{"product_id":"mengelberg-beethoven-complete-symphonies-1940-pabx008","title":"MENGELBERG Beethoven: Complete Symphonies (1940) - PABX008","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphonies 1-9\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eFidelio Overture\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBRAHMS \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphony No. 1\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eR. STRAUSS \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eDon Juan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded in 1940\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eTo van der Sluys, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003esoprano\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eSuze Luger, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003ealto\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLouis van Tulder, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003etenor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eWillem Ravelli, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003ebaritone\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eAmsterdam Toonkunst Chorus\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eRoyal Oratorio Society\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eRoyal Concertgebouw Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eWillem Mengelberg\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fXR remastering has opened out the sound very impressively, easily surpassing previous transfers578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eREVIEW OF SYMPHONIES 6 \u0026amp; 7\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eAnother welcome installment in Pristine’s live\nMengelberg series. Once again, Andrew Rose’s XR remastering procedure\nhas opened out the sound very impressively, easily surpassing previous\ntransfers on Philips and Music \u0026amp; Arts. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eMengelberg’s “Pastoral” was an incredibly radical\nconception for its time: light, lean, stripped-down, sharply focused. As\nalways with Mengelberg (or nearly always), there’s a cogent musical\nrationale for the seeming eccentricities. If his way with the opening at\nfirst strikes us as dangerously indulgent, his point is precisely to\ndetach the first four bars as a “frame” for the movement proper, before\npouncing on bar 5 with up-tempo zest (Pletnev recently attempted the\nsame thing, not very convincingly, in his erratic cycle with the Russian\nNational Orchestra; among Mengelberg’s contemporaries, Mitropoulos was\nthe only one to share his conception of the basic tempo, in his\nMinneapolis recording from the same year). Clarity and airiness are the\nwatchwords—hear his radically \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003edetaché\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\narticulation of the second theme, and the incredible definition of the\nstring figures in the closing section. The “Scene by the Brook” is taken\nas a real four-in-the-bar Andante, with a fluid flexibility of pace and\nvibrant fullness that he shared with Furtwängler, though accomplished\nwithin a faster basic pulse. More controversial is his eccentric\nrewriting of the rhythm in the main theme, resulting in a complex\npolyrhythmic effect—essentially superimposing a temporary 4\/4 on the\nmovement’s basic 12\/8—that I have never understood the rationale for (he\nmaintains it, though not with complete consistency, throughout the\nmovement). Mengelberg’s “Storm” is one of the most amazingly vivid on\nrecord, deliberate and unhurried (Beethoven’s metronome mark is only 80\nhere, in contrast to the needless frenzy often whipped up) but with a\nheadlong sweep, controlled ferocity, and subtly nuanced but pungently\ntangy coloristic range—\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003esul ponticello\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\nstring chills, sudden glints of brass tone through the downpour. The\nclimax (bars 106 ff.) is overwhelming. The “Shepherd’s Hymn” has a (for\nits time) exhilarating up-tempo buoyancy and detached articulacy, with\nwonderful forward momentum in the coda, where so many conductors bog\ndown. On the debit side, there are some fussy tempo changes (e.g., his\ndisruptive slamming on of the brakes in bar 32); from the viewpoint of\ntempo modification, this is one case where Furtwängler’s more seamless,\ngradual approach was more convincing. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eMengelberg’s approach to the Seventh was equally\noriginal. The first movement is played for precision and weight at a\nmoderate, flexible tempo. His Allegretto is like no one else’s in its\nheavily stylized clarity of legato\/staccato articulation, and the\ncontrasting major-mode section is a miracle of coloristic subtlety. The\nScherzo is unhurried and trenchant; the Trio slow and songful, with much\nagogic manipulation. The finale is once again notable for its constant\nmodification of the tempo, but here more in terms of a subtle flux than\nthe abrupt gear-changes heard in the “Shepherd’s Hymn.” There is an\nextraordinary sense of each of the movement’s rhythmic elements leading\nits own autonomous life—e.g., the way he swings the swirling string\nlines against the massive, deliberate treatment of the wind-and-timpani\npunctuations. In comparison to alternative live versions (Mengelberg\nnever made a studio recording of the Seventh), this one is notably\nslower overall, and more given to flexibility of rhetorical emphasis\nthan those with the Concertgebouw in 1936 (Tahra) and Berlin Radio\nOrchestra in 1939 (on the British specialist Mengelberg label Archive\nDocuments). \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eBoyd Pomeroy \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 35:2 (Nov\/Dec 2011) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC236.