{"product_id":"toscanini-the-1939-beethoven-cycle-volume-6-1939-pasc557","title":"TOSCANINI The 1939 Beethoven Cycle, Volume 6 (1939) - PASC557","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;\"\u003eChoral Fantasy\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. 9 'Choral'\u003c\/span\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: 79:46\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eAnia Dorfmann\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e, piano\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eJarmila Novotna\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e, soprano\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eKerstin Thorborg\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e, alto\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eJan Peerce\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e, tenor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eNicola Moscona\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e, bass\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eThe Westminster Choir\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\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\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\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC557.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003eOn 2 December 1939, Arturo Toscanini took to the podium at Carnegie Hall, New York, with his NBC\nSymphony Orchestra to complete what would prove to have been a unique series of six\nconcerts: his only recorded Beethoven integral symphony cycle. Over six\nweekly concert broadcasts Toscanini had conducted all nine symphonies,\nroughly in order, together with various overtures, excerpts and other\nworks - perhaps most interestingly the Choral Fantasy, Op. 80. This was coupled\nwith the Ninth \"Choral\" Symphony in this 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. As with\nprevious releases there were some speed (and thus pitch) differences\nbetween disc sides, as well as a degree of wow and flutter, though in\nthe case of this volume neither was as extreme as seen on previous\nvolumes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOf the six volumes if there is to be heard a dip in sound quality, from the superb to the merely great, it is perhaps here with the final volume. Although once again our discs were in incredibly good condition, they lack the finest edge of quality heard in the studio recordings which preceded the Carnegie Hall concert. A part of this may be down to acoustics. We might also consider the sub-optimal recording conditions by comparison to a dedicated studio with carefully tailored microphones and equipment. A third possibility is that our discs may have been cut at NBC's headquarters having passed down a long analogue line from the concert hall venue and lost a degree of fidelity as a result. I'm prepared to believe all three of these may have played a part. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNevertheless there is still remarkable sound quality to he heard here - it is in truly excellent shape for an 80-year-old recording, and offers superb fidelity for its 1939 vintage; only up against the previous five volumes might it be held to be anything less than ideal. If I was to give the previous volumes five stars for sound quality then I suggest this would merit four and a half.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA certain amount of gain-riding was clearly being used by the NBC engineers - no great surprise here given the forces involved. In its most blatant and unfortunate application I've endeavoured to correct this, though any correction can only be a mixture of experience, a careful reading of the surrounding musical sections, and an element of educated guesswork. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEach of the concert broadcasts ran for\nlonger than was usual, and it has been necessary to trim some of the\ncommentary from these recordings in order to fit each one onto a single\nCD release without cutting any of the music. The amount of speech\nediting has varied from release to release, but the intention is to\npreserve as much as possible the occasion as heard some 80 years ago -\nthis is, we believe, the first time they have been presented as\nbroadcast in this manner. This final volume came particularly close to requiring a second disc, but by keeping the commentary to a minimal back-announcement at the end of each work and trimming the amount of applause I have been able to keep everything within the bounds of a single disc - helped in no great amount by Toscanini's often brisk tempi!\u003c\/p\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: 18px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBEETHOVEN  \u003c\/b\u003eFantasia for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra, Op. 80\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Adagio  (2:57)\u003cbr\u003e2. Finale. Allegro  (5:44)\u003cbr\u003e3. Adagio ma non troppo  (1:57)\u003cbr\u003e4. Marcia assai vivace  (1:59)\u003cbr\u003e5. Allegretto ma non troppo quasi andante con moto  (2:06)\u003cbr\u003e6. Presto  (2:10)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAnia Dorfmann\u003c\/b\u003e, piano\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBEETHOVEN  \u003c\/b\u003eSymphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 \"Choral\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e7. 1st mvt. - Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso  (12:36)\u003cbr\u003e8. 2nd mvt. - Scherzo. Molto vivace - Presto  (12:42)\u003cbr\u003e9. 3rd mvt. - Adagio molto e cantabile  (13:00)\u003cbr\u003e10. 