About This Item
Volume 2 of Antal Doráti's London recordings for Mercury covers sessions between June 1960 (Tchaikovsky's Pathétique Symphony) and August 1966 (Tchaikovsky's Orchestral Suites). By way of a bonus, the set concludes with a rarity issued on Philips and scarcely seen since, an album of neoclassical works by Julian Orbón (Cantigas del Rey, sung by Heather Harper) and Manuel de Falla (the Harpsichord Concerto, with Rafael Puyana). Dorati's ear for color, his rhythmic discipline and knife-edged attack were complemented by the high-definition, pin-point detail of Mercury's 35mm stereo engineering. Works by Doráti's countryman Bartók came to life on record as never before. The versions of the Concerto for Orchestra, Divertimento for Strings and Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta have scarcely been equalled since for atmosphere and accuracy. No less valuably, the box brings together the Mercury/Doráti versions of Bartók's principal works for the stage, Bluebeard's Castle (now with the spoken introduction included on CD for the first time) and The Miraculous Mandarin, as well as a definitive recording of The Wooden Prince. Volume 2 of Dorati's sessions in London draws on repertoire affinities established in the years covered by Volume 1. There is more sparking Haydn (Symphonies Nos. 59 & 81), the completion of symphony cycles by Brahms and Tchaikovsky, and another three concerto albums with the violinist Henryk Szeryng. Doráti's coloristic and analytical gifts in music of the Second Viennese School are further explored with a 1962 album of expressionist-era orchestral pieces which won many new friends for this music at the time. Even more adventurous was the album dedicated to Surrealist-era Paris, coupling Satie's Parade and Milhaud's Le Boeuf sur le toit with rarities by Françaix and Auric. The Mercury sessions in London expanded to include ensembles beyond the London
