From an old Stradivari release, Tchaikovsky's symphonies "Winter Dreams" and "Little Russian, led by Natan Rakhlin with the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra. Yes, complete on one lp and yes, they both have cuts, but all the same are invigorating performances in a very Soviet kind of way.
I could find no reference to this record and maybe there are healthy doubts to be had. Stradivari was one of the labels of "Record Corporation of America" a somewhat spurious enterprise by reputation. Many of its issues were pirated performances or legitimate records utilizing pseudonyms to mask the true identities. However, for the couple dozen Soviet issues that it released, performers listed were tried and true though the orchestras were not fully or completely listed. So, that said, there is a strong chance that this is a true Rakhlin performance and if so, we are richer for it.
Natan Rakhlin is virtually unknown in the US and much of Europe. As a Soviet Jew, he was closely monitored by the "organs" and since his fame was not of say an Oistakh, his trips abroad were relatively few. He was a very fine talent though and premiered a number of Soviet works, probably the best know being Shostakovich's 11th symphony. I would characterize Rakhlin as no nonsense, straightforward and breathtakingly honest in the records that I have heard.
The Tchaikovsky here is brisk, totally, totally unsentimental and never lingering. These are definitely "period" performances and the sounds of the orchestra will kindle some nostalgia among older listeners. I'm still astonished that these two symphonies could be fit on one lp! Oh!, make some allowances for sound quality, ok?
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