Search - Mackerras, Lso :: Kaleidoscope: An Orchestral Extravaganza

Splendid

David Saemann | 02/01/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Early in his career, Sir Charles Mackerras was booked to handle EMI's orchestral sessions when the scheduled conductor did not show. I don't know if that's what happened with these 1961 Mercury sessions with the London Symphony, but however they came about, the results are among the most treasurable in the catalog. This is a light classics album on a par with anything Fiedler or Ormandy was doing at the time. First of all, there was the wonderful Mercury Living Presence sound, up front and very detailed, with an excellent dynamic range. The London Symphony clearly enjoyed playing for Mackerras, and their ensemble and soloists are absolutely delectable. Something like the Brahms Hungarian Dance simply could not be better done. There are one or two rarities, such as Tchaikovsky's Cossack Dance from Mazeppa, which is a real treat. The overtures by various composers are just thrilling. I had one of the original LP releases of this on Philips, but the engineering was actually by Mercury, something that also is true of Sviatoslav Richter's Liszt Concerti. In sum, fans of Mackerras and anyone who likes classical music with a smile on it will want this disc."