Rostropovich/Britten: "Arpeggione" + Bridge Sonata - London CS 6649 (sealed)

$

67

redgarnett Store ITEM DESCRIPTION:

This superb LP – a still-sealed promo copy – from London (CS 6649, LP pressed in England by Decca / jacket printed in the USA, red/silver NB London ffrr “Stereophonic” label, original inner sleeve included, promo copy) features Mstislav Rostropovich's classic accounts of Franz Schubert's 'Arpeggione' Sonata in A minor D. 821 and Frank Bridge's Sonata for Cello and Piano H. 125, both recorded with composer Benjamin Britten at the piano at The Maltings, Snape, Aldeburgh England in July 1968 – chamber music-making at its absolute finest.

Wrote critic Hilary Finch in her review for the April 1995 issue of The Gramophone:

"The Maltings, Snape, July 1968: Britten was greeting two of his dearest musical friends and mentors; Rostropovich was making two important discoveries. This reissue is a major historic document reminding some listeners of, and revealing to others for the first time, the special nature of the musical relationship between composer, cellist and the music which they were performing.

"Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata was new to Rostropovich. In the broad, exploratory charting of its territory, both Britten and Rostropovich enjoy many a moment of—if not drooling—then licking their lips over its more delectable turns of melody and harmonic contours. And why not? They make us stand and stare at much we might have missed: every time its opening melody recurs, it seems reinvented, and Britten's delight in peeping out when least expected from the ''cradle'' Rostropovich said that he had created for him, throws many an idea into bright new relief. Britten as Lieder accompanist comes to the fore, of course, in the slow movement. Here Rostropovich does make a meal of it, and it will be something of a relief to most listeners, I suspect, to move into the dearer air of the finale. Even here, though, the bite as well as the bark of the furiant episodes is something else.

"Rostropovich's is certainly the dominant voice at the start of the Frank Bridge Sonata, though both cello and piano go on to flex the work's Bergian muscles to the full in a recording which eavesdrops on every movement of the finger, every breath in the body."

There are been few more inspired partnerships than this – a gramophone classic.

Incidentally, the fine liner notes on the reverse, in English only, are by Geoffrey Crankshaw.

CONDITION:

The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.

The condition of the still-sealed jacket is near-MINT. There is minor bumping at cornersl, but that is all. Otherwise, the album appears virtually as new. There are no seamsplits, bends, owners’ markings, or other defects, and the album remains solid, bright, and highly attractive in appearance – overall, this rates as a very fine collector's copy.

The condition of the LP itself is MINT – this is an unplayed, pristine LP – the ideal collector's copy.

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