Efrem Kurtz & Philharmonia Orchestra Tchaikovsky The Nutcracker Suite From The Ballet XRCD24

Audiophile XRCD24 Mastered from the Original Analogue EMI Master Tapes!
Can Be Enjoyed on Any CD Player!
Efrem Kurtz, born in Saint Petersburg, studied with Alexander Glazunov and Nikolai Tcherepnin and was a pupil of Arthur Nikisch. He mastered a wide repertoire of symphonic and operatic works, ranging from Copland to Barber, Walton, Hindemith, Stravinsky, Shostakovich and Khachaturian. However, he made a name for himself with his interpretations of Russian music.
A tall imposing figure, so tall, in fact, that he often dispensed with a podium, Efrem Kurtz was a distinguished Russian conductor, who had studied with Glazunov and Tcherepnin and was a pupil of Arthur Nikisch. Kurtz had a broad symphonic and operatic repertory and conducted the premieres of works by Copland, Barber, Walton, Hindemith, Stravinsky, Shostakovich and Khachaturian. But he was most highly regarded for his interpretations of Russian music.
In the 1950s, his works belonged in every record collection. With the Philharmonia Orchestra, several Tchaikovsky recordings were made for EMI during this decade, which are now being released as Hi-Q-XRCD. The present recording of the Nutcracker Suite was recorded in March 1958 at London's Kingsway Hall by producer Peter Andry and sound engineer Neville Boyling.
Kurtz was a familiar name to the record collector of the 1950s and embarked upon a series of Tchaikovsky ballet recordings with the Philharmonia Orchestra for EMI in 1958. HIQ has already released Swan Lake and the release The Sleeping Beauty is in preparation. Of this Nutcracker highlights Gramaphone wrote: "This is probably as good a selection as could reasonably be expected."
In the original review in The Gramophone of November 1958, R.F. remarked: "The orchestral quality is superb, and the dynamic contrasts tremendous. If you can hear the opening pizzicato notes of the Sugar-Plum Fairy, the end of the Valse des Fleurs will have your neighbours banging on the wall in desperation."

Features:

• Mastered from the Original Analogue EMI Master Tapes!
• Superior Audiophile XRCD24
• XRCD24 is a standard "Red Book" CD and can be enjoyed on any CD player

Musicians:

• Philharmonia Orchestra
• Efrem Kurtz, conductor
  

Selections:

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
The Nutcracker Op.71
1. Overture
2. No.2: Marche, No.3: Petit Galop Des Enfants Et Entrée De Parents, No.8: Scène, No.9: Valse Des Flocons De Neige
3. No.12: Divertissement
a. Le Chocolat
b. Le Café
4. No.12: Divertissement
c. Le Thé
d. Trépak
e. Danse Des Mirlitons
5. No.13: Valse Des Fleurs
6. No.14a: Pas De Deux
7. No.14b: Pour Le Danseur
c. No.14: Pour La Danseuse
d. No.14: Coda, No.15: Valse Finale

Recorded March 1958, Kingsway Hall, London. Recording Producer: Peter Andry. Balance Engineer: Neville Boyling