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--heading\"\u003eClick below to expand note:\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--heading\"\u003eMENGELBERG Beethoven and Brahms: First Symphonies (1940) - PASC221\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--content\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodybig\" align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 24px;\"\u003eThe inimitable live magic of Willem Mengelberg\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cem class=\"bodymid\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eIn almost unbelievably good XR-remastered sound quality\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eWillem Mengelberg and the Concertgebouw Orchestra were recorded on a number of occasions by AVRO using high quality glass acetate discs, which produced significantly better results than those normally obtained by shellac discs of the era, with a much wider dynamic and frequency range than was usual at the time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eMany of Mengelberg's AVRO recordings have long been available on LP and, later, CD, and their sonic advantages have been immediately clear to listeners for decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eHowever, using standard flat replay systems to produce those LPs and CDs has only told perhaps half of the story - the recordings gently rolled off both higher and lower frequencies. Howver, these essential details are often still intact, buried in the recordings as if awaiting a remastering method capable of extracting them and restoring their original levels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThis is, of course, precisely what Pristine's XR remastering system excels at. There are extended sections in both 1940 concert recordings present here where we've been able to present a true full-frequency, 20-20,000 Hz frequency response, coupled with a dynamic range more befitting of a 1960s or 1970s analogue recording - sound quality which is quite astonishing for its age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eOf course these discs were by no means perfect, and trying to go \"the extra mile\" in restoring it to modern standards is fraught with difficulties. Modulation distortion abounds in the original - basically whenever the music gets louder, so does the hiss and noise levels, especially at the higher frequencies which were previously largely inaudible. The majority of the restoration effort has then been involved in trying to ameliorate this problem, though sharper ears may still hear its effect from time to time. There is at times also very slightly higher general background hiss than one might expect of a more recent recording, and one of course has to deal with the low level click and crackle present in just about any disc recording.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eElsewhere the bottom end has seen considerable improvement, with a much fuller and richer sound than originally heard in the flat transfers. The use of multiple references for the remastering of the recordings has ensured that the tonal balance is as natural and realistic as possible, and that the two recordings resulted in an orchestral sound which was consistent for both recordings. One will rarely get closer to hearing a 1940 concert than this.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--heading\"\u003eMENGELBERG Beethoven: Symphonies 2 \u0026amp; 8, Fidelio Overture (1940) - PASC229\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--content\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 24px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eMore superb Beethoven from Willem Mengelberg\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cem class=\"bodymid\"\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eUtterly astonishing XR-remastered sound quality\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIntroduction\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Willem Mengelberg and the Concertgebouw Orchestra were recorded on a number of occasions by AVRO using high quality glass acetate discs, which produced significantly better results than those normally obtained by shellac discs of the era, with a much wider dynamic and frequency range than was usual at the time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany of Mengelberg's AVRO recordings have long been available on LP and, later, CD, and their sonic advantages have been immediately clear to listeners for decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, using standard flat replay systems to produce those LPs and CDs has only told perhaps half of the story - the recordings gently rolled off both higher and lower frequencies. Howver, these essential details are often still intact, buried in the recordings as if awaiting a remastering method capable of extracting them and restoring their original levels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is, of course, precisely what Pristine's XR remastering system excels at. There are extended sections in both 1940 concert recordings present here where we've been able to present a true full-frequency, 20-20,000 Hz frequency response, coupled with a dynamic range more befitting of a 1960s or 1970s analogue recording - sound quality which is quite astonishing for its age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eElsewhere the bottom end has seen considerable improvement, with a much fuller and richer sound than originally heard in the flat transfers. The use of multiple references for the remastering of the recordings has ensured that the tonal balance is as natural and realistic as possible, and that the two recordings resulted in an orchestral sound which was consistent for both recordings. One will rarely get closer to hearing a 1940 concert than this.