'58 USSR Record VAN CLIBURN INTERNATIONAL TCHAIKOVSKY COMPETITION 33RPM Cold War
$
65
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Description
Great rare piece of Geo-political cultural musical Cold War history. For sale is a vintage 1950's USSR release of Van Cliburn’s performance from the first ever International Tchaikovsky Competition. His winning performance included the Rachmaninov Third Concerto; Dimitry Kabalevsky, Rondo in A Minor; and the Tchaikovsky First Concerto.
The Soviet’s had just put Sputnik in space in April 1957, launching the “Space Race”. So a 23 year old American, Van Cliburn Competing and winning the 1st International Tchaikovsky Competition, in Moscow, was a giant blow to Russia and the Iron Curtain. The first crack in the Berlin Wall. This is a USSR release of some of the Van Cliburn performance that won the event. It was 3 more years before the next big cultural blow came when ballet dancing super star Rudolf Nureyev defected in 1961. Van Cliburn returned to America as a hero and this gave rise to the Van Cliburn Piano competition in Ft. Worth Texas. Still an annual event each June, to this day, 64 years later.
I have a very rough translation of the records label; (Some bits are missing)
xxxx x xx Factory Gramophone USSR. xxxxx 33rpm Guest. Second one Laureates International of the contest S. Rachmaninov Concert for Orchestra In D Minor Part Allegro ma Non Tanto Van Cliburn (USA) Symphonic Orchestra Moscow State Philharmonic Conductor K. Kondrashin
Most of the flip side is the same with these differences; 2 Part Intermezzo Adagio 3 Part Finale Alla Breve Van Cliburn (USA) ….
Despite the political shock the Soviet's still manufactured this album and made it available. The record has some general age wear. There are a number of visible scratches on both sides. They are not deep, but I have not played the record, so I can't say if you can hear any of them. I tried to get photos of the scratches but it doesn't look like you can see them very well. It is a 33 RPM record. I don't think it is a Vinyl record. It seems to be made of a material similar to the Shellac material that most early 78 rpm’s were produced in at the time. Harder than modern vinyl what ever it is. The paper album cover/ sleeve is original, but it has been ripped in 2 pieces. It has some additional age wear, chips rips and missing corners. Nice classic Soviet graphic image. Please ask questions before bidding.
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