LP Electric Mud, they didn't really produce a convincing blues session. In order not to land once again in the pseudo-psychedelic outback with distorted electronic sound and wah-wah effects, the two legendary artists Muddy Waters and Otis Spann were joined by the three musicians who made up the Butterfield Blues Band. With this artistic core of fathers and sons and a few choice side musicians, the resulting blues recording rolled along without a hitch. A whole set of pieces were set down, enough to fill an LP, and a 30-minute live session adds further luster to the excellent studio recordings. The characteristic crisp and raw Waters studio sound is followed by a charismatic stage show which bubbles and boils with a red-hot blues atmosphere. This is the Blues Re-Issue if the Year! Highly recommended!

1. All Aboard
2. Mean Disposition
3. Blow Wind Blow
4. Can’t Lose What You Ain’t Never Had
5. Walkin Thru The Park
6. Forty Days And Forty Nights
7. Standin ‘Round Crying
8. I’m Ready; Twenty Four Hours
9. Sugar Sweet
10. Long Distance Call
11. Baby Please Don’t Go
12. Honey Bee
13. The Same Thing
14. Got My Mojo Working Pts. 1 and 2

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In 1960, when Muddy Waters recorded this album as a tribute to Big Bill Broonzy two years after his death, he could be sure of Broonzy’s approval. »Oh yeah, Muddy is a real singer of the Blues«, Big Bill, that Mississippi foundation stone, was heard to say early on in Muddy Waters’ career, although the sound of the man 15 years his junior could be likened to new shoots coming out of the gnarled root named the Blues. Full of confidence after a “Best Of” compilation released on the Chess label in 1959 and his legendary appearance at the Newport Folk Festival, Muddy set down his own Broonzy songs. It goes almost without saying that such successful numbers as “I Feel So Good“ and “Tell Me Baby“ are overflowing with a ‘Chicago feeling‘ which gets right under your skin. Pulsating with the metallic heartbeat of the electric guitar and the gyrating licks which James Cotton conjures out of his harmonica, the cover title amalgamates the individual styles of two top-notch Blues musicians to produce a highly emotional mixture. And let’s not forget the band formed around keyboarder Otis Spann, their fellow musician of many years’ standing. Just listen carefully to this small but excellent ensemble and you will certainly forget the banal term ‘rhythm group‘!

1. Tell Me Baby
2. Southbound Train
3. When I Get to Thinking
4. Just a dream (On My Mind)
5. Double Trouble
6. I Feel So Good
7. I Done Got Wise
8. Mopper's Blues
9. Lonesome Road Blues
10. Hey, Hey

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By the end of the Fifties Muddy Waters had become famous enough to release a record with his own name on the cover. But that it was to be a 'Best of' album was certainly a surprise because the ink had hardly dried on his recording contract with Chess. It was as though the producers had known that with such titles as 'Hoochie Coochie (Man)', 'Honey Bee' and 'I Want You To Love Me Muddy' had come up with blues music which would provide him and numerous cover bands with material for years to come. In those days Waters’ blues did not bow to any particular fashion of the times. Dry and raw, he tells his tales to the crystal-clear, metallic sound of the electric guitar. A rhythm group builds the foundation, the melodic counterpart to the vocals is provided by the harp with cuttingly sharp intrusions or whimpering background. Nothing more is needed to experience a truly original blues feeling and one can be both sad and happy that such authentic blues music is available only on record. That’s how it was in the Seventies, when Chess released a remake of this record. Now here is the 'original'!

1. I Just Want To Make Love To You
2. Long Distance Call
3. Louisiana Blues
4. Honey Bee
5. Rollin’ Stone
6. I’m Ready
7. Hoochie Coochie
8. She Moves Me
9. I Want You To Love Me
10. Standing Around Crying
11. Still A Fool
12. I Can’t Be Satisfied

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MUSSORGSKY/PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION/BYRON JANIS/MINNEAPOLIS SYM ORC (2LP 180g)

This two-LP set includes as a very special bonus the piano-only version of Pictures at an Exhibition cut at 45 RPM. This is how this work was originally composed though no recording of that version has previously been released. The full symphonic version of Pictures at an Exhibition is cut here at 33 1/3. The orchestral version of Mussorgsky’s musical picture gallery has always been one of the most popular works ever heard in concert halls all over the world. Originally written for the piano, the unsuccessful composer never heard the work in all its symphonic glory, although many of his contemporaries had often been tempted to arrange his works. As early as 1891, ten years after his death, Mikhail Tushmalov – a pupil of Rimsky-Korsakov – presented a first version. However, it is Maurice Ravel’s orchestral version from 1922 that remains unsurpassed to this day. His arrangement amalgamates the original force and angularity of the piano with the brilliance of a modern orchestra.The transparent and powerful performance by the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra is complemented by an equally fascinating version from one of Mercury’s main pianists, Byron Janis. In listening to the two interpretations one after the other it becomes clear as to how closely Ravel remained true to the original version while still managing to imbue his genial orchestral version with his own tonal conception. The solo piano recording, released for the first time on vinyl, will certainly be of special interest to record collectors.

