Search - Mendelssohn, Toscanini, Phl :: Midsummer Nights Dream

Incomparably Brilliant and Characteristic Readings!

09/15/1998

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Toscanini's series of concerts in Philadelphia marked the first extensive series of programs with a world-class ensemble since his departure from the Philharmonic- Symphony Orchestra of New York in 1936. Unfortunately, the recording sessions -- though musically exceptional -- were not properly preserved in disk form that could be used for commercial release until modern tape or computerized processing was available to remove or ameloriate the waterfall of ticks, pops, and hiss on the masters. The Schubert Ninth from this series of 1942 sessions was the first to be issued, in a splendid "Soria Series" RCA LP of the seventies; now, with CDs, we at last have all of the recording sessions.This album would have received a "5 star" recommendation from me, were it not for the somewhat noisy sound of the original disks. The 1947 NBC Symphony "remake" of the Mendelssohn was accomplished with greater fidelity and lower surface noise, but with less drama and intensity than the Philadelphia performance. Of the numerous NBC broadcasts and concert readings of the Toscanini "specialty" piece, the Berlioz Queen Mab Scherzo, only the live '51 broadcast -- used as an insert into the CD release of the otherwise complete 1947 broadcasts of Berlioz' Romeo and Juliet to replace a reading that Maestro felt was not as precise -- offers a challenge to this extraordinary Philadelphia Orchestra rendition. In the case of both works, the orchestral perspective is more distant and blended than the typical Studio 8-H live Toscanini radio broadcasts. Now, to some listeners, these Philadelphia recordings will be preferable for their "concert hall" mike placement; as a matter of fact, I would rather have the Studio 8-H immediacy. At any rate, the taped sound of the 1951 Berlioz broadcast -- done in Carnegie Hall -- is immeasurably finer than this 1942 disk recording. Yet most any collector of historical classical recordings will find both the Mendelssohn and Berlioz contained in this authorized RCA/BMG CD perfectly satisfying: every possible musical detail is preserved to the Maestro's satisfaction. However, it must be said that to hear the Philadelphia's true sonic glory, under that old wizard Stokowski, one should also audit the superb transfers of Mark Obert-Thorn and Ward Marston on a number of "purist" releases on Biddulph and Pearl CDs. It is instructive to compare the lushness of Stokowski with the asceticism of Toscanini, as rendered by the selfsame set of orchestral players in the identical venue."