Alexander Gibson - Witches' Brew
Malcolm Arnold - Overture To "Tam O'Shanter", Op. 52
Modest Mussorgsky - Gnomus From "Pictures At An Exhibition" & A Night On Bare Mountain
Camille Saint-Saëns - Danse Macabre
Engelbert Humperdinck - Witches' Ride From "Hansel And Gretel"
Franz Liszt - Mephisto Waltz
Arranged by Maurice Ravel (A2), Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (A3)
New Symphony Orchestra of London
Alexander Gibson, conductor
1 LP, Tip-on jacket by Stoughton Printing
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 33RPM
Size : 12”
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : Quality Record Pressings
Label : Analogue Productions
Original Label : RCA Victor Red Seal
Remastered by Willem Makkee
Originally released in 1958
Reissued in 2020
Tracks :
Side A:
- Malcolm Arnold - Overture To "Tam O'Shanter", Op. 52
- Modest Mussorgsky - Gnomus From "Pictures At An Exhibition"
- Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov - A Night On Bare Mountain
Side B:
- Camille Saint-Saëns - Danse Macabre
- Engelbert Humperdinck - Witches' Ride From "Hansel And Gretel"
- Franz Liszt - Mephisto Waltz
Awards:
TAS Super LP List! Special Merit: Collections
Reviews :
"Of the most rare RCAs, Witches' Brew rates near the top of the heap of desired RCAs. ... The LP selections were recorded by Decca recording engineer Kenneth Wilkinson in fabled Kingsway Hall and released in 1958. ... The reissue maintains the big, explosive sound of the original with up-front sound. It avoids some of the unnatural sizzle and harshness in the Classic Records version and probably gives as good an indication of why this record became so collectable as any of us are likely to encounter. ... For sheer fun, fabulous sound and a taste of record collecting history without the financial pain, this is hard to beat." Dennis D. Davis, Hi-Fi +, Issue 141
This famous Alexander Gibson/New Symphony Orchestra of London collection from 1958 debuted at the dawn of the RCA Living Stereo era. It became one of the most sought-after Living Stereos with music by Arnold, Liszt and Mussorgsky amongst others, all with a spooky, witchy theme. The performances remain today as characterful and incisive as they were then.
We've taken this classic and given it the full Analogue Productions reissue treatment, featuring a remaster by Germany's Willem Makkee from the original analog tapes, and plating and 180-gram pressing by Quality Record Pressings. Topping it off is a thick cardboard Stoughton Printing tip-on jacket.
If such music didn't cast the right sort of spell, so many listeners wouldn't be returning to it on so many occasions, somehow feeling constantly refreshed.
Ratings:
Discogs 4.49 / 5 , Hi-Fi + : Recording = 10/10; Music = 8/10