{"product_id":"toscanini-beethoven-the-symphonies-vol-2-1951-52-pasc598","title":"TOSCANINI Beethoven - The Symphonies, Vol. 2 (1951-52) - PASC598","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphony No. 5\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphony No. 6 'Pastoral'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphony No. 7\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphony No. 8\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive \u0026amp; studio recordings, 1951-52\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 2hr 09:30\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eNBC Symphony Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econducted by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eArturo Toscanini\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC598.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\nThis set of three volumes (two double CDs and a single) brings together the\nofficial RCA releases of Toscanini’s late 1940s and early 1950s Beethoven\nsymphonies, with one notable substitution. The 1952 recording of the Ninth\nSymphony was released on Pristine as PASC120 in 2008. Rather than revisit\nit we decided instead to use the 1948 recording that was broadcast as an\nearly telecast. It’s a less well-known performance, and one which has\nbenefited greatly from the Pristine XR treatment, as indeed have many of\nthe official RCA releases.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nI have attempted across these volumes to find a continuity of orchestral\nsound quality that is audibly missing in the RCA issues. In each case, with\nthe exception of the substituted Ninth, the symphonies were recorded by\nToscanini with his NBC Symphony Orchestra in Carnegie Hall, either in live\nor studio recording situations, and as such one might expect a consistency\nof timbre. XR remastering allows for this, using the concept of tonal\nre-balancing to iron out the inconsistencies of the original recordings.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nThe recordings and performances – that Ninths excepted – are very\nwell-known, and it’s hard to hear or describe them anew. Rather than\nattempt to do so, I came across this review in The Gramophone of July 1958,\nwhich covers the entire vinyl series as issued in the UK. Due to the\nlimited space available this will by necessity be reproduced across the\nthree CD inserts, but can be read in full on our website at the page\ndedicated to each volume’s release:\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eToscanini's Beethoven\n\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\n\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\n\u003c\/b\u003eThe Beethoven symphonies are the staple of the gramophone repertory no less\nthan of the concert hall. Over the years the Toscanini versions have\nachieved a classic stature rivalling that of the old Weingartner set. And\nwith good reason: for the forcefulness, sometimes almost the ruthlessness,\nof the Toscanini style is ideally suited for Beethoven. Where, in other\nmusic, the style sometimes seems distinctly less suitable, it is easy to be\ndiscovered muttering darkly that he is playing it \"like a Beethoven\nsymphony\".\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003e\nThe integral LP set was made entirely with the N.B.C. Symphony Orchestra, a\nbody of fine and finely disciplined players who responded to their\nconductor with tremendous verve and precision, but not always with any very\ngreat winning individuality of solo playing. This, no doubt, was all part\nof the Toscanini style, with which it is most certainly compatible. Less\nobviously compatible with the style was another general defect of the\nseries that at times seemed, at least on this side of the Atlantic,\nincomprehensible: the maintenance over a long period of a standard of\nrecording well below the current average.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003e\nThe series has now been reissued, complete but with each disc separately\navailable, by R.C.A. In general, substantial improvement in sound has\nproved possible. Each sleeve, indeed, is labelled \"A New Orthophonic High\nFidelity Recording\"; but this description (if it means anything at all) is\nsurely over-optimistic. Certainly the new surfaces are everywhere\nfirst-class; yet many of the tapes have a heavy background, not helped by\nan emphasis of the bass in reproduction usually made necessary by a\nlightness here in the original sound. And the fidelity of this sound in\nitself still varies substantially from one symphony to another. At its\nbest, it offers what is probably the richest and most compelling version of\nToscanini's Beethoven we have ever been able to hear on disc. At its worst,\nit is distinctly less happy.