Search - Elgar, Toscanini, NBC :: Enigma Variations

A Complete Success by Maestro, Orchestra, Engineers!

10/04/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Even high fidelity enthusiasts will not be put off by the quality of the recording of this historic interpretation of the Mussorgsky-Ravel edition of "Pictures at an Exhibition", taken down on magnetic tape at 30 ips at Carnegie Hall on January 26, 1953. While the sheer volume and impact do not QUITE equal the famous Mercury "Living Presence" recording from 1951 by the Chicago Symphony under Kubelik, the reading has more intense drama and excitement, and the ensemble's tonal balance is more obviously "French" than the central-European sound of the CSO: Toscanini's limned clarity of detail is always evident. Only the occasional squashing action of RCA's peak limiters deadens what must have been an overwhelmingly towering transient in the original microphone signal (the notes to the old Red Seal LP stated that only one condenser mike was used, in the "Mercury" manner.) Thus we hear Toscanini's, and not an engineer's, instrumental balancing, if not the Maestro's true musical dynamics.The CD transfer clears up the IM distortion and shrieking highs of my old Victor LP copy.An interesting alternative to this straightforward and dramatic 1953 recording is the slow, inflected, and introspective January 29, 1938 reading, given a good honest mono transfer on Iron Needle IN 1389: one can study the evolution of the earlier conducting style of the Maestro (much more Germanic and 'interpretative') as compared to his later 'streamlined' and strict conducting.The Elgar "Enigma" Variations recording, made in Carnegie Hall on December 10, 1951, has slightly more recessed sound with somewhat less brassy presence, yet is almost perfectly balanced. Only the live performances of 17 February 1951 (Relief CR-1888) or 3 June 1935 (BBC Sym, Grammofono AB 78613) surpass this recording session version in intensity and immediacy. But the elegance of the polished commercial edition on this BMG CD, practically perfect in every detail, may be preferred by listeners who are put off by the defects of live recordings."