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThese transfers\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The discs which originally held the present recordings were variable in condition, and at times quite extensive repair work has been necessary in order to remove or reduce bumps, clicks, scratches, swish and high-end noise. In order to maintain as much musical information as possible there is therefore some small variation in background noise, though I've tried to retain smooth progressions between the various sections of the recordings so this does not jar. Overall the sound is once again amazing for its vintage - despite repeated listening I remain astonished at what was achieved in 1940 and what I've been able to extract and reveal in these superlative recordings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e \u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--heading\"\u003e MENGELBERG Beethoven: Symphonies 4 and 5 (1940) - PASC236\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--content\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 24px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eMore superb Beethoven from Willem Mengelberg\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cem class=\"bodymid\"\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eContinuing the series in astonishing XR-remastered sound quality\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIntroduction\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Willem Mengelberg and the Concertgebouw Orchestra were recorded on a number of occasions by AVRO using high quality glass acetate discs, which produced significantly better results than those normally obtained by shellac discs of the era, with a much wider dynamic and frequency range than was usual at the time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eMany of Mengelberg's AVRO recordings have long been available on LP and, later, CD, and their sonic advantages have been immediately clear to listeners for decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eHowever, using standard flat replay systems to produce those LPs and CDs has only told perhaps half of the story - the recordings gently rolled off both higher and lower frequencies. However, these essential details are often still intact, buried in the recordings as if awaiting a remastering method capable of extracting them and restoring their original levels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThis is, of course, precisely what Pristine's XR remastering system excels at. There are extended sections in both 1940 concert recordings present here where we've been able to present a true full-frequency, 20-20,000 Hz frequency response, coupled with a dynamic range more befitting of a 1960s or 1970s analogue recording - sound quality which is quite astonishing for its age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eElsewhere the bottom end has seen considerable improvement, with a much fuller and richer sound than originally heard in the flat transfers. The use of multiple references for the remastering of the recordings has ensured that the tonal balance is as natural and realistic as possible, and that the two recordings resulted in an orchestral sound which was consistent for both recordings. One will rarely get closer to hearing a 1940 concert than this.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThese transfers\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Although the Fourth Symphony appears to get off to a slightly rough start, thanks to damage to the original acetates, and misses the characteristic clicks of Mengelberg's baton, things soon settle down and once again in this series, excellent sound quality can be heard in both recordings. Opening up the top end frequencies of these recordings has revealed flaws previously buried in the original - distortion and swishing both had to be tamed or eliminated, with many thousands of individual manual restoration interventions required for each symphony. Inevitably the odd shortcoming will remain audible, but ultimately the sonic impact of these restorations has been hugely satisfying and enjoyable.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--heading\"\u003eMENGELBERG Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 \"Choral\" (1940) - PASC258\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--content\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 24px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eMengelberg's magnificent Beethoven Choral Symphony\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cem class=\"bodymid\"\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eOur Mengelberg Beethoven series continues in superb XR-remastered sound\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eWillem Mengelberg and the Concertgebouw Orchestra were recorded on a number of occasions by AVRO using high quality glass acetate discs, which produced significantly better results than those normally obtained by shellac discs of the era, with a much wider dynamic and frequency range than was usual at the time. Many of Mengelberg's AVRO recordings have long been available on LP and, later, CD, and their sonic advantages have been immediately clear to listeners for decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eHowever, using standard flat replay systems to produce those LPs and CDs has only told perhaps half of the story - the recordings gently rolled off both higher and lower frequencies. Howver, these essential details are often still intact, buried in the recordings as if awaiting a remastering method capable of extracting them and restoring their original levels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThis is, of course, precisely what Pristine's XR remastering system excels at, and I've been able to bring out a pleasing amount of detail in the high treble, often extending right up to near 20kHz. At times this detail is astonishingly clean and clear, but elsewhere it is marred by a degree of hiss, requiring a delicate balance to be struck between the two.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eMeanwhile the bottom end has seen considerable improvement, with a much fuller and richer sound than originally heard in the flat transfers. However much of the very lowest bass, below 100Hz, has been very poorly preserved where it exists at all, and these frequencies caused considerable problems in the restoration process. Indeed, much of what was present at these frequencies turned out to be rogue tones derived from interference at higher frequencies and had to be removed, along with a variety of unwanted bumps and thumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003eI was also required to carry out some judicious editing in the opening movement, where a small fragment of music was missing and a skip could be heard on my source discs which appeared to originate from the acetate masters. Fortunately I've been able to make a seamless repair by dropping in material from a repeated phrase, leaving the join hopefully undetectable.