Rafael Kubelik & Chicago Symphony Orchestra - The

Irwin Fischer, Edward Metzenger, George Schick, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Rafael Kubelik

Groundbreaking technology, dynamic musical leadership, first-rate orchestral playing: a brief combination of lasting impact for the history of recorded music. Celebrating 70 years of Mercury Living Presence, this limited edition box presents the complete recordings of the Chicago Symphony with Rafael Kubelík, remastered by Thomas Fine and featuring unreleased material. Kubelík's brief and tumultuous tenure as music director of the CSO has become legendary for its intense camp antagonism. When he arrived in Chicago in 1950 to replace Artur Rodzinski, the 36-year-old Kubelík had impressive credentials and a rapidly growing list of triumphs in Europe. But Kubelík was subjected to intense and sustained criticism of his program and performances until his retirement in 1953. Kubelík's arrival coincided with the expiration of the CSO's previous recording contract and the almost immediate emergence of the ambitious Mercury label. The conductor later recalled how 'a very clever team from Mercury turned up and found that the best microphone position was just one above my head ... the resulting sound was identical to what I was hearing as I played and didn't need changing'. '. Using the best original tapes available, new high-resolution digitizations were made by Thomas Fine, son of C. Robert Fine and Wilma Cozart Fine, founders of Mercury. Thomas Fine has also contributed "Sessionography" notes describing the equipment and techniques that made MLP recordings world famous for their unprecedented fidelity. CD10 contains unique material, beginning with an interview with Wilma Cozart Fine. Plus the first recordings of Bloch's Concerto Grosso, never before released. Reconstructed stereo tapes - of Mozart's "Prague" Symphony and "Tabor" from Ma Vlast - were produced by engineer Bert Whyte. Both are included here in new remasters by Mark Obert-Thorn.

Price: $109.98