{"product_id":"toscanini-the-1939-beethoven-cycle-volume-2-1939-pasc553","title":"TOSCANINI The 1939 Beethoven Cycle, Volume 2 (1939) - PASC553","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. 2\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. 4\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBEETHOVEN \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eLeonore Overture\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e No. 3\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive broadcast recording, 1939\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 79:48\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eNBC Symphony Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econducted by\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e Arturo Toscanini\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eGet 6 Boxed CDs for the price of 5 when you buy the full Digipack printed CD set\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC553.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003eOn 28 October 1939, Arturo Toscanini took to the podium with his NBC\nSymphony Orchestra to begin what would be a unique series of six\nconcerts: his only recorded Beethoven integral symphony cycle. Over six\nweekly concert broadcasts Toscanini would conduct all nine symphonies,\nroughly in order, together with various overtures, excerpts and other\nworks, most interestingly the Choral Fantasy, Op. 80. This was coupled\nwith the Ninth \"Choral\" Symphony in a special broadcast live from\nCarnegie Hall (the other concerts took place in his more usual radio\nstudio venue), and constitutes the only recorded example of him\nconducting this work ever. Mortimer H. Frank suggests that Toscanini\nconsidered conducting the work again in 1952 in London but dropped the\nidea - he also suggests this may have been the only time Toscanini ever\nconducted the Choral Fantasy.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs with our recent issues of Toscanini conducting Russian music (PASC548) and the music of Richard Strauss (PASC549),\nI have been able to access source recordings of unprecedented quality,\ntaken from acetate discs recorded directly by NBC and almost certainly\nnot played since. For optimal sound quality this is crucial - the\ndelicate surfaces of these discs are prone to immediate deterioration\nwhen played, especially when the weighty pick-ups in common use in the\n1940s were used, resulting in distortion, higher background noise, and\npotential loss of high frequencies and other details. Previous issues\nhave relied on Toscanini's own copies, discs which have seen\nconsiderable wear and use over the years.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe use of these new\nsource discs translates directly into remarkable audio quality, with\nquiet backgrounds and a particularly wide frequency range - and sound\nquality that would have been considered excellent on a hi-fi era LP\nrecord from twenty or more years later. The use of the latest audio\nrestoration technology brings with it rock-solid pitching, excellent\ntonal balance, and a clean, clear sound quality throughout. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis second concert contained more music than any of the others in the series - only by cutting all commentary and with judicious use of fades during audience applause and trimming of gaps between movements have we been able to fit the entire concert onto a single CD. And if some sides were perhaps less than optimal sonically, they still shine through after restoration, with excellent sound quality throughout as heard in our sample here of the finale from the Symphony No. 4. Certainly this concert has never sounded as fresh and\nfine as this before.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\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\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 24px;\"\u003eTOSCANINI The 1939 Beethoven Cycle, Volume 2\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBEETHOVEN  Symphony No. 2\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e in D, Op. 36\u003cbr\u003e1. 1st mvt. - Adagio molto - Allegro con brio  (12:22)\u003cbr\u003e2. 2nd mvt. - Larghetto  (10:42)\u003cbr\u003e3. 3rd mvt. - Scherzo. Allegro - Trio  (3:13)\u003cbr\u003e4. 4th mvt. - Allegro molto  (6:24)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBEETHOVEN  Symphony No. 4\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e in B flat, Op. 60\u003cbr\u003e5. 1st mvt. - Adagio - Allegro vivace  (12:30)\u003cbr\u003e6. 2nd mvt. - Adagio  (8:52)\u003cbr\u003e7. 3rd mvt. - Allegro vivace  (5:09)\u003cbr\u003e8. 4th mvt. - Allegro ma non troppo  (7:03)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e9. \u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBEETHOVEN Leonore Overture No. 3, Op. 72a\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e  (13:33)\u003cbr\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\u003eXR remastering by Andrew Rose\u003cbr\u003eCover artwork based on a photograph of Toscanini\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBroadcast of 4 November, 1939\u003cbr\u003eNBC Studio 8H, Radio City, New York\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTotal duration:  79:48    \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\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\/PASC553.