Rozhdestvensky: Sibelius Pelleas et Melissande, etc. - Melodiya C 01257-8

Jacket VG / LP EX / Russian pressing

This fine LP from Melodiya (C 01257-8, Soviet pressing, red label, stereo) features Gennady Rozhdestvensky and the Chamber Ensemble of the Leningrad Philharmonic Soloists in a magical all-Sibelius album, recorded in St. Petersburg in the mid-1960s.

Rozhdestvensky is a potent Sibelian, with a superlative cycle of the Finnish composer’s 7 Symphonies to his credit. No less fine were the accompaniments he provided to both Gidon Kremer and David Oistrakh in their recordings of Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D minor Op. 47.

Rozhdestvensky finds the mystery and otherworldly enchantment in these scores, imbuing them all with a richly colored atmosphere. The sound is first rate, well-matching the performances.

The exact program is as follows:

Pelleas et Melissande (Suite from the Incidental Music to Maurice Masterlinck’s play) Op. 66

Belshazzar’s Feast Suite Op. 51

            Oriental Procession

            Solitude (with cello soloist Georgy Ginovker and viola soloist Vissarion Soloviev)

            Nocturne (with flute soloist Mikhail Krasnov)

            Khadra’s Dance

Romance in C Major Op. 42

Valse Triste, from the Incidental Music to the play Kuolema by Arvid Järnefelt Op. 44

There are fine liner notes (uncredited) on the reverse side of the jacket, printed in Russian, English, and French. The striking cover art is possibly credited on the front panel, but the writing is in cyrillic.

CONDITION:

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 minor bumping/wear at corners, as well as some shelfwear, but that is all. TThere are no seamsplits, owners' markings, bends, or other defects, and the whole remains solid, bright, and highly attractive in appearance – overall, a very good collector's copy.

The condition of the LP itself is EXCELLENT. Although the surfaces are not absolutely silent, really this is a fine copy and the playback is enjoyable. Those requiring a flawless or near-MINT copy are kindly advised to look elsewhere. Overall, this is an excellent collector's copy.