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FRANCK: Psyche et Eros. Redemption. LEs Eolides. Symphony in D
minor. PUCCINI: La bohème WAGNER: Excerpts from Act III of Die Meistrsinger. BRAHMS:
Symphony No. 2 in D, Op 73. STRAUSS: Vienna Blood, Voices of Spring.
Emperor
Waltz. HINDEMITH: Mathis der Maler. STRAUSS: Waltzes
from Der Rosenkavalier Sinfonia domestica, Op, 53. Pristine's new Toscanini CD contains all of his NBC Symphony performances of music f Cesar Franck: Psyche et Eros is from a broadcast January 5, 1952, Les Eolides from a broadcast March 5, 1949, and Redemption from March 2, 1947. There were two broadcasts of the Symphony, December 14, 1940 and March 1946. The 1940 performance was marred by several horn blips; producer Andrew Rose has inserted those passages from the later recording so we experience this dynamic performance unblemished. This is a major addition to the Toscanini discography. Italian soprano Renata Tebaldi (1922 - 2004) was legendary with a sound that was described as "the voice of an angel." For decades she appeared in leading opera houses and was a favorite at the Met where she made her debut January 31,1955 in Otello (with Mario De Monaco and Leonard Warren). Tebaldi made numerous recordings even into her later years when her voice no longer had the beauty and control for which she was famous. .For more than a decade there was a strong rivalry between T aldi and Maria Callas. Tebaldi officially retired in 1975; during her career she had sung in more than 1,200 opera performances. Her many admirers will welcome Pristine's issue of one of the soprano's earliest recordings, La bohème made in Rome in 1951. This is a Decca mono recording which benefits from Andrew Rose's XR remastering. Even if you have Tebaldi's 1959 Decca stereo recording in which she is partnered by Carlo Bergonzi,you might wish to have this rare earlier version. The second volume of Pristine's Eugene Ormandy early Philadelphia Orchestra recordings was praised on this siteREVIEW. Now we have Volume III, recordings made for Victor or World's Greatest Music labels, here appearing on CD for the fist time except for the Sinfonia domestica issued on a Camden P and a Biddulph CD, no longer available. The waltzes by Johann and Richard Strauss were recorded in 1941. According to producer Mark Obert-Thorne, Ormandy first recorded Symphony No. 2 of Brahms for Worlds Greatest Music; nine months later he made this Victor recording made 21 December 1939 and 27 March 1940 (program notes do not specify the movement(s) remade on the later date. Pristine plans to issue the early Brahms Second in Volume Five of their series. The Columbia 1953 version, is included in the huge Sony Ormandy set (REVIEW). Ormandy's second version of Mathis der Mahler recorded in 1952 is in Sony set; this Pristinetine issue offers his first recording made in 1940. Of particular interest is the conductor's only recording of Strauss's Sinfonia domestica, an electric recording made for Victor in 1938. Later Ormandy and his Philadelphians would record Strauss numerous times for Columbia and RCA, all available on CD. It is unfortunate that audio is so restricted on Ormandy's only recording of Sinfonia domestica. Even MOT's masterful remastering can do little with the this poorly balanced, dun recirding. recirdubg.xxxarestricted dynamicge recording. |