GHCD 2337/38 - Johann Brahms (1833-1897) – Arturo Toscanini (1867-1957) NYPO- CD1 – Serenade No. 1 in D major, Op. 11- 7/04/1935 – Serenade No. 2 in A major, Op 16 31/03 1935 – 75:27 - CD2 Academic Festival OvertureOp.80 – 15/03/1936 - Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 82 - 30/01/36– Robert Casadesus piano (1899-1972) – 4 - Partsongs for female voices, two horns and harp (Gesänge für Frauenchor) Opus 17 (1859-60)– 31/03/1935– 68:27
NEW CLASSICS TUESDAY APRIL 01 2008
Arturo Toscanini (1867-1957) was considered by many critics, fellow musicians and contemporary audiences to be the greatest conductor of his time. Born in Parma, Italy, he studied cello at the local music conservatory before joining the orchestra of an opera company, with which he began his career as a conductor at the age of 19. He went on to conduct the world premieres of Puccinis La Bohème and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, and as well as being resident conductor at La Scala, Milan, he conducted to great acclaim at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, at Bayreuth and at the Salzburg Festival. This double-album of historic broadcasts by New York Philharmonic conducted by Toscanini is devoted entirely to the music of Brahms - a composer whose work was central to Toscanini’s repertoire throughout his career. Toscanini was thirty years old when Brahms died. Although they never met, Toscanini regarded Brahms as a contemporary. This exciting album includes the only available versions in the best possible modern sound of major works by Brahms which the great conductor never recorded commercially, or hardly ever. Principal amongst these is the first disc containing Brahms’s two Serenades for Orchestra, Opus 11 and Opus 16, which Toscanini never recorded commercially. The second CD contains rare performances of the Academic Festival Overture and the Second Piano Concerto with Robert Casadesus as soloist. Toscanini again never recorded the Overture commercially and the Concerto just once. As an intriguing bonus, the CD is completed by four of Brahms’s part-songs, three from his Opus 17 set and one an arrangement by Brahms of a famous song by Schubert (Toscanini again never recorded these works commercially). This rare set of recordings will be hugely welcomed by all collectors of great conducting, especially of the Maestro renowned for his brilliant intensity and restless perfectionism.
This new issue by Guild is arrived. The most important thing is the program. Serenades n.1 (April 7th 1935) and n.2 (March 31st 1935), Academic Festival Ouverture( March 15th 1936), Piano concerto n.2 (R.Casadesus, January 30th 1936), Four Part Songs (January 30th 1936).
The sources are provided by Claudio von Foerster, who has written part of the notes. The sound is not outstanding, and suffers of a quite intrusive noise due to either the radio broadcasting or the noise reduction software, but the value of these really rare recordings overcomes the sound quality (the recordings are complete, with apparently no gaps or patches). In the last lines it is noticeable that Mr. von Foerster (probably of German origin, but actually living in Buenos Aires) speaks about a "new series of recordings on the Guild Historic label", that I hope means that more recordings will be available in the future, recovering a long gap after the apparent divorce of Mr. Caniell from Guild.
The
performances are very interesting (all with the New York Phyl). Maybe the fact
that the A.F.O. and the concert have a comparison in the subsequent recordings
with the NBC and (in the concert) with W. Horowitz, can give more arguments of
discussion in the approach to these Brahms' works. But IMHO the most evident
differences are in the Ouverture, less "serious" the in the late NBC approach.
About the concert, I have to admit that sometimes I prefer this performance to
the later one (Horowitz is too much "eroic"; and, more, I prefer, particularly
in the adagio, the Furtwangler+Fischer approach). The sweetness of the 4th
movement is really involving, with more relaxed reading than the nervous
Horowitz
(to my ears, of course).
The serenades show a fine orchestral ensamble and a beautiful approach, probably very important to have a better idea of Toscanini's Brahms in the '30s. The songs, though not an absolute chef-d'-oeuvre, are another aspect of Toscanini work with little orchestral and ensembles. Ezio
Page revised Wednesday April 02 2008