Composer: Sergey Prokofiev, Aram Khachaturian
Orchestra: Wiener Symphoniker
Conductor: Hermann Scherchen
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Catalogue: 4712652
Release: 2002
Size: 235 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
Prokofiev: Scythian Suite, Op.20 – “Ala and Lolly” – Version as released on Westminster
01. 1. The Adoration of Veless and Ala
02. 2. The Enemy God and the Dance of the Spirits of Darkness
03. 3. Night
04. 4. The Glorious Departure of Lolly and The Sun’s Procession
Prokofiev: Lieutenant Kijé Suite, Op. 60
05. 1. Naissance de Kijé
06. 2. Romance
07. 3. Noces de Kijé
08. 4. Troïka
09. 5. Enterrement de Kijé
Khachaturian: Gayane (ballet highlights)
10. Sabre Dance
11. Lullaby
12. Dance of the Young Maidens
13. Dance of the Young Kurds
14. Dance of the Highlanders
15. Lezghinka
Both Prokofiev works were recorded in 1951, but Westminster was considered an audiophile label in its day and despite the absence of stereo, these sound remarkably good, clearly defined and with a sense of space and atmosphere…
Nor must sonic apologies be made for the Khachaturian Gayaneh Suite, brilliantly recorded in first-class 1957 stereo.
The Prokofiev-Khachaturian coupling is a winner. Scherchen captures all of the frenzy of Scythian Suite as well as humour of KijÈ. The1951 mono sound of both is well-balanced with surprising dynamic range for the time…The 20-minute suite from Gayne, recorded in 1957, is an example of early stereo at its best – how unfortunate the multi-channel stereo process wasn’t developed earlier!