Bela Bartok: Bluebeard's Castle - Walter Susskind

New Orchestra of London and Chorus, Walter Susskind

Bartók: Duke Bluebeard's Castle, Sz. 48, Op. 11 sung in Hungarian. Recorded in London, Kingsway Hall, June 1953, Bartók Records BRS 311/11a Judith Hellwigh (Judit), Endre Koréh (Bluebeard), Ernö Lorsy (Speaker, the Bard) Cantata Profana 'The Nine Enchanted Stags', BB 100, Sz. 94 sung in English. Recorded in London, Kingsway Hall, June 1953, Bartók Records BRS 312 Richard Lewis (tenor) & Marko Rothmüller (baritone)

An opulent yet logical combination of recordings by conductor Walter Süsskind in honour of Bartók, under the technical direction of the latter’s son Peter. Their purity of sound and style is unaltered by time. The Prologue, narrated by bard Ernö Lorsy, heralds the rhythm, colour and mood of the mystery play, imbuing it with meaning, even to non Hungarian speakers. Bartók’s 'Cantata Profana' is based on a Romanian ballad about the enchantment of nine boys taught nothing but to hunt for stags. Consequently they turn into stags themselves, never to return to man’s imperfect world…

Price: $30.98