1. Gnomus
2. Il Vecchio Castello
3. Tuilleries, Disput D'Enfants Apres Jeux
4. Bydlo
5. Ballet of the Chickens in Eggs
6. Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle
7. Limoges
8. Catacombs
9. The Hut on the Fowl's Legs
10. The Great Gate at Kiev

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This title is not eligible for further discount.

We can thank our lucky stars that Nina Simone was well aware of her musical environment and enjoyed experimenting with it, despite her notorious eccentric personality. This was the only reason that so much basic repertoire, traditional blues numbers, black work songs and favorite white show melodies – all filled with a deep soul feeling – reached her fans. Emergency Ward! Is no exception. First there is the explosive medley, recorded live, of George Harrison's 'My Sweet Lord' and David Nelson's 'Today Is A Killer.' Accompanied by a small combo and a gospel choir, Nina Simone ignites an 18-minute blazing bonfire, which loses none of its spiritual fire for even a second. In contrast to the gentle 'Poppies,' extravagantly produced with strings, woodwinds and chorus, is the questioning 'Isn't It A Pity,' arranged for piano. Here, simple, throbbing harmonies are occasionally allowed to swell into clouds of chords, giving Nina Simone the opportunity to show off her highly diversified vocal timbre, which fades away into nothing like an unanswered question. This is an exceptional album filled with a wealth of feeling and one which will leave no one untouched.

1. My Sweet Lord
2. Today is a Killer
3. Poppies
4. Isn't It a Pity

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Musicians certainly don't have it easy with record companies. First of all they must struggle to even get a contract. Then, when their debut release has proved a success, they are bandied around from one arranger to another in all the recording studios imaginable. But having been treated with such sounds as a snappy combo, meaty bigband, and smoochy string orchestra, there at last comes an opportunity for some artists to be themselves again. This album wholly concentrates on Nina Simone and demonstrates that she does not need help from anyone else in order to bring her strikingly expressive voice into the limelight. Accompanying her in her songs about loneliness, identity crises, and desires is her faithful friend, the piano, which she masters equally as well as her voice. The piano parts are far more than just casual accompaniments. Varying from number to number, they range from a classical, bluesy sound, to late-Romantic fervour, right up to avantgarde aggression. And yet all these pieces have something in common: filled with bizarre beauty, they portray a complex personality with all its ups and downs.

1. Seems I'm Never Tired Lovin' You
2. Nobody's Fault But Mine
3. I Think It's Going To Rain Today
4. Everyone's Gone To The Moon
5. Compensation
6. Who Am I
7. Another Spring
8. The Human Touch
9. I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes)
10. The Desperate Ones

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Track Listing

1. Do I Move You
2. Day And Night
3. In The Dark
4. Real Real
5. My Man's Gone Now
6. Backlash Blues
7. I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl
8. Buck
9. Since I Fell For You
10. The House Of The Rising Sun
11. Blues For Mama

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The present album rings in the era of cover versions and appeared at the time when Bob Dylan’s departed from the path of folk singer to travel down the road of ‘electrified’ rocker. The needle barely has to touch the groove before it become quite clear just why this record tops the list of early Dylan cover productions. Two acoustic guitars and a bass are all that Odetta would tolerate to provide a stage for her now swinging, now bluesy ‘original instrument’ - as the black singer described her voice. The rest was taken care of by the genial arrangements which most certainly contributed to the rather taxed 'Tambourine Man' giving a ten-minute long peak performance.

In addition, Odetta renders songs which the great man himself never ever set down. Original versions of 'Baby, I’m In The Mood For You', 'Walking Down The Line' and 'Tomorrow Is A Long Time' never appeared in the Sixties. And the songs 'Long Ago, Far Away' and 'Long Time Gone' were never released on any of the official Bob Dylan records. But who needs all this background knowledge to enjoy this music to the full?

