The Festival of Light Classical Music, disc 1: Tchaikovsky, Berlioz, Strauss, Smetana, Wagner

In 1960, Readers Digest released one of the greatest of all boxed sets - a 12 disc compendium of "light classical music." The repertoire avoided symphonies and concertos, concentrating on overtures, waltzes, rhapsodies, suite, symphonic poems etc. It's interesting how, in the 64 years since this as released, how many of these pieces now are no longer played very often in concerts. This is the first of 12 posts - each one dedicated to a single LP - and, sadly, many of these performances have never made it to CD officially. This first disc features the New Symphony Orchestra of London, conduced by Sir Alexander Gibson. Enjoy.
0.00: Tchaikovsky: Capriccio Italien
14.11: Berlioz: Minuet of the Willo-the-Wisps (The Damnation of Faust)
19.51: Berlioz: Ballet of the Sylphs (The Damnation of Faust)
22.13: Berlioz: Rakoczy March (The Damnation of Faust)
26.43: Strauss: Thunder and Lightning Polka
29.43: Smetana: The Moldau (aka: Vltava)
42.05: Andanta Cantabile from Quartet in D (orchestral version)
48.34: Wagner: The Ride of the Valkyries (Die Walkure)
This is a transcription from a clean 1960 LP. There is, of course, some quiet "noise" at various points, but I have only removed distracting pops and clicks.