4th mvt. - Presto - Allegro assai  (24:35)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJarmila Novotna\u003c\/b\u003e, soprano\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eKerstin Thorborg\u003c\/b\u003e, alto\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJan Peerce\u003c\/b\u003e, tenor\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNicola Moscona\u003c\/b\u003e, bass\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Westminster Choir\u003cbr\u003eNBC Symphony Orchestra   \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003econducted by \u003cb\u003eArturo Toscanini\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eXR remastering by Andrew Rose\u003cbr\u003eCover artwork based on a photograph of Toscanini\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBroadcast of 2 December, 1939, Carnegie Hall, New York\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTotal duration:  79:46    \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\/PASC557.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC557.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\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 20px;\"\u003eToscanini Directs Beethoven’s Choral Fantasia and Ninth Symphony With the\nNBC Orchestra\n\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\n\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\nBy OLIN DOWNES\n\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nMr. Toscanini accomplished two more of his marvels when he led the NBC\nSymphony Orchestra last night in Carnegie Hall in performances of\nBeethoven's Choral Fantasia and Ninth symphony, for the benefit of the New York Junior League Welfare Fund. The thrilling effect of\nthe Ninth symphony was anticipated, especially by those who had heard Mr.\nToscanini direct the same work with the same orchestra two seasons ago in\nthe same hall. What had not been anticipated was the astonishing vitality\nand significance which he conferred upon the Choral Fantasia.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nThat work, scored for piano, orchestra and chorus, in a curious form which\nwavers between classic design and contents that anticipate, thematically as\nalso, in a degree, structurally, the last Beethoven symphony, is usually\nhailed as a historic curiosity, or billed as a piece which hires a pianist\nas well as a chorus and a symphony orchestra to give the audience the worth\nof its money. And there may have been those present last night who were\nattracted by the array of talent involved—Miss Anita Dorfmann, pianist, and\nthe hosts of the Westminster Choir, to augment the orchestral scheme.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nThe thing that happened and which in happening conveyed, as Mr. Toscanini\nis apt to do, the sense of sheer wonder was the rebirth of this relatively\nearly Beethoven music, so that the audience was for the nonce a gathering\nin 1808, hearing for the first time this new and fascinating music. Every\nelement in the score took its place as part of one thought and design.\nEvery idea glowed with life and beauty. The passage work and the flourishes\nof the piano were just as germane to the musical scheme as anything done by\nthe singers or gentlemen of the orchestra. Miss Dorfmann played admirably\nin the style of the period and in perfect taste. This also held for the\nchorus and the orchestra. Each element was merged in the conception of a\nsingle despotic spirit—that of Toscanini—and, together with Toscanini,\nglorified Beethoven.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nWe had heard no such performance of the Choral Fantasia, had never before\nperceived the music in its real light, nor had we attached very much\nimportance to it anyhow. Well, it was shown again that Beethoven was seldom\nunimportant; that, like other composers, even great masters, he needs\nconstantly the insight and the passion of a worthy interpreter.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nThe Ninth symphony, given with the assisting quartet of Jarmila Novotna,\nKerstin Thorborg, Jan Peerce and Nicola Moscona, was of course the capstone\nof the occasion, and for everyone involved a towering experience. It is\nextremely possible that when a performance of such music, as great as the\nprevious one that Mr. Toscanini had given in the same hall, is repeated,\nits significance is more fully grasped by the listener. It may also be the\ncase that Mr. Toscanini, who never, whatever he attains, stands still as an\nartist, sculptured more mightily than ever before the shape of the great\ntone-poem. The result appeared as a further evolution on the part of an\nartist whose intuition and faith bring him always nearer the very center of\nBeethoven’s thought. Certainly the last movement surpassed anything the\nconductor had previously done with the passage. For its ecstasy was cosmic.\nThere was a scene of wild enthusiasm following this performance.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/b\u003e, 3 December 1939\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":55010075279726,"sku":"mcz1789306288179","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":55010075312494,"sku":"vio1789306288180","price":8.8,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":55010075345262,"sku":"bgn1789306288181","price":6.68,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0915\/3986\/5966\/files\/toscanini-the-1939-beethoven-cycle-volume-6-1939---pasc557_1.jpg?v=1789306295","url":"https:\/\/www.harborviewgoods.shop\/products\/toscanini-the-1939-beethoven-cycle-volume-6-1939-pasc557","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}