1. Baby, I'm in the Mood for You
2. Long Ago, Far Away
3. Don't Think Twice, It's Alright
4. Tomorrow is a Long Time
5. Masters of War
6. Walkin' Down the Line
7. The Times They are A-Changin
8. With God on our Side
9. Long Time Gone
10. Mr. Tambourine Man

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Speakers Corner has just released one of the most important jazz records of all time! Originally released in 1961, Blues and the Abstract Truth was recorded by Impulse! founder, Creed Taylor. Nelson performs six of his own compositions switching between tenor and alto sax. The rest of the band on this session was comprised of jazz luminaries including: Bill Evans, Freddie Hubbard, Paul Chambers, Roy Haynes and Eric Dolphy! The opening cut, “Stolen Moments,' is Oliver Nelson's most important composition and is easily worth the price of admission alone. All the playing on this album is incredible and this 180g reissue sounds warm and wonderful, with greatly enhanced clarity. Our highest recommendation!

1. Stolen Moments
2. Hoe-Down
3. Cascades
4. Yearnin'
5. Butch And Butch
6. Teenie's Blues

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Oscar Petersen himself claimed to have made his best recordings MPS. In the label's archives for were lost tapes from Peterson’s heydey. And lo and behold, a number of previously unreleased recordings were discovered which had been taped ''exclusively for my friends'' in the private studio in Villingen in 1965-1968.

These live sessions before a mere handful of listeners proves once again just how at home the musicians felt in the Black Forest villa – as is borne out by the fact that Peterson’s usual trio formation alternated with his stand-in musicians of bassist Sam Jones and drummer Bobby Durham.

These amazing tracks are available for the very first time on an LP filled with glorious sound.

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Real fans have always been in the know: the Oscar Peterson Trio was never better than in the Sixties. Enough said! Quite undeniably it was during this time that the pianist and his partners Ray Brown (bass) and Ed Thipgen (drums) achieved their greatest success – and this success was never quite repeated with a different team of musicians. One of the albums to emerge from this era was Night Train, an album which still today is to be found right at the top of the “best of the best“ lists.

As is only right and proper for a formation made up of black musicians, blues – the bedrock of American jazz – is right at the heart of this music. In addition to a whole series of well-known, swinging numbers which will set your pulse racing such as the peppy C-Jam-Blues or the breathless, racing Honey-Dripper, this album also contains several dreamy ballads of extraordinary beauty. And if your spine isn’t set deliciously tingling when listening to Georgia On My Mind or the famous Hymn of Freedom, then it’s high time to visit a doctor! This auspicious compilation containing Peterson’s most important numbers also deserves praise for its excellent tonal quality and the high standard of the pressing. But why waste words – the fans know all that anyway!

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When the contract with Verve was terminated at the beginning of 1964, Mercury’s producers and owners endeavored to find new openings for Oscar Peterson who was committed to the piano trio. Among them was an LP of songs with Nat King Cole numbers scored for big band, the only long composition by Peterson - a reminiscence of his Canadian native country, a Latin album, and the present meet-up with Clark Terry. Filled with mutual respect, with a complete understanding of one another’s humour, and deliciously swinging without being obtrusive, these ten numbers will get your feet tapping and your fingers snapping.

1. Brotherhood of Man
2. Jim
3. Blues for Smedley
4. Roundalay
5. Mumbles
6. Mack the Knife
7. They Didn't Believe Me
8. Squeaky's Blues
9. I Want a Little Girl
10. Incoherent Blues

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This title is not eligible for further discount.

The Germans have their male-voice choirs, the French the musette, the Scottish the bagpipes, and the Spanish their fandangillo, solear and tango – or to put it more concisely – flamenco. This music is far more than just folkmusic passed down from generation to generation for it combines strict dance form with a free vocal melody and virtuoso guitar playing. Fame equal to that of a toreador is reaped by the few who have mastered this form of art.

Paco Peña and his Ensemble rank among these few, and it goes without saying that no recording studio in the world can do real justice to the fascination of flamenco. As the short sub-title “puro” suggests, this LP certainly lives up to expectations in encapturing an electrifying live atmosphere. Thrilling flourishes on the guitar, the sharp clack of the castanets, the rapid zapateados (heeltaps), and the typical, almost harsh singing are reproduced so clearly and spatially that one cannot help looking around to see where the musicians are standing. Those of a suspicious nature can be sure here that the “Phase-4” Process is anything but a publicity stunt.

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This title is not eligible for further discount.

