Claudio Abbado / Chicago Symphony Orchestra – Prokofieff: Lieutenant Kijé Suite; Scythian Suite [Stereo] (The Original Source Series Edition)

(AAA) — Lacquers cut from the original analog master tapes by Sidney Meyer at Emil Berliner Studios.

Sergei Prokofiev completed the Scythian Suite, Op. 20, in 1914, when he was about to turn his back on his homeland. The Symphonic Suite, Op. 60, was composed almost two decades later after Prokofiev returned to Russia in 1933, the biographical turning points where the two suites stand also represent ideological turning points in Prokofiev's conception of art, while the earlier work is marked by a tendency towards chromatic melody, the later work is dominated by diatonics and uses archaic scales. Another special feature: The two pieces of music were remastered and cut from the original 1-inch 8-track tapes for the first time for this release.

The audiophile vinyl series The Original Source showcases outstanding recordings from the 1970's in a whole new sound quality. For this, the renowned Emil Berliner Studios remastered and edited the original four - and eight-track tapes using technologies developed specifically for the production of the series in 100% analog quality (AAA). The tonal differences from the original releases are considerable: greater clarity, more subtleties and improvements in frequency response, as well as less background noise, distortion and compression enable an audiophile listening experience like never before.

On 180g vinyl and in a deluxe gatefold edition with original covers and lyrics, copies of this series are released limited and numbered, accompanied by additional photographs and facsimiles of the recording logs and tape boxes.

Tracklisting:

LP1

Side A

Prokofiev: Scythian Suite, Op. 20

1. I. The Adoration of Veless and Ala
2. II. The Enemy of God and the Dance of the Spirits
3. III. Night
4. IV. Lolly's Departure and the Sun's Procession

Side B

Prokofiev: Lieutenant Kije Suite, Op. 60

1. I. Birth of Kije
2. II. Romance
3. III. Kije's Wedding
4. IV Troika
5. V. Burial of Kije

(Above description from DeutscheGrammophon.com)