The late Sir Charles Mackerras was an extraordinarily versatile musician who could be relied on to give first class accounts of everything from Bach to Britten and was renowned as an interpreter of Mozart and Janacek in particular. This recording used some 26 oboes, creating an ensemble of over 70 players.

• Hi-Q Records Supercuts
• 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl
• Cut from the Original EMI Analog Master Tapes
• Mastered at Abbey Road Studios
• Features Original Album Artwork

"Cut at Abbey Road Studios from the original stereo analogue master tapes with the Neumann VMS82 lathe fed an analogue pre-cut signal from a specially adapted Studer A80 tape deck with additional 'advance' playback head, making the cut a totally analogue process. Pressed using the original EMI presses at The Vinyl Factory in Hayes, England"

He also often remade recordings of works associated with him over his long career, like his 1962 recording of 'Pineapple Poll' - music by Sullivan he arranged into a ballet, and in 1959, the small British label Pye asked him to record Handel's 'Music for the Royal Fireworks', which was met with critical acclaim for 'attempting to reproduce the sound Handel would have heard, rather than the smoother orchestral arrangements usually played at that time'.

The recording used some 26 oboes, creating an ensemble of over 70 players. Ever at the vanguard of authentic performance rather than authentic instruments, Mackerras took advantage of more modern recording techniques by re-recording the Handel at Abbey Road for EMI, again with augmented wind band that Handel would have used for the original open air performance in Green Park.

In the original 1977 review Robin Golding of the GRAMOPHONE wrote:

"...for sheer splendour of sound the 'martial musick' favoured by George II is hors concours; and, as fond as I am of the [Makerras's] old Pye recording, I have to admit that the new EMI one is even more thrilling..."

Track Listing:

Side A
Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks
(Concerto Grosso in D major)
1. Overture
2. Bouree
3. Largo alla Siciliana
4. La Rejouissance
5. Minuet I
6. Minuet II

Side B
Handel: Concerto in F 'a due cori' No.2 in F
1. Overture (Pomposo - Allegro)
2. A tempo giusto
3. Largo
4. Allegro ma non troppo
5. A tempo ordinario
6. Concerto No.1 in F (ed. Mackerras) Largo - Allegro
7. Concerto No.3 in D (ed. Mackerras) Largo - Allegro - Allegro ma non troppo

London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Charles Mackerras

Recorded at No.1 Studio, Abbey Road on 8 October and 19 December 1976
The Producer was the legendary Suvi Raj Grubb
The Engineer was Robert Gooch

Click here to listen to samples on AllMusic.com ♫