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003e\nThe couplings of symphonies not occupying a complete disc have been changed\nfrom those of the previous H.M.V. pressings in order to provide a\nchronological sequence.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003e\nThus R.C.A. RB16101 now couples Symphonies Nos. I and 2; both of them, as\nrecordings, among the best of the set. The performance of the First, too,\nhas every virtue - unless perhaps to anyone who, insisting on some degree\nof relief to the tension, thought it imperative to ease up a little for at\nleast the trio of the minuet. The Second Symphony goes equally well; the\nperformance is a model expression of a forceful view of the work.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003e\nThe Eroica is on RB16102. Here Toscanini follows Beethoven in his more\nlyrical moments perhaps rather more readily, and gives a most moving\nperformance, marred only by an uncertain sound to the horn-playing in the\nscherzo's trio. But the recording is not the equal of the performance; it\nis boxy - though not, happily, throughout in a degree you might well fear\nfrom hearing only the opening two chords, if that is the word for such\nconfined explosions.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003e\nRB16103 couples the Fourth and Fifth symphonies. The Fourth offers another\ncompletely convincing performance, with a beautifully lyrical reading of\nthe slow movement; and the recording is acceptable, with less surface\ntrouble than previously. On the whole, the Fifth, I think, is not quite so\nsuccessful. The fierce music, it need hardly be said, receives a fierce\nperformance, and the effect is certainly impressive; but the recording is\nsometimes. unduly thin. (At the beginning of the slow movement the bass of\nthe music is simply missing.)\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003e\nThe Pastoral comes on RB16104. Here the recording is rather good, save only\nperhaps at the climax of the storm; and the performance has many virtues\nindeed. The brook may seem to some listeners to be flowing rather fast in\nthe second movement; but if this is so it is surely preferable to\nstagnation. There are, of course, already many outstandingly good Pastorals\nin the catalogues; this one comes very close to joining them.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003e\nThe Seventh symphony, RB16105, suffers from a generally poor quality of\nsound, becoming harsh and distorted at the more powerful orchestral\nmoments. These occur frequently, not only because of the nature of the\nmusic, but also because of the undoubtedly Olympian qualities of the\nperformance. Most listeners, however, will probably need to exercise some\nconsiderable degree of resolution in order fully to enjoy them.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003e\nMuch less resolution, fortunately, is necessary for enjoyment of the Eighth\nsymphony. This is rounder-toned, and in general boasts one of the better\nrecordings of the R.C.A. series. Yet the symphony itself is above all that\none of Beethoven's series that demands some relaxation; and though this is\nof course forthcoming from Toscanini to some extent, yet the necessary\namiability does seem to come more easily to some other conductors.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003e\nThe Eighth symphony is on one side of RB 16106, coupled with the first\nmovement of the Ninth*, itself completed on RB16107. The Choral adds to the\norchestral forces four soloists, who are all in varying degrees inadequate,\nand the Robert Shaw Chorale, who sing well and are not. But although\nToscanini gives a tireless and fully convincing reading of the monumental\nwork there is a further, non-vocal obstruction to the performance making\nits full effect: a recording which, never really very bright, tails off at\nthe end in a degree of distortion not to be found in the earlier H.M.V.\npressings.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003e\nNevertheless as a whole this series is a most valuable reissue. The best of\nmodern recording is in the nature of the case not to be expected; but we\nmust be grateful to R.C.A. for allowing us to hear much of the Toscanini\nBeethoven in the best physical sound hitherto possible. And it is, in\ngeneral, a marvellous Beethoven: relentless, often, yet always at least a\nconvincing view of the music. And less seemingly relentless, perhaps, in\nnormal, sane life, than when chain-listening to the nine symphonies on end:\na lunatic undertaking not at all calculated to show each work, or each\nperformance, in its best light.