This CD reissued in Japan offers a program recorded in February 1994 for the Philips label

Recall that it was the Orchestra of Boston who created this Concerto fifty years ago, on 1 December 1944, following an order of Serge Koussevitzky -a session was captured shortly after for radio, the 30th of the month. At the same desk, followed the testimony of Erich Leinsdorf (RCA, October 1962) and Rafael Kubelik (Deutsche Grammophon, November 1973).
I do not doubt the bartokiennes affinities of Seiji Ozawa since I heard it in the "Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta" and the Suite from "Miraculous Mandarin" with the same phalanx for Deutsche Grammophon (1975-1976).

In the "Concerto" which he also engraved in Chicago (Emi) and Saito Kinen Orchestra with (Philips), the Japanese maestro knows how to get all the precision required by the language of the Hungarian composer, although the night of poetry Elegy here seems more manufactured than spontaneous.
In any case, it meshes mechanics "couples Game" with rigor, ensured by its velocity blowers, almost exact to the nimble metronomic requirements of the score (but how many leaders meet?)
Ozawa particularly successful voltefaces of the Allegro vivace, the lapidary tone of "Intermezzo interrotto" active and vigorous influx conqueror of Presto. Be warned that this ends by concluding Finale originally conceived by Bartok, very steep compared to that in March 1945 rewritten and hear normally.

For the "Miraculous Mandarin", in its entirety, diligent Ozawa very smooth playback demanded by the oppressive climate of this move to brigandage, without harming the lasciviousness that must express the seduction sequences.
Brass Boston show an amazing brio, including paper clips in the brawl.

Indicate that it is in live performances, which attests to the level of virtuosity that reaches emeritus this phalanx, even in the heat of the concert.

The "Concerto" was certainly very well served by discography (Fritz Reiner, Karel Ancerl, George Szell ...), but we will celebrate this attractive coupling a welcome return to the catalog, with interpretations of Pierre Boulez, Christoph von Dohnanyi and Antal Dorati for "Mandarin".

Very good sound, realistic and true to the instrumental timbres, returned without coloring.