It isn't hard to make the case for Patti Smith as a punk rock progenitor based on her debut album, which anticipated the new wave by a year or so: the simple, crudely played rock & roll, featuring Lenny Kaye's rudimentary guitar work, the anarchic spirit of Smith's vocals, and the emotional and imaginative nature of her lyrics - all prefigure the coming movement as it evolved on both sides of the Atlantic.

Track Listings

1. Gloria
2. Redondo Beach
3. Birdland
4. Free Money
5. Kimberly
6. Break it Up
7. Land
8. Elegie

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Seventeen years a member of the Dave Burbeck Quartet, a long and highly successful career, thousands of miles of travelling all over the globe, more than 50 LPs, and that all-time favourite “Take Five” to boot - and then Paul Desmond decides to go it alone in 1967! Unfortunately, he was granted only a few years in which to concentrate on his solo career before his untimely death - and we fans have only a few LPs to listen to and enjoy his soft and gentle timbre and his rhythmic qualities which, thank heavens, are not dominated by the ‘man at the piano’.

Don Sebesky knew how to enhance the highly varied compilation “Summertime” with Paul Desmond’s tenor saxophone. The numbers range from Louis Armstrong’s “Struttin’ with Some Barbecue” (Satchmo would probably have some trouble in recognizing his theme!) to the Beatles’ White Album and “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”. Film music such as “Lady In Cement” and the waltz “Someday My Prince Will Come” offer Paul Desmond an opportunity to display his talents and to sparkle with his special hallmark of playing tricky 5/4 and 7/4 metres.The climax he has reserved for the final number: his version of Gershwin’s “Summertime” from “Porgy and Bess” is one of the most lovely and lyrical ever – and completely free of schmaltz.

This CTI album from Paul Desmond is, despite the large number of horns, a real pleasure - thanks to that magician in the recording studio, Rudy von Gelder, whose genius has captured this large ensemble on tape for our enjoyment.

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When Paul Desmond wanted to create a sequel to the monster hit “Take Five,” he did just that! The title tune of from this 1963 recording is a reworking of the classic theme in 10/8 time. Certainly this should be taken as a hint that it was not Dave Brubeck but Paul Desmond who was the composer of this 'million seller'. Desmond and Jim Hall’s collaboration on this quartet project is one of the finest recordings they ever produced. These guys all listen so well; never stepping on each other and always adding a touch or a texture that really defines great jazz! All the while, one is curious as to the clear part-writing, and the wealth of ideas emanating from the soloists. The atmosphere is relaxed, and this conveys itself to the listener even after almost half a century. This Speakers Corner re-issue is first class all the way and tremendous sonic upgrade from the original LP we had on hand. Take Ten is a must have LP…a truly great re-mastering on ultra quiet vinyl.

1. Take Ten
2. El Prince
3. Alone Together
4. Embarcadero
5. Theme from ''Black Orpheus''
6. Nancy (With the Laughing Face)
7. Samba de Orfeu
8. The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else)

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This title is not eligible for further discount.

Universally known as the King of the Mambo, Pérez Prado created a unique style that appealed to dancer

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Prado played the piano, but was often more in his element as the focal point of the audience's excitement; he leaped, kicked, danced, shouted, grunted, and exhorted his musicians with a dynamic stage presence that put many more sedate conductors and bandleaders to shame.

1. Maria Bonita
2. Cu-Cu-Rru-Cu-Cu Paloma
3. La Borrachita (I'll Never Love Again)
4. Machaca
5. Adios Mi Chaparrita (Goodbye My Little Angel)
6. Marta
7. Lullaby Of Birdland
8. Flight Of The Bumblebee
9. Leo’s Special
10. Come Back To Sorrento (Torna a Sorrento)
11. Fireworks

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PROKOFIEV/ROMEO & JULIET SUITES 1 & 2/STANISLAW SKROWACZIEWSKI - MINNEAPOLIS SYMPHONY (MERCURY)

As is widely known, ballet suites are the 'little sisters' of large ballet compositions that have been compiled by the composer mostly at a later date for performance in the concert hall. Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet is another story however. Strangely enough, his two Suites were given their first performance before the premiere of the complete ballet. The applause can still be heard echoing through the world of music. This music is one of the pillars of a good record collection - and with good reason. Both Suites contain a wealth of delightful melodies that are given substance by colorful harmonic writing. Just how ideal Prokofiev can sound is brought to us by Stanislaw Skrowacziewski and the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra. In the first Suite he lets his musicians sweep with elan through the Burlesque, the splendor of the Love Theme is full of lyrical intensity and rises to a forceful climax filled with sharp dissonances in Death of Tybalt. The Second Suite, too, is of the very highest standard, both from an artistic and recording point of view. The characteristic themes and motifs are well contoured and brought to the fore while embedded in a fresh and natural carpet of sound which is sometimes filled with immense warmth. It is clearly noticeable that all participants have given much time and thought to this first-rate production. And the listener will certainly enjoy giving over a good portion of his leisure time to this delightful music.

