No note booklet provided, but this disc is self-explanatory. It’s more amazing remasterings from Michael Dutton of recordings made from 1930 to 1940 which sound closer to today’s recording quality than any such early 78s I have ever heard. The four composers are the main soloists in their own works. I had no idea there was a recording of Falla playing his own Concerto for Harpsichord, or even that there were any such early recordings of the harpsichord in any music. It’s a delightful work I’ve always wanted to play in. The rest of the sextet consists of flute, oboe, clarinet, violin and cello. There certainly weren’t any record labels in the U.S. recording music like this in 1930.
Jean Francaix proves himself a fine pianist in both of his witty and sprightly little concertos. The Bartok Contrasts has been reissued a number of times; I have a Vanguard reissue of some years ago. All of the previous versions sounded pretty bad, as though recorded by some amateur with a portable disc-cutter. Dutton’s skillful restoration of the sound is a true achievement. Not only are the instrumental timbres on all these recordings natural-sounding, but there is almost no annoying noise or hiss – yet enough of the high frequencies are there.
– John Sunier
