In the Free Trade Hall, at Belle Vue and in the Royal Albert Hall, the Viennese Nights were occasions which gave intense musical pleasure and also had a remarkable atmosphere of bonhomie. Sir John Barbirolli could relax, but he never relaxed his artistic standards and he treated the waltzes and polkas as masterpieces of their kind which demanded and deserved top rank treatment.

His recording sessions on 30 and 31 December 1966 included Johann Strauss II’s Blue Danube waltz, Perpetuum mobile and Gypsy Baron overture and Johann Strauss I’s Radetzky March in Gordon Jacob’s orchestration. To these are added Strauss II’s cork-popping Champagne Polka and the Thunder and Lightning Polka. No Barbirolli Viennese evening would be complete, of course, without Lehár’s Gold and Silver waltz (1902), performed with especial sumptuousness.

From the 1957 Pye sessions come six items by Franz von Suppé, the Austrian composer and conductor of Belgian descent.

The other Strauss in this album is the German, Richard Strauss. He is represented by Barbirolli’s suite of waltzes from his most popular opera Der Rosenkavalier which Barbirolli often conducted with the Covent Garden touring company in the 1930s. Sir John never conducted this particular compilation in the concert-hall although he often conducted a suite, probably arranged by Artur Rodzinski, which includes the Presentation of the Rose and the trio in orchestral disguise. It is interesting to note that Strauss himself made only arrangements of the waltzes for concert performance. Barbirolli recorded this rarity of his own in the December 1966 sessions for Columbia Studio 2.

Sir John made two recordings of Schubert’s Great C major Symphony, the first in December 1953 and the second (issued here) in June 1964, also for HMV.

Contents:
Johann Strauss II
- An der schönen, blauen Donau, ‘Blue Danube’, – waltz Op.314
- Unter Donner und Blitz, ‘Thunder and Lightning’ – polka Op.324
- Der Zigeunerbaron,'The Gypsy Baron’– Overture
- Perpetuum mobile, ‘Perpetual motion’ Op.257

Johann Strauss I
- Radetzky March Op.228 (orch: Jacob)

Franz Lehar
- Gold und Silber, ‘Gold and Silver’– waltz Op.79

Richard Strauss
- Waltzes from ‘Der Rosenkavalier’

Johann Strauss II
- Champagner‐Polka, Champagne Polka, Op.211
Recorded 30-31 December 1966, Kingsway Hall, London (Stereo)

Franz von Suppe
- Morgen, ein Mittag, ein Abend in Wien, ‘Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna’ – Overture
- Pique Dame, ‘Queen of Spades’ – Overture
- Banditenstreiche,’The Jolly Robbers’ – Overture
Recorded 28-29 June 1957, Free Trade Hall, Manchester (Stereo)

Franz Schubert
- Symphony No.9 in C major ‘Great’ D.944
Recorded 2-3 June 1964, Kingsway Hall, London (Stereo)

Franz von Suppe
- Dichter und Bauer, ‘Poet and Peasant’ – Overture
- Die Leichte Kavallerie, ‘Light Cavalry’ – Overture
- Die schöne Galathea, ‘Beautiful Galatea’ – Overture
Recorded 28-29 June 1957, Free Trade Hall, Manchester (Stereo)