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003e\nThese works, I know, need no description, the performances little. But the\nrecordings do vary quite considerably, and it might be useful to end by\nsuggesting a single disc for the man who cares very much what his\ngramophone sounds like, yet, most understandably, feels that this classic\nToscanini set must at least be represented in his library. He might well\nchoose RB16101 - superlative performances, decently recorded, of the First\nand Second symphonies.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eM.M., The Gramophone,\u003c\/b\u003e July 1958\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e*The alternate Ninth Symphony heard in the present release was the live TV\nbroadcast transmission of 3 April 1948, the second of ten telecasts and the\nonly Toscanini Beethoven Ninth to be broadcast from Studio 8H rather than\nCarnegie Hall. Dramatic improvements have been made in sound quality here,\nthough there is noticeable treble drop-off at the ends of disc sides. This\nwas the first time Toscanini worked with Robert Shaw for a broadcast –\nMortimer Frank states that Toscanini considered Shaw “the finest choral\nconductor he worked with at NBC”.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_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\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 24px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTOSCANINI \u003c\/b\u003eThe Nine Beethoven Symphonies, Volume 2\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD One\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17px;\"\u003eBEETHOVEN  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17px;\"\u003eSymphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. 1st mvt. - Allegro con brio  (7:18)\u003cbr\u003e2. 2nd mvt. - Andante con moto  (9:00)\u003cbr\u003e3. 3rd mvt. - Scherzo. Allegro  (4:38)\u003cbr\u003e4. 4th mvt. - Allegro  (8:40)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eConcert of 22 March, 1952\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBEETHOVEN  \u003c\/b\u003eSymphony No. 6 in F, Op. 68, 'Pastoral'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e5. 1st mvt. - Erwachen heiterer Empfindungen bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande. Allegro ma non troppo  (11:57)\u003cbr\u003e6. 2nd mvt. - Scene am Bach. Andante molto moto  (11:38)\u003cbr\u003e7. 3rd mvt. - Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute. Allegro  (5:02)\u003cbr\u003e8. 4th mvt. - Gewitter. Sturm. Allegro  (3:36)\u003cbr\u003e9. 5th mvt. - Hirtengesang. Frohe und dankbare Gefühle nach dem Sturm. Allegretto  (8:58)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded 14 January 1952\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD Two\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBEETHOVEN  \u003c\/b\u003eSymphony No. 7 in A, Op. 92\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. 1st mvt. - Poco sostenuto - Vivace  (11:14)\u003cbr\u003e2. 2nd mvt. - Allegretto  (8:02)\u003cbr\u003e3. 3rd mvt. - Presto  (6:59)\u003cbr\u003e4. 4th mvt. - Allegro con brio  (6:56)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded 9 November 1951 \u0026amp; Concert of 10 November 1951\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBEETHOVEN  \u003c\/b\u003eSymphony No. 8 in F, Op. 93\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e5. 1st mvt. - Allegro vivace e con brio  (9:35)\u003cbr\u003e6. 2nd mvt. - Allegretto scherzando  (3:45)\u003cbr\u003e7. 3rd mvt. - Tempo di Menuetto  (4:45)\u003cbr\u003e8. 4th mvt. - Allegro vivace  (7:27)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded 10 November 1952\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNBC Symphony Orchestra  \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003econducted by \u003cb\u003eArturo Toscanini\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eXR Remastered by  Andrew Rose\u003cbr\u003eRecorded at Carnegie Hall, New York City\u003cbr\u003eCover artwork based on a photograph of Arturo Toscanini\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTotal duration:  2hr 09:30   \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eCD1: 70:47      CD2: 58:43 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\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_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PASC598.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC598.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":55010079342958,"sku":"age1789306395531","price":26.73,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":55010079375726,"sku":"vdp1789306395532","price":17.11,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":55010079408494,"sku":"exm1789306395533","price":13.16,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0915\/3986\/5966\/files\/toscanini-beethoven---the-symphonies-vol-2-1951-52---pasc598_1.jpg?v=1789306402","url":"https:\/\/www.harborviewgoods.shop\/products\/toscanini-beethoven-the-symphonies-vol-2-1951-52-pasc598","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}