This new double-album of historic broadcasts by the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York conducted by Arturo Toscanini is of the greatest importance to collectors of great conducting the world over. It is devoted entirely to the music of Brahms – a composer whose work was central to Toscanini’s repertoire throughout his career – and includes the only available versions in the best possible modern sound of major works by Brahms which he never recorded commercially, and in only one or two instances, hardly ever at all.

Principal amongst these is the first disc containing Brahms’s two Serenades for Orchestra, Opus 11 and Opus 16, which the Maestro never recorded commercially. This makes a CD played for over 78 minutes – wonderful value – and the second CD contains very rare performances of the Academic Festival Overture and the Second Piano Concerto with Robert Casadesus as soloist. The Maestro 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. An astonishingly rare and valuable set.

TOSCANINI - Boito Memorial
Mefistofele Prologue - Mefistofele Act III - Nerone, Act III - Nerone Act IV, Scene 2
Filler
Verdi: La Traviata, Act I Prelude - Verdi: Traviata, Act III Prelude         
La Scala Orchestra
Beethoven Symphony No. 1 in C, Op 21 - (broadcast 27 June 1946)
Toscanini and Boito were close friends and the Maestro was an admirer of Boito’s genius, conducting in historic performances of Mefistofele with Chaliapin and, in the late twenties, with De Angelis, Gigli and Favero. In 1924 Toscanini conducted the world premiere of Boito’s long-awaited Nerone and it is this background that gives the Toscanini La Scala Memorial to Boito such added resonance. This is the final occasion when Toscanini conducted a staged performance and fortunately it was broadcast. The recording suffers from some strange microphone balances in Mefistofele but the Nerone is quite focused and delivers the score and the singing with considerable impact. Herva Nelli, Toscanini’s Desdemona in his NBC Otello, is remarkable in both operas, while Siepi, Prandelli, Guerrera and Simionato bring their memorable voices to what was a truly historic occasion. With broadcast commentary (in Italian) and ovations, backed up by fascinating booklet notes by London Green, makes this release an enormously important one in Guild’s Toscanini series. GHCD 2307/08

TOSCANINI – This new Guild Historical release offers Toscanini’s performance of certain works he never commercially recorded, reproduced in very good sound, together with a lengthy rehearsal portion of Sibelius’ austere, complex symphony. Commentary by Gene Hamilton recreates the original occasion of this broadcast with great vividity. In addition, a complete concert that Toscanini scheduled in celebration of the liberation of Italy is also offered. This includes the first movement of the Beethoven Fifth, Rossini’s William Tell Overture, the Garabaldi War Hymn and the Star Spangled Banner. With extensive program notes by Robert Matthew-Walker and photos by the late Robert Hupka, this is an appealing entry in the documentation Guild is making to the Toscanini Broadcast Legacy. GHCD 2298/99

TOSCANINI – Brahms Requiem, 24 January 1943 – NBC Symphony Orchestra with Herbert Janssen, Vivian Della Chiesa &Westminster Choir

Toscanini only performed this powerful and austere work once during his 17 years with the NBC Symphony and it was an unforgettable experience. The performance is heard in the Guild album is in clear, substantial sound taken from remarkably quiet line-checks and includes the broadcast commentary. This release offer interesting booklet notes and photos by the late Robert Hupka. This is the ultimate edition of this performance; it doesn’t get any better. GHCD 2290

TOSCANINI - The Complete Broadcast & Rehearsals - Otello by Verdi - 6,13 December - 1947 - Rehearsals 11,12 December 1947 NBC Symphony Orchestra

Toscanini’s famed broadcast of this opera has been issued in variable sonics, from the poor sounding RCA Victor LP release, drowned in artificial echo, to the better sounding RCA BMG CD issue. Yet none have delivered the actual sound of the original broadcast, which is superior to every previous release. This is what this Guild release provides — sonics of stunning impact and clarity, together with the original broadcast commentary and ovations, recreating this historic occasion with thrilling fidelity. The Guild set also offers a complete orchestral rehearsal of Act III and a portion of the Act III Dress Rehearsal, with soloists and chorus, devoted to the concluding ensemble. This provides an opportunity to hear this highly complicated music in great detail, revealing its marvelous intricacy. The third CD also includes an interview with Ramon Vinay. This combination constitutes the non plus ultra release of this historic performance and includes a booklet with articles on the performance, the singers and the rehearsal as well as biographies and technical notes. The photos are by the famed Robert Hupka. GHCD 2275/76/77

TOSCANINI The Complete Concert - Carnegie Hall  All Debussy 14.February 1953
Ibéeria, Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, La mer - NBC Symphony Orchestra

The broadcast, in excellent sound with broadcast commentary and a pandemonious ovation, preserves a striking performance of La Mer. Toscanini was among the most famed interpreters of La Mer in the last century and a champion of the score ever since it was written. In the rehearsal you will hear La Mer taken apart in ways that introduce, in quite an unaccustomed way just how marvelous this score is. The rehearsal — exacting, tempestuous — reveals the Maestro’s ear for the smallest detail: the shimmer of a cymbal that he hears as ugly; the gradation he asks from the harp; the phrasing and interweave he seeks from the clarinet with the other instruments, all fascinating and illuminative of this score — one of the great orchestral masterpieces of the twentieth century. For those who prize Toscanini’s recreation of Debussy’s magnum opus, this Guild album is a revelation. With articles about the work and the rehearsal, photos by Robert Hupka. A treasure!GMCD 2271/72

