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Spanish conductor Ataúlfo Argenta cheated death many times in his short life; during the Spanish Civil War, he talked his way out of execution by a firing squad, contracted typhoid in prison, and survived that in addition to its recurrence later in his life. Argenta's accidental death at 44, sitting in his car warming up in an unventilated garage waiting for the heat to come on in his studio, seems like a grim joke on the part of fate. Ernest Ansermet must have thought so, too; Argenta was suave, handsome, and authoritative on the podium, and Ansermet had been grooming him as his successor in l'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. Such was not to be; however, fate has not entirely robbed posterity of Argenta's extraordinary talents as evidenced by the five-disc set Ataúlfo Argenta: Complete Decca Recordings 1953-1957.
The best known of these recordings are, ironically, not ones where Argenta himself is the star of the show -- they are his Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with Alfredo Campoli and his recordings of the two canonical Liszt piano concerti with the London Philharmonic and soloist Julius Katchen. The latter was already distributed extensively on behalf of Katchen, in the context of Argenta it is useful to note how these two artists seem to connect almost psychically with Liszt's music; wherever Katchen is, there, too, is Argenta. Argenta's Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique is instructive; whereas in a recording of this work made about the same time, Dimitri Mitropoulos and the New York Philharmonic demonstrate an impressive architectonic design for the whole, by comparison Argenta's interpretation is characterized by its youthful verve, brilliance, impetuousness, and drive; it is an untamed, relentlessly exciting Symphonie Fantastique. Argenta's recordings of Spanish literature, including the dreaded España of Chabrier, but also the Danzas Fantasticas of Turina, were considered pioneering in their day, and account for Argenta's posthumous renown in his home country.
Argenta died just short of Decca's adoption of stereo recording technology, and he seldom led first-class orchestras in recordings -- the London Symphony was the only such group he conducted, the rest of his Decca work made with the aforementioned Suisse Romande and the Paris Conservatoire orchestras. The Suisse Romande lumbers ungainly into the opening Liszt's Les Préludes, with Argenta laboring to whip things into shape. However, once they are into the main tune, the Suisse Romande gets into gear and over the course of the remainder of the performance one can hear detail in Les Préludes seldom heard before. This is the standard scenario for some of performances here -- weak opening, better exposition, and raucous, electrifying ending -- although the Paris Conservatoire recording of Liszt's unfamiliar (at the time) A Faust Symphony goes quite well throughout. Perhaps this is what Ansermet saw in Argenta -- a leader who could get the Suisse Romande up off the floor, even when the piece had already started.
It appears the further one goes back to the 1953 end of this set, the more brittle and congested Decca's vaunted "full frequency range recording" is, but toward the later part of the '50s the sound is so good it almost could be stereo -- the Berlioz, although mono, somehow retains an element of three-dimensionality to it. Although it was more like a 100-yard dash than a marathon, Argenta made a good run as a conductor. Heretofore, Decca has done so little with its monophonically made recordings and it is heartening to hear this tribute to Argenta, whose extraordinary career is certainly valuable and worth documenting in a modestly priced package such as this one.
© TiVo
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España - Rhapsody for Orchestra (Emmanuel Chabrier)
London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Emmanuel Chabrier, Composer - James Walker, Producer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Erik Smith, Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1958 Decca Music Group Limited
Capriccio Espagnol, Op. 34 (Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov)
London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - James Walker, Producer - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Erik Smith, Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1958 Decca Music Group Limited
London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - James Walker, Producer - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Erik Smith, Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1958 Decca Music Group Limited
London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - James Walker, Producer - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Erik Smith, Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1958 Decca Music Group Limited
London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - James Walker, Producer - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Erik Smith, Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1958 Decca Music Group Limited
London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - James Walker, Producer - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Erik Smith, Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1958 Decca Music Group Limited
Danzas españolas, Op. 37 (Enrique Granados)
Enrique Granados, Composer - London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - James Walker, Producer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Erik Smith, Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1958 Decca Music Group Limited
Spanish Dances, Op. 12, Book 1 (Moritz Moszkowski)
London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - James Walker, Producer - Moritz Moszkowski, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Erik Smith, Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1958 Decca Music Group Limited
London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - James Walker, Producer - Moritz Moszkowski, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Erik Smith, Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1958 Decca Music Group Limited
London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - James Walker, Producer - Moritz Moszkowski, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Erik Smith, Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1958 Decca Music Group Limited
London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - James Walker, Producer - Moritz Moszkowski, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Erik Smith, Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1958 Decca Music Group Limited
London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - James Walker, Producer - Moritz Moszkowski, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Erik Smith, Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1958 Decca Music Group Limited
Images For Orchestra, L. 122 (Claude Debussy)
Claude Debussy, Composer - James Walker, Producer - Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orchestra, MainArtist - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Erik Smith, Producer - Gordon Parry, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1957 Decca Music Group Limited
