Queen of Spades - BBC CD Review Recommendation
Sun, Oct 9 2011, 12:48PM
Yesterday’s BBC CD Review ‘Building a
Library’ considered available versions of Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades’ and
plumped for the 1950 Bolshoi recording conducted by Alexander
Melik-Paschajew as a first choice. The
programme is, of course, still on the BBC iPlayer for those able to access it.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Apparently the performance
is currently available on CD only as part of a 60-disc Brilliant Classics (complete?)
Tchaikovsky edition. Amazon is currently
selling this at £55 which, whilst obviously inexpensive enough in terms of
notes per pound, might be a touch of overkill if the opera’s all one wants.
However, the performance
is available as a (legal) MP3 download from a site called Classical Music
Mobile for the princely sum of €1. The sound quality is very good indeed - more
than acceptable early 50’s mono with voices and orchestra well captured. I doubt
whether the CD reproduction is noticeably superior, given the original source. Whether
you find the performance itself attractive and convincing is, of course,
another matter (personally I do) but that’s beside the point, though it would
be interesting to hear what others think about this and other versions of this masterwork.
The link to the site is http://www.classicalmusicmobile.com/.
I have mentioned the site a few times before, but should emphasise that I’ve no
connection whatever to it other than as a satisfied customer.
JKH
Mon, Oct 10 2011, 12:37AM
#2
RE: Queen of Spades - BBC CD Review Recommendation
Apologies for the post above appearing like some bizarre experiment in concrete poetry.It's obviously something to do with formatting, but I'm not sure what. All seems well when I preview/post, but seems to go somewhat haywire when it appears. Any ideas, anyone?
JKH
Mon, Oct 10 2011, 12:43AM
#3
RE: Queen of Spades - BBC CD Review Recommendation
I can understand it and I did look at the 1euro a download site.
Mon, Oct 10 2011, 12:53AM
#4
RE: Queen of Spades - BBC CD Review Recommendation
However, I wish reviewers would recommend a top choice, bargain and historic. Unfortunately, I think this reviewer managed to combine all three in one recommendation.
I agree Troyen. I know several friends who would discount this choice because of its age - not an issue for me in this case, but recommendations as you suggest are rather more useful to the majority of collectors, I'd have thought.
Incidentally, one point on which I strongly disagreed with the reviewer was his saying that Pavel Lisitsian was 'an acquired taste'. Lisitsian's is one of the most impressive baritone voices on record in my, and many other colectors' opinion.
JKH
This is not the first time this has happened, although rarely.
The last time was a recommendation for 'Nights in the Gardens of Spain' made by Curzon in the '40s!
Some reviewers ignore recordings if they are only available as part of a boxed set.
However, I wish reviewers would recommend a top choice, bargain and historic. Unfortunately, I think this reviewer managed to combine all three in one recommendation.