A Mystical Experience
12/04/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This 1940 performance of the "Missa Solemnis" found Toscanini in a particularly expansive mood, phrasing with great breadth in tempos which, for him, were surprisingly slow. Within this context, the NBC Symphony plays with warmth and depth, the Westminster Choir sings superbly, and the vocal quartet of Milanov, Castagna, Bjorling and Kipnis sound as if they had been singing this music together for years. The overall effect casts a hypnotic spell on the listener that does not let up throughout the entire performance. And, in addition, the recorded sound is warm and natural, not the usual "boxy" sonics heard in most of Toscanini's RCA recordings. This is one performance for the millennium!"