Claude Debussy, Composer - James Walker, Producer - Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orchestra, MainArtist - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Erik Smith, Producer - Gordon Parry, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1957 Decca Music Group Limited
Claude Debussy, Composer - James Walker, Producer - Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orchestra, MainArtist - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Erik Smith, Producer - Gordon Parry, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1957 Decca Music Group Limited
DISC 2
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat, S.124 (Franz Liszt)
Franz Liszt, Composer - James Walker, Producer, Recording Producer - London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Julius Katchen, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Erik Smith, Producer, Recording Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1957 Decca Music Group Limited
Franz Liszt, Composer - James Walker, Producer, Recording Producer - London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Julius Katchen, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Erik Smith, Producer, Recording Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1957 Decca Music Group Limited
Franz Liszt, Composer - James Walker, Producer, Recording Producer - London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Julius Katchen, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Erik Smith, Producer, Recording Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1957 Decca Music Group Limited
Franz Liszt, Composer - James Walker, Producer, Recording Producer - London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Julius Katchen, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Erik Smith, Producer, Recording Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1957 Decca Music Group Limited
Piano Concerto No. 2 in A, S.125 (Franz Liszt)
Franz Liszt, Composer - James Walker, Producer, Recording Producer - London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Julius Katchen, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Erik Smith, Producer, Recording Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1957 Decca Music Group Limited
Franz Liszt, Composer - James Walker, Producer, Recording Producer - London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Julius Katchen, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Erik Smith, Producer, Recording Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1957 Decca Music Group Limited
Franz Liszt, Composer - James Walker, Producer, Recording Producer - London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Julius Katchen, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Erik Smith, Producer, Recording Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1957 Decca Music Group Limited
Franz Liszt, Composer - James Walker, Producer, Recording Producer - London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Julius Katchen, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Erik Smith, Producer, Recording Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1957 Decca Music Group Limited
Iberia - Orchestrated by Enrique Fernández Arbós (1863-1939) - Book 1 (Isaac Albéniz)
Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Isaac Albeniz, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Enrique Fernández Arbós, Arranger, Orchestrator - John Culshaw, Producer
℗ 1954 Decca Music Group Limited
Iberia - Orchestrated by Enrique Fernández Arbós (1863-1939) - Book 3 (Isaac Albéniz)
Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Isaac Albeniz, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Enrique Fernández Arbós, Arranger, Orchestrator - John Culshaw, Producer
℗ 1954 Decca Music Group Limited
Iberia - Orchestrated by Enrique Fernández Arbós (1863-1939) - Book 2 (Isaac Albéniz)
Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Isaac Albeniz, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Enrique Fernández Arbós, Arranger, Orchestrator - John Culshaw, Producer
℗ 1954 Decca Music Group Limited
Iberia - Orchestrated by Enrique Fernández Arbós (1863-1939) - Book 1 (Isaac Albéniz)
Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Isaac Albeniz, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Enrique Fernández Arbós, Arranger, Orchestrator - John Culshaw, Producer
℗ 1954 Decca Music Group Limited
Iberia - Orchestrated by Enrique Fernández Arbós (1863-1939) - Book 3 (Isaac Albéniz)
Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Isaac Albeniz, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Enrique Fernández Arbós, Arranger, Orchestrator - John Culshaw, Producer
℗ 1954 Decca Music Group Limited
DISC 3
Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14 (Hector Berlioz)
Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Hector Berlioz, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - John Culshaw, Producer, Recording Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ken Cress, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1958 Decca Music Group Limited
Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Hector Berlioz, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - John Culshaw, Producer, Recording Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ken Cress, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1958 Decca Music Group Limited
Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Hector Berlioz, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - John Culshaw, Producer, Recording Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ken Cress, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1958 Decca Music Group Limited
Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Hector Berlioz, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - John Culshaw, Producer, Recording Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ken Cress, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1958 Decca Music Group Limited
Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Hector Berlioz, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - John Culshaw, Producer, Recording Producer - Kenneth Wilkinson, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ken Cress, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1958 Decca Music Group Limited
Danzas Fantásticas (Joaquín Turina)
Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Joaquín Turina, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - John Culshaw, Producer
℗ 1954 Decca Music Group Limited
Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Joaquín Turina, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - John Culshaw, Producer
℗ 1954 Decca Music Group Limited
Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Joaquín Turina, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - John Culshaw, Producer
℗ 1954 Decca Music Group Limited
DISC 4
Les Préludes, symphonic poem No.3, S.97 (after Lamartine) (Franz Liszt)
Franz Liszt, Composer - Victor Olof, Producer - James Walker, Producer - Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orchestra, MainArtist - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Gil Went, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Roy Wallace, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1955 Decca Music Group Limited
A Faust Symphony, S.108 (Franz Liszt)
Franz Liszt, Composer - Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Orchestra, MainArtist - James Walker, Producer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Kenneth Wilkinson, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Roy Wallace, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1955 Decca Music Group Limited
