Silvestri: Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique - ASDF 224 (r/s), B copy - sold as is

$

55

redgarnett Store ITEM DESCRIPTION:

This beautiful and rare LP from La Voix de son Maitre (ASDF 224*, French Pathé-Marconi pressing, red/silver semi-circle label, dowel spine, “baguette”-style jacket, stereo) features conductor Constantin Silvestri and l’Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire in a stunning performance of Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique Op. 13, recorded in the spacious acoustics of the Salle Wagram, Paris, on 6 February 1961.

The French players respond to Silvestri with brilliance, poetry, and panache – this is as fine an account of Berlioz’s symphonic masterpiece as one could hope to hear – resplendent!

PLEASE NOTE:

This LP is sold “as is” – I will not accept a return on it. Please see “CONDITION” below – the LP is exactly as I have described it.

* Note: There is no ASD (UK) version of this particular title – there is only the French ASDF.

Of EMI’s CD re-issue of Silvestri’s legacy for the label, the outstanding author and critic David Hurwitz wrote for ClassicsToday:

“Buy two of these. That way, you can have one to listen to, and one to preserve against the day, billions of years hence, that the law of entropy darkens the universe and everything evaporates into nothingness. Alternately, you can sell one on eBay when this box goes out of print, as it undoubtedly will faster than you can listen to all fifteen discs. After all, EMI licensed a lot of this stuff to Disky and that 9 CD set was selling (used) for $250 plus. Even at 15 discs this isn’t quite the complete Silvestri. His concerto recordings are missing, but this set does contain all of his orchestral recordings for the label, and they are beyond dazzling.

 
“Perhaps the worst that can be said of Silvestri is that he could be a touch eccentric, as in the odd rhythm at the opening of Tchaikovsky’s Fourth (first sound clip). Still, it works for me, and it’s a small price to pay for the thrills on display elsewhere. Consider the finale of the Fifth, which gives Mravinsky a serious run for his money (second sound clip). Or how about the incomparably feverish first movement climax of the Symphonie fantastique (third sound clip), with the wonderfully idiomatic Paris Conservatory orchestra? You also get Silvestri’s legendary recordings of Elgar’s In the South, and a Vaughan Williams Tallis Fantasia that for nobility and passion leaves most performances in the dust (fourth sound clip).

“It really doesn’t matter what orchestra Silvestri has to work with, or what the repertoire. His personality was so powerful that he almost invariably achieves stunning, distinctive, compelling results. And so we have a spectacular Tchaikovsky Manfred and Dvorák “New World” Symphony (twice) from Paris, a luscious Scheherazade from Bournemouth, and a brilliant Shostakovich Fifth from Vienna. Silvestri’s glorious contemporary music disc (relatively speaking) of Bartók’s Divertimento, Hindemith’s Mathis der Maler, and Stravinsky’s Symphony in Three Movements appears in stereo for the first time (the Disky reissue was mono).

“Silvestri was no less persuasive in shorter works. These versions of A Night on Bald Mountain, Danse macabre, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (again, twice), Liszt’s Tasso and Les Préludes, Finlandia, Romanian Rhapsody (naturally), Capriccio espagnol, Gayaneh, The Love for Three Oranges, Rapsodie espagnole, Pavane for a Dead Princess, and Boléro all stand with the most imaginative and evocative available. And of course there’s the conductor’s magical way with Debussy: La Mer, Nocturnes, and Prélude to the Afternoon of a Faun. Honestly, the list of highlights is simply the list of the contents of this set. You have to own it, and if you don’t, you’re life will be the merest shadow (musically at least) of what it has the potential to be. So spend some time with a genuine podium genius. It will do you good.”

Incidentally, there are superlative liner notes on the reverse side of the jacket by Maurice Pons, printed in French only. The original cover photo of Berlioz was taken by Pierre Petit.

CONDITION – PLEASE READ CAREFULLY (SOLD “AS IS” – NO RETURNS ACCEPTED):

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

The condition of the heavy cardboard “baguette”-style jacket is GOOD. There is a 6” split along the bottom seam, edgewear (more so at corners) and a small bit of writing to the rear panel. Nonetheless, the jacket remains solid and presentation worthy – overall, still a decent copy.

The condition of the dowel spine is VERY GOOD. There is some discoloration to the paper sleeve, but the dowel remains intact and legible – a very good copy.

The condition of the LP is GOOD. There are several ticky passages, as well as some surface noise. However, there are no needle jumps or other serious audio defects. Thus, if you must have flawless, NM, or even EX surfaces, then please do not buy this LP. Though not a collector’s copy, this copy is of more than mere audition copy – decent.

PLEASE NOTE:
This LP has been carefully cleaned using a VPI cleaning machine. All LPs are provided with a new Nagaoka (or Nagaoka-style) inner sleeve. The images I've provided are of the actual item you are potentially bidding on - these are not stock images or images I've taken from other sites. Bid with confidence!

PAYMENT:
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REFUNDS:
Returns are honored, and any buyer you makes a return will be refunded in full. Please contact me before making a return.

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