For my customary celebration of the birthday of Albert Coates, I’ve collected his orchestral and choral excerpts from Borodin’s Prince Igor.

This begins with an acoustically recorded version of what the label describes as “Prince Igor – Ballet Music”, better known as the Polovtsian Dances. This recording includes only a small chorus, as was customary for this era. The soloists are sopranos Gaby Valli and Bessie Jones, contraltos Gladys Peel and Nellie Walker, tenors Syndey Coltham and Walter Glynne, and basses Edward Halland and Leonard Hubbard. They sing the text in the original Russian.

Borodin – Prince Igor – Polovtsian Dances – Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Coates

His Master’s Voice D 795
Matrices Cc 3653-II, 3654-I (3-0963, 3-0964)
Recorded 18^th January 1923, Room 1, Hayes
Orchestra: 4 1^st violins, 3 2^nd violins, 3 violas, 2 cellos, 3 flutes. 2 oboes, 1 cor anglaise, 2 clarinets. 2 bassoons, 1 contra-bassoon. 4 horns. 2 trumpets. trombones, 2 tubas, 1 piano, 1 glockenspiel. 2 timpani, 2 percussion

Coates made electrical recordings of the Overture, the Polovtsian Dances again (though this time in English, but not Rosa Newmarch’s text from the Boosey and Hawkes vocal score), and the March which opens Act 3. This last was coupled with Rimsky-Korsakov’s Dubinushka, also included here.

Borodin – Prince Igor – Overture – Symphony Orchestra, Coates

His Master’s Voice D 1210
Matrices CR 815-I, 816-I (4-0960, 4-0961)
Recorded 28^th October 1926, Kingsway Hall, London
Orchestra: 16 1^st violins, 14 2^nd violins, 12 violas, 8 cellos, 2 double basses, with woodwind, brass and percussion.
My copy of this record is rather worn, so there is some blasting on loud passages.

Borodin – Prince Igor – Polovtsian Dances – London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Coates

His Master’s Voice D 1528
Matrices CR 1554-I, 1555-IA (5-0985, 6-0515)
Recorded 24^th October 1927, Queen’s Hall, London
Orchestra: 16 1^st violins, 14 2^nd violins, 10 violas, 11 cellos, 4 double basses, tuba, contra-bassoon, piccolo, 3 flutes, 3 oboes, 3 clarinets, bass-clarinet, 3 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion.

Borodin – Prince Igor – Polovtsian March – London Symphony Orchestra, Coates

Rimsky-Korsakov – Dubinushka – London Symphony Orchestra, Coates

His Master’s Voice DB 1683
Matrices 2B 2193-1, 2B 2192-1 (32-2739, 32-2738)
Recorded 17^th February 1932, Abbey Road Studio No.1, London
Orchestra: 14 1^st violins, 12 2^nd violins, 8 violas, 8 cellos, 4 basses, 3 flutes, 3 clarinets, 3 oboes, 2 bassoons, 1 contra-bassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 tenor trombones, 1 tuba, timpani, drums, 2 harps, 3 percussion.