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This title is not eligible for further discount.

QUINCY JONES/THE BIRTH OF A BAND

Quincy Jones was already a well-respected arranger when this Mercury Hi-Fi Stereo album came out. While Count Basie penned the main liner notes it’s what’s on the side bar that many will find most interesting including microphone usage, the musician credits, and a line “This album is a cross section of the type of music the band will play at jazz concerts and/or proms across the country.” What a band it was! The lineup includes Zoot Sims, Clark Terry, Frank Wess, Phil Woods, Joe Newman, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Sam “The Man” Taylor, Milt Hinton, Urbie Green, and even Quincy himself on trumpet. A swingin’ album full of great voicings and solos.

1. The Birth Of a Band
2. Moanin'
3. I Remember Clifford
4. Along Came Betty
5. Tickletoe
6. Happy Faces
7. Whisper Not
8. The Gypsy
9. A Change of Pace
10. Tuxedo Junction

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Import

Rod Stewart’s 1969 debut album was critically acclaimed in both the UK and the US, and he was hailed as an inspired singer and songwriter on the cutting edge of a new kind of folk rock. Features Keith Emerson on organ!

1. Street Fighting Man
2. Man of Constant Sorrow
3. Blind Prayer
4. Handbags and Gladrags
5. An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down
6. I Wouldn't Ever Change A Thing
7. Cindy's Lament
8. Dirty Old Town

If ever anyone was predestined to lend the final polish to Henry Mancini’s film and TV themes, then it must certainly have been none other than Quincy Jones. The melodies which provided the background music to over 120 films just kept buzzing around in one’s head, and they very often remained far longer in one’s memory than the often banal Hollywood film series for which they were written. These small musical gems all have one thing in common: they have a light touch of brass in their big band sound.

And this is exactly where Quincy Jones stepped in. Thanks to his polished arrangements, these new interpretations blazed with a fire which was lacking in the simple film-music version. A jazzy rhythmic group plus soloists from Duke Ellington and Count Basie’s circle and further enhanced by a few musicians with a more modern style such as Roland Kirk, Phil Woods and Gary Burton provided the icing on the cake which was missing in Henry Mancini’s catchy tunes. Even 40 years later this album offers film fans, middle-of-the-road freaks and jazz enthusiasts alike the very best there is in this field: it’s a marvellous disc – both to listen and to dance to.

In the Sixties the Mercury Studios were renowned for their sound: in particular the placing of the microphones and the sound recording (often on magnetic film) had been perfected and this resulted in a recording technique which makes this re-issue the absolute crème de la crème.

1. Baby Elephant Walk
2. Charade
3. Dreamsville
4. Bird Brain
5. Days of Wine and Roses
6. Mr. Lucky
7. The Pink Panther
8. (I Love You) And Don't You Forget It
9. Soldier In The Rain
10. Odd Ball
11. Moon River
12. Peter Gunn

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This title is not eligible for further discount.

RACHMANINOFF/PIANO CTO 3/BYRON JANIS/DORATI--LSO

This early stereo LP with the pianist Byron Janis and conductor Antal Dorati was and still is an enormous success, as is proved by the fact that it is regarded as a work of reference even in this age of the silver disc. Janis performs with a controlled passion, like a fine mechanic who watches with the greatest of care over the structural elements which have been entrusted to him. His playing is precise and lucid down to the smallest detail, even in the minutest trill. Dorati has his ensemble enter gently with punctilious timing and allows the fullness and energy of this late-romantic score to unfold before us. How wonderful that this particular 'Rach 3' is available once again to eager audiophile listeners!

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This title is not eligible for further discount.

RAVEL/BOLERO/ANSERMET

Among the innumerable recordings of Maurice Ravel’s Boléro, the present one made by DECCA with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande under Ernest Ansermet is of particular note. The impressive mounting crescendo over an ostinato bass, leading through the work from the very first bar right up to the last note, goes hand in hand with ever increasing intensity and excitement and hardly permits the listener to draw a breath. As in the Boléro, Ravel’s La Valse, a choreographed poem for orchestra composed in 1920, is based on a single rhythmic idea, the Viennese waltz, which lends the work increasing impetus throughout the course of the music.

