Pianist John Ogdon is backed by the Philharmonia Orchestra lead by Sir John Barbirolli on this audiophile recording of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto alongside Symphonic Variations by Cesar Franck.

The 1962 International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition, held in Moscow, had joint winners: Vladimir Ashkenazy (then still a Soviet citizen) and the UK’s John Ogdon. Ashkenazy was signed up by Decca and went on to carve a brilliant career for himself in the West and is still with us, John Odgon was signed by EMI and also enjoyed a brilliant career as a pianist noted for a phenomenal technique and deep musical sensibilities. He was also the composer of over 200 works, including 4 operas, orchestral and choral music, 2 piano concertos and many works for solo piano. However, in 1974 he suffered a nervous breakdown and displayed symptoms of bipolar disorder but was nursed back to health and performing by his wife and piano duet partner Brenda Lucas. He had become very active again recording and performing before being tragically struck down by pneumonia as a result of undiagnosed diabetes in August 1989.

Recorded on 17 and 18 December 1962 at No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London with legendary producer Victor Olof and Ronald Kinloch Anderson, and engineer Robert Gooch.

Cut at Abbey Road Studios from the original stereo analogue master tapes with the Neumann VMS82 lathe fed an analogue pre-cut signal from a specially adapted Studer A80 tape deck with additional ‘advance’ playback head, making the cut a totally analogue process.

Pressed on 180g vinyl to audiophile standards using the original EMI presses by The Vinyl Factory in Hayes, England.

In the original June 1963 review in the GRAMOPHONE, Thomas Hearns was torn between the two versions of the same work by Ashkenazy and Ogdon that were both released and reviewed together:
“It is in this [first] movement that Ogden excels. His opening is grander (helped by a recording full in body); elsewhere he alternates exquisite poetry with glittering brilliance and some wonderfully skittish delicacy… the sheer richness of the Philharmonia’s strings or the recording quality gives them the more glorious sound. If I’m really pushed to a recommendation… I think Ogden has it.”

Features:
• Hi-Q Records Supercuts 180g Vinyl
• Cut from the Original Analogue EMI Master Tapes at Abbey Road Studios!
• Superior Audiophile Pressing
• Features Original Album Artwork

Musicians:
John Ogdon, piano
Philharmonia Orchestra
Sir John Barbirolli, conductor