Ataulfo Argenta - España • Rimsky-Korsakov, Granados, Chabrier & Moszkowski

Mastered by Willem Makee

"Analogue Productions has followed up on their highly acclaimed series of 25 RCA Living Stereo SACDs with a smaller group of 9 Decca SACDs. ... The original Decca LP entitled España, which contains Rimsky Korsakov's Capriccio Espagnol, Granados' Andalusia, Chabrier's España, and Five Spanish Dances by Moszkowski played by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ataulfo Argenta was designed to be a sonic showpiece. The performances are all excellent, but not at all garish or overdone." — Arthur Lintgen, The Absolute Sound, Feb. 8, 2019. Read the entire review here.

Most classical devotees know that Espana! features legendary Spanish conductor Ataulfo Argenta leading the London Symphony Orchestra in a program of so-called "Spanish" blockbusters. But, ironically, only one piece is penned by a Spanish composer (Granados, "Danza Espanola") while the others are by a Russian (Rimsky Korsakov, "Capriccio Espagnol"), German (Moszkowski, "5 Spanish Dances"), and Frenchman (Chabrier, "España"). The LP version was initially issued in the United States as one of the index recordings of London Records' vaunted "blueback" series, known for its demonstration-quality sound. This Hybrid SACD plays in both CD and SACD players, as well as all SACD-compatible DVD players.

Recording: London, Kingsway Hall, January 1957; Geneva, Victoria Hall, May 1957 (tracks 13-15)
Producers: Erik Smith; James Walker (tracks 13-15)
Balance Engineers: Gordon Parry, Roy Wallace (tracks 13-15)