Although Arthur Honegger’s Pacific 231, composed in 1923 and dedicated to Ernest Ansermet, is more modern and has a more complex structure, here too a great arc of tension determines the progress of the music until shortly before the end. The orchestra accelerates in tempo and then decelerates – due to the motivic writing – towards the end thus evoking the sound of a locomotive: the Pacific 231 namely. The great success of the first performance of Paul Dukas’s L'Apprenti sorcier (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice) in 1897, a scherzo composed in 1895 and based on a ballad by Goethe, certainly comes as no surprise when one listens to this recording by the OSR under Ansermet. The composition is filled with a wealth of surprising moments which are presented here with exactitude and subtlety in even the tiniest detail.

1. Bolero (Ravel)
2. Pacific 231 (Honegger)
3. The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Dukas)
4. La Valse (Ravel)

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RAVEL DEBUSSY/MA MERE NOCTURNOS

Ravel’s ballet music Ma Mère l’Oye, originally written for piano, four hands, was inspired by Charles Perrault’s fairy tale. Ravel mostly wrote music for small forms which is reflected by the short movements of the suite. The world renowned Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, led by the conductor best suited to this kind of music, Ernest Ansermet, bring out the vivacious and colourful elements of the work. The orchestra’s timbre is well suited to the gentle shading of the music, as is shown in the final Jardin féerique. Completed by Debussy in 1899, the three Nocturnes reveal the aesthetics of a composer who put Nature above Art. Debussy endeavoured to achieve a natural flow and consistency in his music without slavishly copying the sounds of nature. Although Nuages (Clouds), Fêtes (Festivals) and Sirènes (Sirents) are night pieces, they are seen with a view to light and shadow: two optic conditions that influence the music. The artists give an amazingly transparent and differentiated performance of the music. The present recording should not be missed by any lover of Impressionist music.

1. Prélude et Danse du Rouet (Ravel)
2. Pavane da la Belle au bois dormant (Ravel)
3. Petit Poucet (Ravel)
4. Laideronnette Impératrice des Pagodes (Ravel)
5. Les entretiens de la Belle et de la Bête (Ravel)
6. La jardin férique (Ravel)
7. Nuages (Debussy)
8. Fêtes (Debussy)
9. Sirènes (Debussy)

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RESPIGHI/ANCIENT DANCES/DORATI/HUNGARY PHILHARMONIC (180g IMPORT LP)

One of the Best Mercury Living Presense LPs of All Time Now Available on 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl from Speakers Corner!

The common practice in concert houses today of performing early music on modern orchestral instruments is owed largely to the endeavors of Ottorino Respighi. His free transcription of Renaissance works for the lute (1932) opened the way to the rediscovery of forgotten rhythms and timbres. Although Respighi altered the structure of the music by dissecting phrases right down to their basic elements, re-ordering them and redefining their sonority by the use of heavy brass and timpani, the art of the ancient maestri remained unscathed. Cadences and harmonic idioms are given a modern coloring at the most, but are never destroyed. Antal Dorati and his famous Philharmonia Hungarica have all that is needed to bring the score to life. Even in opulent passages the individual instruments can be heard distinctly. This works particularly well in the first two suites in which each movement is treated to a process of refinement by means of differing orchestration. That the third suite, written purely for stringed instruments, soars away, just like the proverbial Aeolian harp is only to be expected from this orchestra.

Respighi - Ancient Dances - Dorati - Hungary Philharmonic Track Listing

Suite 1 for Orchestra
Suite 2 for Orchestra
Suite 3 for Strings

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RESPIGHI/BIRDS/BRAZILIAN IMPRESSIONS/DORATI-LSO

It was Respighi’s fascination with ancient dances and songs that inspired him to write his bird suite. His great love for such music makes itself felt in every single movement of this work. While Respighi imbued each of the bird portraits with his very own sound colouring typical of his time, there is an original masterpiece by a Renaissance or Baroque composer lurking in the background.

The marchlike 'Intrada', based on a piece by Bernardo Pasquini (1637-1710), is further refined by a gradual building-up of the instrumental apparatus and comes to a final climax full of pomp and glory in which the brass are given prominence. Ornithological elements are easily identified in the movements which follow: the dove’s cooing and billing is are underlined by a sighing, rhythmic base; the hen is heard clucking with a characteristic motif, and the song of the nightingale is brought to us by the flute over a mysterious murmuring on the low strings. The cuckoo is then heard, followed by a repeat of the initial theme, thus bringing to perfect completion 'Gli Ucelli' ('The Birds'), a colourful bird show which knows no rival in modern music.

