Review by Ivymike January 11, 2006 (5 of 5 found this review helpful)
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A fine disc, although not all the music is likely to appeal to everyone. The Capriccio Espagnol is a solid performance, and it is pleasing to hear the suite from "Le Coq d'Or" although it goes on a bit long for my taste. The Polovtsian Dances are a major success on this disc, sonically and musically, as is the Russian Easter Overture.
The Rimsky-Korsakov works were recorded separately: The Suite in July,1956; the Overture and Capriccio in June, 1959. The earlier recording is the more successful in terms of sound quality, with a more natural presence than the somewhat drier, more "trebly" sound of the Capriccio with its lighter balance. The Capriccio is given a solid, rousing performance under Dorati's rather fiery baton, and the other two works are more than acceptable.
The Borodin Dances are presented in rip-roaring form; Dorati and the London Symphony really seem to have a great time with them. The sound is very good indeed, with the acoustic of Walthamstow Town Hall, London coming through well. Image width and depth are solid. The impact of the bass drum is very solid although at the cost of some audible tape saturation; listeners may be unprepared for such bass from such a vintage recording so watch out!
As is usual with half-inch, three track Mercurys there is some tendency toward brightness thanks to the undamped treble of the Telefunken microphones used in the sessions. Tape hiss is moderate in level and will be audible during quieter moments; this may be distracting for listeners accustomed to digital silence. The noise of performers moving in their seats, turning pages, and fiddling with instruments is well captured by the close miking, so there will be some extra noise present. All in all, though, this is high fidelity at its near-best.
You aren't likely to go wrong with this disc.
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