Ramon Khalona writes

>There is an inexpensive recording with one of the Soviet orchestras (Moscow
>Radio Symphony, if memory serves) conducted by Djansung Khakhidze.  This is
>available on the Vox label and also on an audiophile label which I cannot
>remember (I have the Vox and am very satisfied with it - it is complete).

To paraphrase the current US president, "That depends on what you mean by
complete." There's a lot of really wonderful music in the Tjeknavorian/RCA
set that's not included in the Khakhidze recording.  I suspect that they
used two different versions of the ballet--and that the later version as
performed by maestro Khakhidze elminates some real gems (the famous
"Adagio" is missing from K's recording, as I recall).  Tjeknavorian not
only has more music than Khakhidze, his performance is better--far less
perfunctory and mechanical.  Also, the sound is much better than on RCA,
at least compared to the Russian Disc reissue that's in my collection.
I've not heard the Vox release.

>Tjeknavorian has recorded excerpts of the Khachaturian ballets
>subsequently with his Armenian Philharmonic, but these don't quite
>match the exciting achievement of his first recording.

Agreed.  The Armenian orchestra is not in the same league with the National
Philharmonic.  Avoid the Armenian release, and hunt for the old RCA.  I've
never seen it on CD--but the LPs were glorious.

Tom Godell                                      e-mail: [log in to unmask]
General Manager, WSIU-FM                                web: www.wsiu.org
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale