Øivin Fjeldstad & The London Symphony Orchestra, Ruggiero Ricci – Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor Op.47 & Pelléas et Mélisande, Op.46 (1958,1955/2020) [FLAC 24bit/192kHz]

Øivin Fjeldstad & The London Symphony Orchestra, Ruggiero Ricci – Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor Op.47 & Pelléas et Mélisande, Op.46 (1958,1955/2020)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 56:37 minutes | 2,17 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © HDTT

This is an brilliant performance of this brilliantly colored concerto. Ricci and Fjeldstad bring it all together with Ricci’s brilliant technique and Fjeldstad’s affinity for the Scandinavian repertoire. The recorded sound is classic Decca Kingsway Hall quality – well balanced, detailed, full frequency extension, lovely hall acoustics.

As Jonathan Woolf commented in one of his MusicWeb reviews: “This is Ricci, big of vibrato, meaty of response, ballsy and masculine. The performance naturally falls onto the side of chewy intensity rather than anything more variegated emotionally speaking but its rugged intensity is undeniable. There is an equally big response from the brass, which really lets rip when called for, once or twice rather startlingly.” And this is precisely why one needs this performance in one’s music library!

The sound from the 4-track tape and 24-192 transfer misses the ultimate transparency that might have been provided from a 2-track 15ips tape and does not match my memory of the transparency heard in the Speakers Corner LP reissue (that was prepared from the master tapes, after all). Overall, it’s a bit “scrappy”. But I know of no better digital transfer of this concerto and I’m delighted to have found this at HDTT.

The Beecham Pelleas et Melisande is a wonderful addition to this release. It’s worth the price of admission entirely on it’s own to hear Beecham in this 1955 EMI experimental stereo recording. Originally release in mono and reissued many times on LP in stereo over the years, it is filled with Beecham’s genial touch and the sound quality is impressively good. Such a nice old friend to find once again!

Tracklist:
01. Ruggiero Ricci (violin) • Øivin Fjeldstad/London Symphony Orchestra – Sibelius Violin Concerto in D • 1st Movement (14:32)
02. Ruggiero Ricci (violin) • Øivin Fjeldstad/London Symphony Orchestra – Sibelius Violin Concerto in D • 2nd Movement (07:23)
03. Ruggiero Ricci (violin) • Øivin Fjeldstad/London Symphony Orchestra – Sibelius Violin Concerto in D • 3rd Movement (07:15)
04. Sir Thomas Beecham/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – Pelléas et Mélisande, incidental music for orchestra, Op. 46: At the Castle Gate (03:28)
05. Sir Thomas Beecham/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – Pelléas et Mélisande, incidental music for orchestra, Op. 46: Mélisande (05:01)
06. Sir Thomas Beecham/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – Pelléas et Mélisande, incidental music for orchestra, Op. 46: A Spring in the Park (02:14)
07. Sir Thomas Beecham/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – Pelléas et Mélisande, incidental music for orchestra, Op. 46: The Three Blind Sisters (02:41)
08. Sir Thomas Beecham/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – Pelléas et Mélisande, incidental music for orchestra, Op. 46: Pastorale (01:55)
09. Sir Thomas Beecham/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – Pelléas et Mélisande, incidental music for orchestra, Op. 46: Mélisande at the Spinning Wheel (02:08)
10. Sir Thomas Beecham/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – Pelléas et Mélisande, incidental music for orchestra, Op. 46: Entr’acte (03:21)
11. Sir Thomas Beecham/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – Pelléas et Mélisande, incidental music for orchestra, Op. 46: The Death of Mélisande (06:33)

Download:

mqs.link_SibeliusVi0linC0ncert0inDmin0r0p.47PellasetMlisande0p.4619581955202024192.part1.rar
mqs.link_SibeliusVi0linC0ncert0inDmin0r0p.47PellasetMlisande0p.4619581955202024192.part2.rar
mqs.link_SibeliusVi0linC0ncert0inDmin0r0p.47PellasetMlisande0p.4619581955202024192.part3.rar