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC553.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fNew York Times Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 20px;\"\u003eBEETHOVEN SECOND LED BY TOSCANINI\n\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\n\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eHe Directs NBC Orchestra at the 2d Concert in Cycle of Master's Works\n\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e\nLEONORE NO. 3 IS GIVEN\n\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e\nFourth Symphony in B Flat Ends Program Presented at Radio City Studio\n\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\n\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eBy OLIN DOWNES\n\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nThere is no end to the marvel of music as familiar as Beethoven’s Second\nand Fourth Symphonies and the third “Leonore” overture, which Mr. Toscanini\nperformed for the second program of the Beethoven series he gave with the\nNBC Symphony Orchestra last night in Radio City. How can any music, so well\nknown, so endlessly played, keep its extraordinary significance?\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nThe reason, of course, lay in the wholly exceptional performance, which,\nwhether or not the listener agreed with their every aspect, were fully\nabreast of Mr. Toscanini’s customary standards of tonal beauty, meticulous\nfinish, grace and power; and, on occasion, the passionate torrent of\nBeethoven's feeling, which sweeps everything before it.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nThe Second Symphony is the one which Camille Bellaigue terms so\nappropriately the “heroic lie.” The “lie” consists in the buoyancy and glow\nof the music that the master produced at the very time when he discovered\nthat he was doomed to complete deafness, and when he penned one of the most\npathetic of human documents, his so-called “Heiligenstadt testament” which\nis a martyr’s farewell to happiness.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIntroduction a Revelation\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nWe know how unqualifiedly the symphony controverts all this, how bold and\nexultant it is in its irresistible spirit and its every idea and detail.\nFor it flashes like a sword. The introduction in itself is a revelation, as\nthe orchestra gradually brightens and gathers strength and effulgency. A\nvalley in the morning would gradually lighten like that with the sunrise.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nBut this is not the time to dilate upon all the wonders of the Second\nsymphony. The performance of the first two movements was as ideal as we may\nhope a human performance to be. It was good to hear the pace at which Mr.\nToscanini took the “larghetto,” which was flowing and joyous, and permitted\nof no slackening or sentimentalizing of the song. But we found the scherzo\nmore conspicuous for its delicacy and eighteenth-century preciseness than\nfor the brusque and shaggy Beethoven that inhabits these pages. Similarly\nin the finale, which is jocose, unbuttoned, sometimes sly, sometimes\nuproarious in its humor. A somewhat polite Beethoven was heard in the\nscherzo and the finale.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe Fourth Clearly Presented\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nThe playing of the Fourth symphony was as remarkable for its transparency\nof tone in certain places as it was for that mysterious hush and brooding\nof the orchestra which is often felt when Beethoven writes in a pastoral\nvein—and surely this Fourth symphony, as well as the Sixth, is a\n\"pastoral”! In none of the nine symphonies is there a greater sensation of\nmysterious nature than in the introduction and the slow movement. In\ngeneral, of all the nine, it comes nearer to Haydn, for it has his vivacity\nin the livelier pages, and his full-hearted acceptance of living.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nThe Fourth symphony is less vigorous and brilliant than No. 2. and was\ntherefore the better foil for the thunders and prophecies of the overture\n‘'Leonore, No. 3,” given a wildly dramatic performance.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNew York Times, 4 November 1939\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":55010075181422,"sku":"ucj1789306288030","price":14.85,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":55010075214190,"sku":"ldd1789306288031","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":55010075246958,"sku":"bkk1789306288032","price":6.26,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0915\/3986\/5966\/files\/toscanini-the-1939-beethoven-cycle-volume-2-1939---pasc553_1.jpg?v=1789306295","url":"https:\/\/www.harborviewgoods.shop\/products\/toscanini-the-1939-beethoven-cycle-volume-2-1939-pasc553","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}