RL 31540  MUSSORGSKY: NIGHT ON THE BARE MOUNTAIN original version / ORCHESTRAL & CHORAL PIECES from SALAMMBO / JOSHUA / OEDIPUS IN ATHENS / KHOVANSHCHINA / SCHERZO / TRIUMPHAL MARCH     CLAUDIO ABBADO / LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA & CHORUS

RCA  ITALY 1980      GATEFOLD SLEEVE        NM / EX+

RCA are to be commended for persuading David Lloyd - Jones, an expert on 19th century Russian music and the first real champion of Mussorgsky's music in modern times, to write the sleeve notes for this issue. After the publication of the original score of St John's Night on the Bare Mountain in Russia in 1968, David Lloyd - Jones prepared a performing edition and made the world premiere recording of the piece in 1971 for Philips (6580 053). This Abbado recording is the second of the original version and a third (digital) recording by Kaspszyk / LSO was to follow in 1989 (EC 1004).