Credits:

Pierre Monteux , London Symphony Orchestra

Description:

A treasure of recording history! A collection of PHILIPS recordings from Montoux's final years. Includes scenes of heroic rehearsals.

The PHILIPS recordings made from June 1962 to February 1964, the year of his death, are not only Montoux's last masterpieces but also the greatest treasures in the history of recordings. The following month, when he was a guest of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, with which he had a long and good relationship, he recorded "Hero" with rehearsal scenes. Although only about four and a half years have passed since the DECCA recording with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in December 1957 (now available on PROC 1570), the performance is a more mature and masterful Montoux performance. In the rehearsal of the second movement, it is impressive that he gives sure and precise instructions on basic matters rather than getting hung up on details. This is one of the best performances of "Hero" among the many "Heroes. Furthermore, "Unfinished" recorded in 1963 was released as a memorial recording together with the rehearsal scene of "Hero" mentioned above. Here, too, you can hear a divine performance.
The Brahms is also a masterpiece, surpassing the previous recording with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The Brahms 2 is a masterpiece that is overwhelmingly favored by Japanese audiences, especially over the many other recordings that exist. The Ravel and Debussy performances are also prestigious masterpieces that only Montoux could give. In particular, the three Ravel pieces recorded in February 1964, the year of his death, are excellent performances that are reminiscent of the original Montoux, and are unbelievable for a conductor who would have turned 89 two months later.
The PHILIPS recording differs from the DECCA recording, but even with the current reissue, the excellent sound quality of the time can be fully appreciated. In this reissue, except for some damaged masters, the CD masters were created by converting the original masters to high bit and high sampling as much as possible. This reissue of the CD masters is a reaffirmation of the PHILIPS label's technology of the time. This box set is not only for fans, but also will be a permanent preservation disc that symbolizes the 50th anniversary of his death.