The 'Impressioni brasiliano' ('Brazilian Impressions') is also a seldom heard jewel in both the concert hall and on record. Although the three-movement work has a subtle rhythm which runs throughout the work, it is far removed from the well-known 'Europeanised' samba adaptations which are so often heard. The suite is remarkable for its tender, impressionistic colouring which demands to be heard time and time again.

Recording: July 1957 in Watford Town Hall, London, by C.R. Fine
Production: Wilma Cozart and Harold Lawrence

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RIMSKY-KORSAKOV/EASTER FESTIVAL-OSR

How dull the world would be without fairy tales! In Slavonic countries, numerous generations have uttered these words and taken especial heed to pass on to their children the wonderful stories which all begin with the words “Once upon a time ...”. In this country, such matters seem to be of less importance when one considers how rare it is to see a Russian fairy-tale opera on the programme.

If you do not happen to have tickets for the Bolshoi Theatre in your pocket, then you really must listen to the Orchestral Suite from The Tale of Tsar Saltan: a delightful 20 minutes of highlights from one of opera’s masterworks. Introduced by a blaring fanfare in every case, each of these wonderfully expressive musical gems is filled with highly original melodies, exquisite rhythms and brilliant orchestration.

The B Side offers a foretaste of a Russian “Midsummer Night’s Dream”: based on Ukrainian folk melodies, the Overture to May Night evokes a vivid picture of elves and water-nymphs.

The Russian Easter Festival Overture, with its liturgical elements, provides a contrast to the lyrical fairy-tale music and rounds off this delightful Rimsky-Korsakov portrait which no music lover should fail to include in his collection.

1. Tsar's Departure and Farewell (Op. 57)
2. Tsaritsa and her son afloat in the cask (Op. 57)
3. The Three Wonders (Op. 57)
4. May Night
5. Russian Easter Festival, Op. 36

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RIMSKY-KORSAKOV/MUSIC OF DUBINUSHKA

Rimsky-Korsakov was not only a masterly composer of great operas and eloquently powerful symphonies but a genius when it came to the smaller forms, and ample proof is provided by this delightful compilation on the DECCA label. The fairytale, programmatic music of the Christmas Eve Suite conjures up a fantastic world where the stars and planets dance and play above a snowy landscape until the witches’ sabbath begins and Vakula appears on his satanic warhorse. Brimming over with a wealth of highly varied Slavonic dance rhythms, genial instrumentation, and delightful melodies, this Suite offers nothing but pleasure the whole year through.The musical picture Sadko tells the story of a seafaring hero who is obliged to entertain Neptune at his court with music. Dancing water-spirits evoke a terrible storm from which Sadko only manages to escape with his life thanks to Saint Nicholas. Further attractions are to be found on the B side, namely the pre-revolutionary march Dubinushka (“The little oak stick”), and of course the immensely popular Flight of the Bumble-Bee which is sheer magic in this full orchestral version. If by now your mouth is watering for a taste of these Russian delicacies, just help yourself!

1. Christmas Eve Suite
2. Sadko - Musical picture, Op 5
3. The flight of the Bumble - Bee
4. Dubinushka Op. 62

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RODRIGO/CONCERTO ANDALUZ/MARRINER/ACADEMY OF ST. MARTIN IN THE FIELDS (LP)

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1. Debora (Bonus Track)
2. Hot Rod Mama
3. Scenescof
4. Child Star
5. Strange Orchestras
6. Chateau In Virginia Waters
7. Dwarfish Trumpet Blues
8. Mustang Ford
9. Afghan Woman
10. Knight
11. Graceful Fat Sheba
12. Weilder Of Words
13. Frowning Atahuallpa (My Inca Love)

ROGER SESSIONS/THE BLACK MASKERS/COLIN McPHEE/TABUH-TABUHAN/HOWARD HANSON - EASTMAN-ROCHESTER ORCHESTRA ( MERCURY )

Originally released as Mercury SR90103. Recorded at the Eastman Theater in Rochester, New York by C.R. Fine in January and May of 1956.

Roger Sessions is cited as being one of his native America�s truly great composers. He has often been described as the 'American Brahms' due to the musical independence of his compositions in which traditional musical forms play an important role. One astounding fact is that Sessions does not sound in the least 'American', for neither jazz elements nor folk melodies are to be found in his music.

