Efrem Kurtz, an imposing figure on the podium, who, with a graceful baton-less technique drew exceptionally lyrical playing out of the orchestras he conducted and was in great demand for his native Russian repertoire. He recorded highlights from all three Tchaikovsky ballets for EMI in the late 1950s and they are all available again on LP from HI Q: Swan Lake is on HIQLP049 and The Nutcracker is on HIQLP051.

Recorded April 1958, Kingsway Hall, London. Recording Producer: R. Kinloch Anderson. Balance Engineer: Neville Boyling

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. Featuring the original album artwork.

In the review of the stereo LP in The Gramophone of November 1960, W.S.M. confirmed his initial thoughts: “It is an extremely enjoyable cross-cut of Sleeping Beauty, performed magnificently under a conductor who understands Tchaikovsky’s ballet music completely. Yehudi Menuhin contributes only one solo, but that [is] a most distinguished one. The stereo is perhaps rather warmer and vivid than the very acceptable mono…”