Release date: (originally from 1960)

These recordings from 1960 feature Sir Malcolm Sargent (RCA Heifetz Scottish Fantasy) conducting the fabulous London Symphony on these Bert Whyte recordings at Walthamstow Assembly Hall in London – the same hall used extensively by the Decca and Kenneth Wilkinson. The performance is slower and more deliberate in tempo than the RCA Reiner performance yet every bit as powerful. The 35mm sound has a textural richness in the strings that is much more realistic than any other and bass that is woofer busting in its power and detail.

This LP was cut directly from the 35mm magnetic film using a vintage Westrex 1551 tape machine, with specially built playback electronics that are vastly superior to any others used on these machines to playback the original 35mm tapes. The Len Horowitz/History of Recorded Sound specially modified 1551, fitted with brand new playback heads matched to the revolutionary playback electronics was stationed at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood. With Len Horowitz running the playback machine and Bernie Grundman mastering from the three-track 35mm tapes, Classic Records has been able to cut the legendary sound and performances directly from the 35mm magnetic film through Classic's all-tube tape playback system. Authentic tip-on construction jackets with all original artwork and labels add to this must have deluxe LP edition.

Tracks:
  01.    The Pines of the Villa Borghese 
  02.    The Pines Near a Catacomb 
  03.    The Pines of the Janiculum 
  04.    The Pines of the Appian Way 

That Ottorini Respighi, Italy’s only symphonist in the early 20th century, created a sensation is due in the main to his three genial symphonic poems. His Roman scenarios are programmatic works which do not even stop short at using the sounds of Nature, and they are certainly as fascinating as a gladiator fight on the wide screen. This effect - achieved with musical means - was fully intended by the composer whose saturated sound and tonal colouring conjures up a vision of Roman festivals.
Lorin Maazel and the Cleveland Orchestra, whose repertoire includes numerous large symphonic works from the Late Romantic era, are surely predestined to perform this music. The condutor lets the tutti rumble and quake, he brings the massive brass passages well to the fore, but also lends the warmth and brilliance to the lyrical episodes. The rest is left to the excellent recording technology of the mid-70s and the keen ears of the legendary recording engineer Kenneth Wilkinson.