Sessions� highly individual style made itself heard and lent character to his complete incidental music for Leonid Andreyev�s drama 'The Black Maskers' as early as 1923. The four symphonically conceived movements are filled with a sharply jagged rhythm, a well-developed feeling for a contrapuntally ramified skeletal framework, and a masterly use of all the possibilities offered by a large orchestra.

Colin McPhee�s 'Tabuh Tabuhan' is rich in exotic harmonies. Subtitled a 'Toccata for Orchestra', the work is based on Balinese melodies which the composer brings to life on western instruments. In addition to two pianos, which are used both rhythmically as well as melodically, an instrumental nucleus consisting of marimba, xylophone and glockenspiel provides a folkloristic undertow. By this means, McPhee achieves an explosive mixture of percussive South Sea magic and occidental polyphony which is rarely to be encountered elsewhere. It is superfluous to say that this recording is like a rare and precious pearl in the repertoire.

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ROSSINI/OVERTURES/PIERINO GAMBA - LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Although Gioacchino Rossini wrote 39 operas, they are rarely heard today – with the exception of The Barber of Seville. Many of his overtures have, however, remained extremely popular. This record presents five of them which were composed between 1812 and 1829. Rossini’s orchestral works are famous for the magic of the almost inevitable “Rossini crescendo”. The composer is said to have been so disheartened by the failure of his last opera William Tell that he gave up composing, and took his talents into the kitchen. He was an excellent cook and one can well imagine how the rich melodic inspiration of his overtures was transferred to his menus.

Pierro Gamba’s masterly interpretations convey the structure of the compositions, while the London Symphony Orchestra certainly sets off the fireworks.

The sound quality has lost nothing of its brilliance and musically the recordings are of a very high standard, clear and animated.

1. The Thieving Magpie
2. The Silken Ladder
3. The Barber of Seville
4. Seimramide
5. William Tell

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MSTISLAV ROSTROPOVICH AND BENJAMIN BRITTEN/CELLO SONATAS/BRITTEN: Sonata In C For Cello And Piano, Op.65/SCHUMANN: Funf Stucke Im Volkston/DEBUSSY: SOnata For Cello And Piano.

The cello has always been held in high esteem for its warm, noble timbre and range of expression. So it is no wonder that numerous solo pieces have been written for the instrument. In this recording, the cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, together with the great Benjamin Britten at the piano, have left the accustomed pathway to perform three less well-known – but nevertheless excellent – works from the 19th and 20th century.

Robert Schumann’s Fünf Stücke im Volkston allows the cellist to bring out the whole beauty of his instrument. Well-paced tempi, a crystal-clear tone, and an exquisitely precise piano part emphasize the unique character of this music – a work which points the way towards modern times. The mysterious tonal and harmonic world of the Impressionists is evoked by Debussy’s Sonata for Piano and Cello. Written in the aftermath of the First World War, it reflects human tragedy and a feeling of oppression and anxiety.

Britten’s Cello Sonata was tailormade for Rostropovich and dedicated to the great cellist. The two musicians, both of them technical perfectionists, provide an inspired performance – beginning with the thrilling dialogue of the very first bars, via a lyrical elegy, right up to the gripping Finale in 6/8 time. To sum it up: top marks for music, tonal quality and choice of repertoire.

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Towards the end of 1951, Roy Eldridge moved from Europe, where he had made numerous recordings with top jazz musicians, back to New York. This move coincided with the founding of Norman Granz's new label Norgran and it goes without saying that the name came up of the small man Roy (nicknamed 'Little Jazz') whenever a trumpeter was required for a studio session. Like no other, Eldridge was able to switch without a hitch between swing and bebop and, like Dizzy Gillespie, he was also a showman par excellence. 'Rockin' Chair' is his most famous number and it's not only the title track here but also the best tune on a record that contains a selection of songs from three very different sessions. Among the four numbers with strings and arrangements by George Williams, the melancholy 'I Remember Harlem' is highly recommended. Then there are four rhythm 'n' blues numbers which are set alight by the scorching tones of tenor sax player Buddy Tate. That Roy Eldridge is a highly original singer has been known ever since he worked with Gene Krupa; 'Jumbo The Elephant,' a typical jump number, harks back to these days. The four numbers from 1952 with Oscar Peterson at the piano or organ are without a doubt the highlights of these recordings.

I See Everybody's Baby
Little Jazz
Basin Street Blues
I Remember Harlem
Rockin' Chair
Easter Parade
Roy's Riff
Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams
Baby What's the Matter With You
Yard Dog
Sweet Lorraine
Jumbo the Elephant

This title is not eligible for further discount.