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--heading\"\u003eMENGELBERG Beethoven: Symphonies 6 \"Pastoral\" and 7 (1940) - PASC280 \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--content\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodybig\" align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 24px;\"\u003eMengelberg's Beethoven Symphonies:\u003cbr\u003e\"Hear them with new ears in these revelatory transfers\" \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\" style=\"font-size: 24px;\"\u003e(Fanfare)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cem class=\"bodymid\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eCompleting our Mengelberg Beethoven series in superb XR-remastered sound\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eAs with the other recordings in our series of Mengelberg's 1940 Beethoven cycle, these two live symphony performances were captured unusually well by the ARVO engineers on high quality glass acetate discs, and these recordings have responded especially well to Pristine Audio's XR remastering system. I have been able to tackle tonal deficiencies which in the originals manifested themselves in a rather hard, cramped acoustic characteristic of the microphones then in use. Fortunately almost all the frequencies required for true high fidelity had been recorded - the re-equalisation of the XR process merely rearranges them in volume a little to bring a far more natural tone to the orchestra.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eFrom a restoration perspective, large swathes of the recordings were excellent, with just short sections where swish and low frequency bumps had to be eliminated, and the occasional side join tidied up. Both recordings are on a par with anything previously issued in this series with respect to sound quality, with the 7th Symphony perhaps showing the greater improvement over the original source.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--heading\"\u003eMENGELBERG Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 \u0026amp; R. Strauss: Don Juan (1940)- PASC287\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--content\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodybig\" align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 24px;\"\u003eMengelberg superb 1940 studio 'Eroica' sounding fabulous\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodymid\" align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eCoupled with his live Don Juan from the same year\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe recording here has often been used to \"complete\" Mengelberg's 1940 Beethoven cycle, which otherwise consists of recordings made by Dutch radio from live concert broadcasts - the source of the recording here of Don Juan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, this recording of the Eroica Symphony was actually made as a studio recording and issued on German Telefunken 78s, and as such I've distanced it slightly from our series of 1940 live Beethoven recordings. Although the sound quality is excellent for 78s of this era, especially following XR remastering, it lacks the clarity, a product of a particularly wide frequency and dynamic range, achieved on the glass acetates used by AVRO's radio engineers when preserving their broadcasts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Beethoven discs showed large differences in both high treble and background noise between the starts and ends of each side, and much work was required to try to retain as much of the former whilst reducing as much of the latter and providing smooth side changes. By contrast the Strauss was a much more straightforward affair, with the main task being reduction of swish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--heading\"\u003eClick below to expand track listing:\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--heading\"\u003eMENGELBERG Beethoven and Brahms: First Symphonies (1940) - PASC221\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--content\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21\u003cbr\u003e    Concert of 13th October, 1940 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    BRAHMS Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68 \u003cbr\u003e    Concert of 27th October, 1940\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Played by Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e    conductor Willem Mengelberg\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecorded in October 1940 at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam by AVRO Radio\u003cbr\u003eTransfers from Philips LPs W 09907 L \u0026amp; 6597 009 in the Pristine Audio collection\u003cbr\u003eXR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, April 2010\u003cbr\u003eCover artwork based on a photograph of Willem Mengelberg at the Concertgebouw\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTotal duration: 73:28\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--heading\"\u003eMENGELBERG Beethoven: Symphonies 2 \u0026amp; 8, Fidelio Overture (1940) - PASC229\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--content\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/b\u003eSymphony No. 2 in D major, Opus 36\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003eConcert of 21st April, 1940\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/b\u003eSymphony No. 8 in F major, Opus 93\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003eConcert of 18th April, 1940\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/b\u003eFidelio Overture, Op. 72c \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003eConcert variously attributed to April 28th or October 13th, 1940\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003ePlayed by Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra\u003cbr\u003econductor Willem Mengelberg \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eRecorded in April\/October 1940 at the Concertgebouw, by AVRO Radio\u003cbr\u003eTransfers