By the mid 1950s, the Hungarian cellist Janos Starker (1924-2013) was already a legend and principal cellist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Reiner. EMI producer Walter Legge arranged for Starker to record all the essential works in his repertoire and this stereo recording of the Dvořák concerto, made at London's Kingsway Hall in 1956 became a highly collectable LP.

• 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"

As the Telegraph obituary put it: 'Starker possessed a phenomenal technique. His bow attacked the strings with both a ravishing intensity and a deep, biting edge. He was equally startling to watch, his piercing black eyes glaring out from beneath deep black eyebrows.' But he wasn't all scary – many a recital programme involved him performing in short sleeves, puffing on a cigarette (he smoked 60 a day) and sipping scotch, interspersed with sharing his low opinions on conductors.

In the original October 1957 mono review in GRAMOPHONE: Lionel Salter somewhat grudgingly conceded that Starker's Dvořák was "undeniably a great performance..." but by the time the stereo version was reviewed in January 1959, he seemed more enthusiastic: "Starker's playing is of great virtuosity and often of great poetry..." and concluded the LP was "certainly among the leading recorded performances of this wonderful concerto."

Track Listing:

Side A
Dvořák: Concerto in B Minor, Op.104
1. First Movement: Allegro
2. Second Movement: Adagio ma non troppo

Side B
Dvořák: Concerto in B Minor, Op.104 (contd)
1. Third Movement: Finale: Allegro moderato – Andante – Allegro vivo

Fauré
2. Élégie, Op.24

Janos Starker ('cello)

Philharmonia Orchestra
Walter Susskind

Recorded in stereo on 11, 12, 16 & 17 July 1956, Kingsway Hall, London. Produced by the legendary Walter Legge and engineered by Robert Gooch & Michael Grafton-Green.

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