BaL 4.05.13 - Stravinsky's L'Histoire du Soldat

[BBMmk2]

I presume you mean the RVW Pilgrim's Progress as used in the radio broadcast, rather than the opera?

Yes!

[Flosshilde]

Going through some vinyl records that are destined for Oxfam I see that I have/had two recording not mentioned above - one by the Nash Ensemble cond. by Elgar Howarth (coupled with Dumbarton Oaks & the Octet for Wind, and the other by an ensemble without a name conducted by Stokowski (issued by 'The World Record Club Limited'). I haven't listened to them for over 17 years, so I can't say what they are like. Perhaps someone else knows them?

[Bryn]

Going through some vinyl records that are destined for Oxfam I see that I have/had two recording not mentioned above - one by the Nash Ensemble cond. by Elgar Howarth (coupled with Dumbarton Oaks & the Octet for Wind, and the other by an ensemble without a name conducted by Stokowski (issued by 'The World Record Club Limited'). I haven't listened to them for over 17 years, so I can't say what they are like. Perhaps someone else knows them?

If the Stocky is with Mme. Milhaud as narrator, and in French (she also recorded her narration in English), it should, if it were currently available, be a front contender.

[Flosshilde]

Yes to both questions.

Hmm - do I see if I can flog it on Amazon for vast sums, or try & transfer it to CD?

[amateur51]

Yes to both questions.

Hmm - do I see if I can flog it on Amazon for vast sums, or try & transfer it to CD?

Both!

[Bryn]

Yes to both questions.

Hmm - do I see if I can flog it on Amazon for vast sums, or try & transfer it to CD?

I got my CD version of the French language recording a few years ago via amazon.com. It was not that pricey, but not exactly bargain basement either.

[Flosshilde]

Just had a look on Amazon & the vinyl is the only recording to come up, with a note saying that it's 'currently unavailable'.

(Slightly different result on USA Amazon)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The Nash Ensemble/Howarth on CfP was the only recording of the three works that for a long time I ever owned. The Penguins were very sniffy about them I seem to remember (only two stars, or even one/bracket two, if memory serves) so you probably won't get loads of offers on e-bay - but I loved the record and I wouldn't mind hearing the performances again (are they on the Nash Ensemble ICON box?).

This, and the one star they gave for Handley's excellent Tchaikovsky Francesca & Hamlet coupling, was what made me realise (aged 17) that the reviewers for Penguin Guide were very fallible creatures. A couple of years later, when they declared that the Stereo Karajan La Mer omitted the trumpet fanfares near the end of the Third Movement, I realized that they weren't exactly to be relied upon to have even listened to the records they purported to review.