London Symphony Orch; Prague Chamber Orch/Sir Charles Mackerras, cond.
EMI CLASSICS DVDA424409 TT: 79:42
(4 channel)
Mackerras is a master of this repertory. We have his edition of Royal Fireworks, which includes 26 oboes, 14 bassoons, 4 contra-bassoons, 9 trumpets, 9 horns and 6 side drums. The augmented LSO plays enthusiastically in this 1976 recording, as does the Prague ensemble in their 1978 performance of Water Music. The sound is basic stereo with much ambience coming from other speakers. A fine recording.
Michel BËroff, pianist; Jeanne Loriod, ondes martenon; London Symphony Orch/Andre Previn, cond.
EMI CLASSICS DVDA 923989 TT: 80.16
(4 channel)
Turangalíla is a lengthy, heavily-scored ten movement celebration of the divine games of life, love and death. Instruments include a huge percussion section, a prominent part for solo piano and the electronic ondes martenot, invented in 1928 by Maurice Martenot, which produces a most mysterious sound and was used later in many sci-fi movie scores. Previn's recording was made in 1977 by which time EMI had improved their multi-channel recording.technique. This is an impressive disk in every way.