Kalinnikov 1 from Svetlanov

[adriano]

Dudarova was great! She recorded also Tchaikovsky's tone poems (Olympia, 2 CDs, 1992) and Khachaturian's works for Cello and Orchestra (Olympia, 1994) and, before that, in 1992, an exciting and complete "Gayaneh" on Melodiya LP's in 1990, which was one of Melodiya's first digital metal mastering LPs.

[semloh]

OK - well, once again I'll be the 'outlier' and say that I prefer Svetlanov's old Melodiya performance. Perhaps it's because it's the one I 'discovered' when it first appeared on LP decades ago and that I quickly grew to love. His live version on YT is just a little too smooth for my taste, but nonetheless a great performance of a wonderful symphony by a superb orchestra, and better than Jarvi.

[tappell]

I have a soft spot for the original Svetlanov recording, having discovered an imported Melodyia LP of the recording, in a shop in Manette Street off Charing Cross Road.  The shop had been mentioned in Gramophone, so I decided to explore, and discovered Glazunov, Scriabin, Medtner long before they were readily available in the U.K.

Kalinnikov 1 was a symphony I fell in love with then, probably some 45 years ago, and remains one of my go to symphonies. The Svetlanov version on You Tube, I find spine tingling, with the added pleasure of watching Svetlanov conduct it.

[Mark Thomas]

a shop in Manette Street off Charing Cross Road

I remember that place so well. It was opposite Foyles book shop and I must have visited it around the same time. An unheated, poky upstairs room IIRC, manned by a chap wearing a thick overcoat. But what treasures there were...

[Alan Howe]

Who remembers Farringon Records? That was my go-to haunt...

[Gareth Vaughan]

Ah, yes. Happy days! And who remembers Michael G. Thomas?

[tappell]

Mark you have remembered it very well. My early unsung composers love, stemmed from an initial liking for Russian Romantic or late Romantic music. Not the most salubrious of venues but I found it very exciting.

Alan yes I do remember Farrington Records. There was something particularly rewarding searching through classical LP's and being able to read the back to give an idea of what was on offer musically.

[matesic]

My first experience of Farringdon records was in about 1968; they operated out of a warehouse in Farringdon Street which must be the insalubrious venue tappell is remembering. I think you had to descend a short step-ladder to get in! Later they went more commercial with shops in the Strand and elsewhere that I used to walk past (more often into) on my daily commute. When they finally opened a shop in Lamb's Conduit Street I knew they were stalking me.

[adriano]

Farrington Records: Alan, wasn't it the shop where John Goldsmith of Unicorn was also involved with at that time? I made his acquaintance there during my London stay of 1972. I also met with Joyce Hatto's husband Bill Barrington-Coupe (or was he perhaps the shop's manager?). I bought there a huge box of LPs, and Joyce's fabulous Revolution Records LP with Bax's Symphonic Variations (an Item I still cherish) was offered to me as a gift. At that time I was not aware of the big hoax around Joye's recordings, but at least her Bax was authentic :-)
In the same box figured also EMI's Elgar's "The Apostels" and "The Dream of Gerontius". Tempi passati, as we say in Italy...

[Alan Howe]

the big hoax around Joyce's recordings

I think that came a lot later.

I wouldn't have known who was who at Farringdon Records in those days - I was far too ignorant! I actually went there rather later, in the late seventies/early eighties with a friend from university days.

[semloh]

I know we're straying from the topic but just a short question. Was it Farringdon Records that ran a mail order business, with long printed lists, full of obscure composers, sent out to enquirers? I certainly bought lots of LPs in this way during the 70s - but mostly from Squires Gate Music Centre - still operating.
HK Lewis and Foyles - fond memories!

[Alan Howe]

Yes, I used to receive FR's lists - and benefited from their mail order service.

[dhibbard]

I like Jarvi's versions the best...

[Alan Howe]

Järvi's versions? How many recordings of No.1 has he made?