Description:

Seiji Ozawa recorded 16 LPs for RCA between 1965 and 1969, all of which feature fresh performances that are truly a monument to the youth of Ozawa, who was in his thirties and active on the world stage at the height of his powers. The Mussorgsky and Britten recordings were Ozawa's first recordings with the world-class Chicago Symphony Orchestra without a soloist, and were made on the occasion of the summer Ravinia Music Festival, for which Ozawa was music director. It is a masterful performance and recording that combines Ozawa's youthful spirit and the virtuosity of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at a high level. The coupling, Stravinsky's "Firebird" Suite, was recorded the year after his debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1968, and the young maestro's vivid colors and supple rhythms make this an outstanding recording. (C)RS