Raymond Lewenthal plays Scriabin: Westminster XWN 18399 - fabulous

$

74

ITEM DESCRIPTION:

This beautiful and quite rare LP from Westminster (XWN 18399, US pressing, blue/silver script label, mono – no stereo edition exists) features the enigmatic and young firebrand Raymond Lewenthal in an incandescent all-Scriabin program, warmly recorded at Esoteric Studios, New York City, during 30 May to 5 June 1956. Lewenthal is completely inside Scriabin’s soundworld and his playing here can be spoken of in the same breath as that by Sofronitzky, Richter, Horowitz, and Ashkenazy – a mesmerizing recital from start to finish.

 

Lewenthal’s exact program is as follows:

 

Side 1

Fantaisie Op. 28

 

Vers la flamme Op. 72

 

Five Last Preludes Op. 74

 

Side 2

Twenty-four Preludes Op. 11

 

Incidentally, the gorgeous cover art was executed by Cynthia Pennell (design) and Nicholas Musi (photograph). There are superlative notes on the reverse side of the jacket, provided in English only, by Lewenthal himself.

 

CONDITION – PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

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

 

The condition of the jacket is VERY GOOD. There is a 1” seamsplit to the lower edge, some chipping at the lower spine, edgewear, minor bumping at corners, and to the rear panel the following: former owners’ names written at the top, 3 small stickers (not obsucring any text), and discoloration. However, there are no other seamsplits, bends, or other defects, and the album remains solid, bright, glossy and very striking in appearance – overall, a very good collector's copy.

 

The condition of the LP itself is EXCELLENT (Side 1) / VERY GOOD (Side 2). On Side 2 there is a hairline scratch that causes a very soft repetitive ticking for about 2 minutes. There are also some soft scattered tics elsewhere on this side, but nothing overly obtrusitve. Side 1, while not CD silent, is free of tics. Despite the small audio blemishes to Side 2, playback remains quite fine. However, those wanting flawless or near-MINT surfaces are kindly advised to look elsewhere; please do not buy this LP if you cannot live with the defects described above – overall, this rates as a very good collector's copy. 

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