Cantelli: Dukas, Debussy, Falla, Ravel - FALP 368 (ds) - magnificent

$

40

ITEM DESCRIPTION:

This handsome LP from La Voix de son Maitre (FALP 368, French Pathe-Marconi pressing, red/silver semi-circle label, mono – no stereo edition exists, booklet included dowel spine) features Guido Cantelli and the Philharmonia Orchestra in a mixed program of works by the composers Dukas, Debussy, Ravel, and Falla, recorded in the fabled acoustics of London’s Kingsway Hall on 1 June 1954.

 

The exact contents are as follows:

 

Paul Dukas: L’apprenti sorcier (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice)

> rec. at Kingsway Hall, London on 1 June 1954

 

Claude Debussy: Prélude à l’après d’un faune

> rec. at Kingsway Hall, London on 1 June 1954

 

Maurice Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte

> rec. at Royal Festival Hall, London, on 25 October 1952

 

Manuel de Falla: 3 Dances from El Sombrero de Tres Picos (The Three-Cornered Hat)

> rec. at Kingsway Hall, London on 1 June 1954

 

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Of the Testament CD release of these performances, the outstanding critic Alan Sanders wrote in his review for the July 1993 issue of The Gramophone: “This is the third disc in Testament's very desirable series of Cantelli reissues (Debussy, 10/92 and Brahms/Wagner, 2/93). L'apprenli sorcier is given an absolutely fantastic performance, with breathtaking playing from the Philharmonia. Cantelli was an exceedingly demanding conductor, and even in such a fiendishly difficult showpiece as this there is knife-edge precision and clarity in the playing, and the atmosphere is tense and exciting. Poor Dennis Brain was made to suffer in the Pavane recording, for he had to repeat his horn solo time and time again before the young maestro was satisfied with the orchestra's performance. The playing is still immaculate, however, and Ravel's delicate inspiration is beautifully realized. The second Daphnis Suite flowers exquisitely in Cantelli's hands, and the Falla pieces have an abundance of flair and colour. All these pieces have been made to yield excellent sound for recordings originally made between 1952 and 1956.”

 

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And of EMI’s “Icon” CD re-issue of Cantelli’s recorded legacy for the British label, the excellent critic Jed Distler wrote for ClassicsToday: “That said, all of these recordings testify to Cantelli’s superb orchestral control, ear for color and textural clarity, and impeccable taste. This applies as much to the 1950 La Scala Tchaikovsky Fifth as to the 1951-56 Philharmonia Orchestra collaborations. As I wrote in an earlier review, Cantelli may have rode the Philharmonia musicians hard, yet they played like angels for him, notably first-desk soloists such as horn legend Dennis Brain, who shines in the Brahms Third symphony’s third movement, in Mozart’s Musical Joke, and in Ravel’s Pavane for a Dead Princess.

 

“Cantelli admirers already know about the meticulous textural contours and pinpointed nuance of his Debussy and Ravel, or the lilting string work and ideal tempos throughout Beethoven’s Seventh symphony and the approved 1955 Mendelssohn Italian. Some may find the Schumann Fourth a bit severe and driven, but the well-considered details still command attention, such as the busy string figurations that are perfectly balanced in relation to the sustained brass chords.”

 

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This French HMV issue is arguably the finest release of these performances, coming in a heavy, textured “baguette”-style jacket with a dowel spine inner sleeve. And this copy is in fine condition. It is these type of pressings that reminds one what a work of art the LP once was and how much was lost in the transitions to later formats. And included with this copy is the 8-page booklet, some often missing from these issues.

 

Incidentally, the striking cover design was executed by Atelier Cassandre Joubert. The fine liner notes included in the booklet – printed in French only – were witten by Pierre Petit.

 

CONDITION – PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY:

The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.

 

The condition of the havey “baguette”-style jacket is EXCELLENT. The only real flaw concerns some discoloration, more to the top edge, but really that is all. There are no bends, owners' markings, seamsplits, or other defects, and the jacket remains extremely solid, bright, and and highly attractive – overall, an excellent collector's copy.

 

The condition of the booklet is EXCELLENT. The only real flaw concerns some slight discoloration, but that is all. However, the pages remain bright and crisp, the binding solid.

 

The condition of the dowel spine is EXCELLENT. There is some minor discoloration, but that is all; there are no seamsplits to the attached sleeve, the dowel is solid, and the gold lettering along the spine remains perfectly legible – overall, a very good collector’s copy.

 

Both sides of this disc have been carefully auditioned from beginning to end condition are graded conservatively as EXCELLENT. There is occasional light surface noise, and perhaps a few soft tics (no repetitive tics). Those requiring a flawless or near-MINT copy, however, are kindly advised to look elsewhere – overall, this is an excellent collector's copy.

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