Franz Liszt, Composer - Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Orchestra, MainArtist - James Walker, Producer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Kenneth Wilkinson, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Roy Wallace, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1955 Decca Music Group Limited
Franz Liszt, Composer - Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Orchestra, MainArtist - James Walker, Producer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Kenneth Wilkinson, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Roy Wallace, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1955 Decca Music Group Limited
DISC 5
Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35, TH. 59 (Pyotr Illitch Tchaïkovski)
London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Alfredo Campoli, Violin, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Gordon Parry, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Cyril Windebank, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David M. Walker, Producer
℗ 1957 Decca Music Group Limited
London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Alfredo Campoli, Violin, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Gordon Parry, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Cyril Windebank, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David M. Walker, Producer
℗ 1957 Decca Music Group Limited
London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Alfredo Campoli, Violin, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Gordon Parry, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Cyril Windebank, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David M. Walker, Producer
℗ 1957 Decca Music Group Limited
Symphony No. 4 In F Minor, Op. 36, TH.27 (Pyotr Illitch Tchaïkovski)
Victor Olof, Producer - James Walker, Producer - Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orchestra, MainArtist - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Gil Went, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Roy Wallace, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1956 Decca Music Group Limited
Victor Olof, Producer - James Walker, Producer - Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orchestra, MainArtist - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Gil Went, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Roy Wallace, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1956 Decca Music Group Limited
Victor Olof, Producer - James Walker, Producer - Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orchestra, MainArtist - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Gil Went, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Roy Wallace, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1956 Decca Music Group Limited
Victor Olof, Producer - James Walker, Producer - Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orchestra, MainArtist - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Composer - Ataulfo Argenta, Conductor, MainArtist - Gil Went, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Roy Wallace, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1956 Decca Music Group Limited
Album review
Spanish conductor Ataúlfo Argenta cheated death many times in his short life; during the Spanish Civil War, he talked his way out of execution by a firing squad, contracted typhoid in prison, and survived that in addition to its recurrence later in his life. Argenta's accidental death at 44, sitting in his car warming up in an unventilated garage waiting for the heat to come on in his studio, seems like a grim joke on the part of fate. Ernest Ansermet must have thought so, too; Argenta was suave, handsome, and authoritative on the podium, and Ansermet had been grooming him as his successor in l'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. Such was not to be; however, fate has not entirely robbed posterity of Argenta's extraordinary talents as evidenced by the five-disc set Ataúlfo Argenta: Complete Decca Recordings 1953-1957.
The best known of these recordings are, ironically, not ones where Argenta himself is the star of the show -- they are his Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with Alfredo Campoli and his recordings of the two canonical Liszt piano concerti with the London Philharmonic and soloist Julius Katchen. The latter was already distributed extensively on behalf of Katchen, in the context of Argenta it is useful to note how these two artists seem to connect almost psychically with Liszt's music; wherever Katchen is, there, too, is Argenta. Argenta's Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique is instructive; whereas in a recording of this work made about the same time, Dimitri Mitropoulos and the New York Philharmonic demonstrate an impressive architectonic design for the whole, by comparison Argenta's interpretation is characterized by its youthful verve, brilliance, impetuousness, and drive; it is an untamed, relentlessly exciting Symphonie Fantastique. Argenta's recordings of Spanish literature, including the dreaded España of Chabrier, but also the Danzas Fantasticas of Turina, were considered pioneering in their day, and account for Argenta's posthumous renown in his home country.
Argenta died just short of Decca's adoption of stereo recording technology, and he seldom led first-class orchestras in recordings -- the London Symphony was the only such group he conducted, the rest of his Decca work made with the aforementioned Suisse Romande and the Paris Conservatoire orchestras. The Suisse Romande lumbers ungainly into the opening Liszt's Les Préludes, with Argenta laboring to whip things into shape. However, once they are into the main tune, the Suisse Romande gets into gear and over the course of the remainder of the performance one can hear detail in Les Préludes seldom heard before. This is the standard scenario for some of performances here -- weak opening, better exposition, and raucous, electrifying ending -- although the Paris Conservatoire recording of Liszt's unfamiliar (at the time) A Faust Symphony goes quite well throughout. Perhaps this is what Ansermet saw in Argenta -- a leader who could get the Suisse Romande up off the floor, even when the piece had already started.
It appears the further one goes back to the 1953 end of this set, the more brittle and congested Decca's vaunted "full frequency range recording" is, but toward the later part of the '50s the sound is so good it almost could be stereo -- the Berlioz, although mono, somehow retains an element of three-dimensionality to it. Although it was more like a 100-yard dash than a marathon, Argenta made a good run as a conductor. Heretofore, Decca has done so little with its monophonically made recordings and it is heartening to hear this tribute to Argenta, whose extraordinary career is certainly valuable and worth documenting in a modestly priced package such as this one.
© TiVo
About the album
- 5 disc(s) - 47 track(s)
- Total length: 05:58:31
- Main artists: Ataulfo Argenta
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Decca Music Group Ltd.
- Genre: Classical
- Collection: Original Masters
© 2006 Decca Music Group Limited This Compilation ℗ 2006 Decca Music Group Limited
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