Dorati: Beethoven "Wellington's Victory" + 2 Ovs - Mercury LPS 9000 - stunning

$

38

redgarnett Store ITEM DESCRIPTION:

This justly famous LP – a gorgeous collector’s copy – from Mercury (LPS 9000, US pressing, plum/silver label / stamper numbers given below, stereo) features Antal Dorati’s unsurpassed presentation of Beethoven’s  remarkable work Wellington’s Victory Op. 91 “Battle Symphony”, recorded in sessions held at Wembley Town Hall (on 9 June 1960) and at the US Military Academy at West Point (on 20 August 1960).

The stamper numbers are as follows:

Side 1: LPS-9000A-CBFR-2

Side 2: LPS-9000B-CBFR-3

Joining Dorati for this memorable occasion were the following:

London Symphony Orchestra

“Two 6-pound smooth-bore bronze cannons and 12-pound howitzer, French Charleville-pattern muskets and British Brown Bess Muskets, courtesy of the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York; Canon and musket firing under the direction of Gerald C. Stowe by the Reactivated Civil War Unit, Battery B, 2nd New Jersey Light Artillery”

Also included is spoken commentary by composer Deems Taylor.

The album is generously filled out with equally inspired performances of Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3 Op. 72ª and the Overture to Prometheus Op. 43, both works set down with the LSO at Brent Town Hall, Wembley, respectively, on 7 and 12 June 1960.

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Wrote the outstanding critic Ian Lace for Fanfare:

“The recording was one of the most successful classical LPs of all time, selling some two million copies in the analog era. Today, probably, such a recording project would be unimaginable due not only to cost considerations, but also to questioning by the health and safety police.

 
“Dorati delivers exciting performances of all three works and the digitally re-mastered sound is truly spectacular.

“[A] bronze canon made in Douay, France, in 1775 was used, courtesy of the Museum at U.S. Military Academy, West Point, and the bells of the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Carillon, the Riverside Church in New York City. This carillon has 74 bells and includes the largest and heaviest tuned bass bell in the world.

“Authentic period ordnance, again courtesy of the West Point Museum, was also used in the Beethoven work. For the stereo recording, French canon were placed on the left and English canon on the right, just as the composer indicated, and a howitzer added center, all supplemented by musket volleys. The 188 canon shots and 25 musket volleys are all clearly indicated in Beethoven’s score.

“Beethoven’s piece celebrates Wellington’s victory of 1813 near the Basque city of Vitoria. This Beethoven oddity was written for a giant mechanical orchestral machine that could play cavalry marches—its inventor having endeared himself to Beethoven by also inventing an ear trumpet and lending the composer money. The score was later adapted for orchestra. Beethoven clearly had fun writing the music, which included a drooping minor-key version of the French war song to indicate their defeat and a glorious fugal treatment of God Save the King.

“Deems Taylor, in his separate commentaries that augment the quite full booklet notes, colorfully describes the history and usage of the armaments and the recording processes for 1812 and Wellington’s Victory, recalling, for instance, that for the special effects for Beethoven’s battle, the Mercury microphones were suspended on trees linked to the recording truck located a safe distance away, and that work was often interrupted by the sounds of falling leaves, fleeting breezes, and passing aircraft. It also appears that roads were blocked and ambulances were on standby.

“Not surprisingly, this was the kind of recording beloved by hi-fi dealers, the more imaginative of them warning against high volume settings lest speakers exploded.”

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Incidentally, the front cover illustration was provide by Gerald C. Stowe, Curator of the West Point Museum. The rear cover illustration shows J.M. Wright’s canvas “Victory of Vitoria”, a print held in the archives of the New York Public Library. The album’s design was supervised by George Maas. The interior panels of the gatefold jacket carry extensive liner notes, as well as other illustrations, though the text is uncredited.

CONDITION – PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY:

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

The condition of the gatefold jacket is near-MINT. There are some minute instances of light discoloration, but that is all. Otherwise, the album appears almost as new. There are no seamsplits, owners’ markings, or other defects, and the album remains solid, bright, and highly attractive – overall, this rates as a lovely collector's copy.

The condition of the LP is near-MINT. Although the surfaces are not silent (and thus I have rated it as NM vs. MINT), really the playback is quite superb. However, if you must have NM or flawless surfaces, then please do not buy this LP – overall, this is a fine collector’s copy. 

PLEASE NOTE:

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REFUNDS:

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