from Philips LPs 6597 010 and 6597 009 in the Pristine collection\u003cbr\u003eXR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, May-June 2010\u003cbr\u003eCover artwork based on a photograph of Willem Mengelberg at the Concertgebouw\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTotal duration: 71:09 \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--heading\"\u003e MENGELBERG Beethoven: Symphonies 4 and 5 (1940) - PASC236\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--content\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/b\u003eSymphony No. 4 in B flat major, Opus 60\u003cbr\u003e    Concert of 25th April, 1940\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/b\u003eSymphony No. 5 in C major, Opus 67\u003cbr\u003e    Concert of 18th April, 1940\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eRoyal Concertgebouw Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003econductor \u003cb\u003eWillem Mengelberg\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded in April 1940 at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam by AVRO Radio\u003cbr\u003eTransfers from mint Philips LPs 6597 012 and 6597 016 in the Pristine Audio collection\u003cbr\u003eXR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, May-July 2010\u003cbr\u003eCover artwork based on a photograph of Willem Mengelberg at the Concertgebouw\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTotal duration: 68:23 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--heading\"\u003eMENGELBERG Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 \"Choral\" (1940) - PASC258\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--content\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/b\u003eSymphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 \"Choral\"\u003cbr\u003e Concert of 2nd May, 1940\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eTo van der Sluys, \u003c\/b\u003esoprano\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Suze Luger, \u003c\/b\u003ealto\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Louis van Tulder, \u003c\/b\u003etenor\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Willem Ravelli, \u003c\/b\u003ebaritone\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Amsterdam Toonkunst Chorus\u003cbr\u003e Royal Oratorio Society\u003cbr\u003e Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003econductor \u003cb\u003eWillem Mengelberg\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003eRecorded in May 1940 at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam by AVRO Radio\u003cbr\u003e Transfers from Philips LPs 6597 015 \u0026amp; 6597 016 from box set 6767 003 \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eXR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, October-November 2010\u003cbr\u003e Cover artwork based on a photograph of Willem Mengelberg at the Concertgebouw\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTotal duration: 68:47 \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--heading\"\u003eMENGELBERG Beethoven: Symphonies 6 \"Pastoral\" and 7 (1940) - PASC280 \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--content\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBEETHOVEN\u003c\/strong\u003e Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 \"Pastoral\" \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003eConcert of 14th May, 1940\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBEETHOVEN\u003c\/strong\u003e Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003eConcert of 25th May, 1940\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRoyal Concertgebouw Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003econductor\u003cstrong\u003e Willem Mengelberg\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003eRecorded in May 1940 at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam by AVRO Radio\u003cbr\u003eTransfers from Philips LPs 6597 013 \u0026amp; 6597 014 from box set 6767 003 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eXR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, February-March 2011\u003cbr\u003eCover artwork based on a photograph of Willem Mengelberg at the Concertgebouw\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nTotal duration: 78:57 \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--heading\"\u003eMENGELBERG Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 \u0026amp; R. Strauss: Don Juan (1940)- PASC287\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pristine-boxset-track-listing--item--content\"\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/strong\u003eSymphony No. 3 in E flat, Op. 55 \"Eroica\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003eRecorded 11th November, 1940\u003cbr\u003eIssued as Telefunken 78s, SK 3117-22\u003cbr\u003eMatrix Nos. CB 025350-61\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eR. STRAUSS \u003c\/strong\u003eDon Juan, Op. 20 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003eRecorded live at Royal Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, 12th December, 1940\u003cbr\u003eTransfer from Philips LP W 09908 L \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRoyal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam\u003cbr\u003eWillem Mengelberg \u003c\/strong\u003econductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003eXR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, April 2011\u003cbr\u003eCover artwork based on a photograph of Willem Mengelberg\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nTotal duration: 62:41 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":55010069512558,"sku":"ror1789306074915","price":89.11,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":55010069545326,"sku":"rkz1789306074916","price":58.97,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Mono MP3","offer_id":55010069578094,"sku":"ggf1789306074917","price":41.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0915\/3986\/5966\/files\/mengelberg-beethoven-complete-symphonies-1940---pabx008_1.jpg?v=1789306083","url":"https:\/\/www.harborviewgoods.shop\/products\/mengelberg-beethoven-complete-symphonies-1940-pabx008","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}