Sound quality: very good (but with very low mixing volume on tracks 1-3)
Recording date: unknown
A classic studio recording....
In many ways, this is easily the best of M. S. Subbulakshmi's recordings for the classical music enthusiast. It presents both a sophisticated and coherent program, and that is what differentiates it first from the other productions. While both the United Nations & Carnegie Hall recordings are taken from extremely famous concerts, the "public relations" aspect of those recitals keeps them from consistently attaining heights of expression which would otherwise be possible. In the present case, the result is perhaps not so extroverted, but it does present several more difficult passages and ideas which reward repeated listening. For instance, this is perhaps the best Bhairavi (although her more recent live release presents a similar Bhairavi, showing her affinity for this raga), a very important raga indeed, on CD.
It is lamentable that the other HMV & EMI reissues have been less coherent, focusing primarily on excerpts. Similarly, the concert tapes put on CD by various third party vendors have been both of questionable production quality as well as being made of excerpts from different concerts. In terms of both "documentation" and plain old listener enjoyment, this situation will hopefully be corrected.
To purchasing information for this disc.
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T. M. McComb