Kempe: Bonbons Viennois (Strauss Waltzes) - a Voix de Son Maitre CVA 752

Jacket EX- / LP NM-

This lovely LP from La Voix de Son Maitre (CVA 752, stereo, French pressing, red/white semi-circle label, stereo, "baguette"-style jacket, dowel spine) features Rudolf Kempe's marvelous 'Bonbons Viennois' allbum, recorded in 1960 Vienna, easily one of the finest albums of its kind, a landmark in the Johann Strauss Jr. (and Kempe's own) discography.

The orchestra is the Vienna Philharmonic and they have seldom been on more smiling, engaging, and beautifully lilting form, playing the music of Johann (Jr.) and Josef Strauss to the manner born, warmly recorded in the fabled acoustics of the Musikvereinsaal.

Included are:

Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald Op. 325 (Tales from the Vienna Woods Op. 325)

Leichtes Blut Poka Op. 319 (Polka Light as a Feather Op. 319)

Geheime Anziehungskrafte (Dynamiden) Op. 173*

*Note: by Josef Strauss

Intermezzo from the operetta 'Tausend und eine Nacht' (J. Strauss, Jr. arr. by Reiterer)

Im Krapfenwald'l, polka française for orchestre Op. 336

Kaiser-Walzer Op. 437 (Emperor Waltz Op. 437)

There are superlative liner notes on the reverse side of the jacket by Jacques Slyper, printed in French only. The striking cover photo is credited to Studio Kopetsky, Vienna. 

CONDITION:

The condition of the jacket is EXCELLENT-. There is some crushing / creasing to the upper-left corner. There are no seam splits, bends, owners' markings, or other defects, and the album remains solid, bright, glossy, and attractive – in all, an excellent collector's copy.

The condition of the LP itself is near-MINT. Though the surfaces are not perfectly silent (and thus I have rated it NM vs. MINT) this is a fine copy and playback is superb. If you must have perfect surfaces, then please do not buy this LP. Overall, this rates as a NM collector's copy.