TOSCANINI Complete Concert 2 December 1945

Bellini: Introduction and Druid’s Chorus - Verdi: Te Deum - Boito: Mefistofele prologue
Chorus, Boys Chorus, Nicola Moscona, bass
NBC Symphony Orchestra
Toscanini first conducted Norma in 1892 and the Italian premiere of Verdi’s Te Deum, the score, which he received from the hand of the aged composer in 1898. He was also world-famed for his recreation of Boito’s Mefistofele with Chaliapin, thus this concert brings together important elements of the great Maestro’s past. The concert, in varying sound, offers the Boito work in stupendous sonics and represented a fascinating and valuable glimpse into Toscanini’s past when some 50 years earlier, he was greatly famed as an operatic conductor. The program notes are by Bill Youngren with photos by Robert Hupka.
GHCD 2263

TOSCANINI - All-American Concert 1 November 1942
Loeffler: Memories of My Childhood, Creston: Dance Gould: Lincoln Legend, Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue with Benny Goodman and Earl Wild

2 November 1942 Mignone: Symphonic Impressions of Four Brazilian Churches Gershwin: Concerto in F with Oscar Lavant
When a few New York music critics commented that the NBC Symphony concerts conducted by Toscanini failed to give sufficient representation to American composers, Toscanini answered with a concert devoted to music by Creston, Gould and George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. The Maestro surprised everyone by bringing in Benny Goodman and Earl Wild for the solo instruments. The New York Times critics heard the performance of this work “as an advance in clarity and perfection of its form as compared to the world premiere recording conducted by Paul Whiteman.”

Toscanini brought Earl Wild back to the NBC Symphony broadcast in 1944 for a performance of Gershwin’s Concert in F, another foray into American music that had war-time audiences cheering. Guild presents both of these concerts together with interesting notes on the performances and photos of the participating artists.
GHCD 2256-57

Toscanini - 21 February 1941 - All Wagner

This benefit performance in Carnegie Hall, featuring Lauritz Melchior and Helen Trabel, caused a sensation among opera lovers. No one ever dreamed of such an Immolation ; here Toscanini and Traubel gave a performance which surpasses their later commercial recording. The New York Times review celebrated the “sublimated song, elemental power and monumental lines” of the orchestral pieces and the “shattering climaxes, all balanced and in proportion” which revealed the grandeur of Wagner’s music. The Times tells us that “at the end the whole audience stood for minutes and cheered”. You will too. GHCD 2242/43

Toscanini - 3 November 1946 - All Mozart Concert

The Magic Flute Overture - Divertimento No. 15 for Strings in B Flat - Symphony No. 35 in D (Haffner) (AND November 1, 1946
The Magic Flute Overture, Symphony No. 35

Toscanini’s revered performance of these works and the rehearsal that preceded it provide an enthralling insight into the Maestro’s vividly expressive and passionate music-making. This 2-disc set includes an interesting article by William Youngren about Mozart’s music and the rehearsal, together with Robert Hupka’s renowned photographs. For those who esteem the great Maestro’s art, this release should not be missed. GHCD2232/33

TOSCANINI - 22 October 1938 - The Complete Concert

GIOACHINO ROSSINI (1792-1868) - Cenerentola Overture

RICHARD STRAUSS (1864-1949) - Don Quixote - Fantastic Variations on a Knightly Theme
Emanuel Feuermann - Cello, Carlton Cooley - Viola

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOFEN (1770-1827) - Symphony No.5 in C minor

In this concert Toscanini conducts a vital and charming performance of the Cenerentola Overture, followed by Don Quixote with Emanuel Feuermann, in a marvelously detailed traversal of Strauss’ masterpiece. This was succeeded by a stirring essayal of Beethoven’s Fifth. All of these were the Maestro’s first performances with the NBC Symphony and there is about them a gripping vitality and freshness. Good, clear, detailed sound of considerable impact accompanied by interesting notes by William Youngren and photos by Robert Hupka. GHCD 2223

THREE DISCS FOR THE PRICE OF TWO

TOSCANINI -  9-16 February 1947
THE COMPLETE BERLIOZ CONCERT AND REHEARSAL
Romeo & Juliet - Swarthout, Garris, Moscona
La damnation de Faust Scene 7 - Harrell and Chorus
NBC Symphony Orchestra

Toscanini was the only U.S. conductor to present Romeo & Juliette complete in the 20^th Century up until this broadcast. The sound of the original transmissions is acoustically superior in one or another passage to the RCA  BMG off commercial release. This Guild edition also offers the original, unpublished Queen Mab Scherzo from this concert (with two bad horn notes replaced) as well as the broadcast commentary and ovations, so as to recreate this historic event. Also included is the Damnation of Faust (Scene 7) which Toscanini conducted on this occasion. As an extra feature the Guild Set offers a rehearsal which includes the soloists and chorus. Fascinating, impassioned, inspiring, this is a rare opportunity to hear the great Maestro conducting music he deeply loved. GHCD 2218/19/20

One of the most rewarding concert experiences from the early years was to hear Toscanini conduct Vaughn-Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis — music not associated with the Maestro’s career, followed by a superlative Brahms Third that offers more orchestral detail than is hearable in any of his commercially recorded discs. Then, the atmospheric Martucci Notturno after which Toscanini conducts, for the first time with the NBC Symphony, the Roméo et Juliette Overture giving what may well be his best recreation of the music. Close, forward, warmly intimate sonics — a great concert! GHCD 2211/12