Toscanini's 1953 performance of the Missa solemnis has always been a subject of controversy. When the old Record Guide (Collins: 1955) discussed the set, its two distinguished authors agreed to disagree. Edward Sackville-West found it "a thing of violent contrasts, feverish energy and a surface passion vociferously proclaimed", while Desmond Shawe-Taylor felt that "for sheer incandescence and drama the performance can seldom have been equalled". Looking at those views today, one could say that they aren't mutually exclusive. Both speak of the intense, subjective, edge-of-your-seat quality that informs the whole of this highly dramatic interpretation. Toscanini almost makes a virtue of those recalcitrant elements that all conductors have to cope with in this work. The awkward corners are negotiated with purpose. The strivings for effects almost beyond the power of even music to express, the visionary, the serene components of the massive work are all incomparably expressed in Toscanini's reading.

Speeds can be controversially slow or fast: what matters is that they work within the context of the conductor's concept because he chooses a tempo for a special purpose, for a stark contrast, say, or to emphasize a detail. But, as so often with this conductor, particularly in relation to Beethoven, he often seems to be seeking some ideal that's in his head and which he knows he may never achieve in reality. In fact, some believe he did manage to come close to it in his 1940 account with the same orchestra but a different chorus, intermittently available (now I see on a Music and Arts CD).

His chorus here is the Robert Shaw Chorale. We tend to forget it was a professional chorus, which explains its virtuoso and tireless response to Toscanini's stringent requirements. When he insists, as so often here, on strict obedience to Beethoven's dynamic requirements-even noting the single triple forte in the Gloria at "omnipotens"-his singers respond, and the NBC Symphony is just as adept at providing a double piano when that's needed. The solo team is unfortunately not a patch on the 1940 lineup (Milanov, Castagna, Bjeirling and Kipnis): the singers are a shade anonymous and sound more so placed too far from the microphone, a disadvantage remastering can't correct. In every other respect the performance, although inevitably somewhat confined in effect, is an improvement over its LP manifestations.

-- Gramophone [3/1991, reviewing the Missa Solemnis]

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[I]n the Ninth Symphony Toscanini achieves great heights. The first movement occasionally finds the octagenarian conductor impatiently rough-riding his basic rhythmic pulse, but the scherzo is tremendously virile, the slow movement exquisitely tender and powerful in turn, and the finale, with a good group of soloists and an excellent chorus, fervent and uplifting.

-- Gramophone [5/1990, reviewing the Ninth Symphony]

DER JUNGE DOMINGO VOL 4

BEETHOVEN: SYMPHONIES NO 1, 2,

Magnificently conducted by Krips, with a cast that could hardly be better, headed by Rysanek's impassioned, soaring Mlada and Spiess's virile, heroic yet sensitive Dalibor.

Dalibor is magnificently conducted by Krips who, with the VPO on best form, catches the full lyricism of Smetana's freedom-seeking opera. His cast could hardly be better, headed by Rysanek's impassioned, soaring Mlada and Spiess's virile, heroic yet sensitive Dalibor (oh, how we could do with a tenor of this thrilling calibre today!). Spiess surpasses even the legendary Blachut in the role. Imagine my chagrin then when the edition used heinously omits the hero's Act 3 song of freedom, one of the great passages in the work. Rysanek's younger sister Lotte, sounding uncannily like Leonie, makes much of little as Jitka. Waechter is splendid as the tortured king. The performance is in German, but no matter: this is an exciting set, in spite of the cuts.

-- Gramophone [2/1999]

WIENER STAATSOPER LIVE - MOZAR

MOZART: SYMPHONIES NO 36 & 39

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

Okay, you're not going to find the insane intensity of Rostropovich/Vishnevskaya/Reshetin in Ormandy's Fourteenth symphony, but as you might expect, this Western premiere recording is really well played, and surprisingly well sung. Simon Estes has a rich, dark bass sound, and Phyllis Curtin is, in her own way, practically as intense as Vishnevskaya. Ormandy's conducting could be more volatile, particularly in the quicker songs, but he was always an excellent interpreter of this composer, and it's good to see this disc reappearing in Japanese RCA's Ormandy edition. The Britten pieces are also surprisingly effective given their late date in Ormandy's career. Again, the "Storm" could be a bit wilder, but the Passacaglia is terrific. Sonically this really is pretty good for its 1970s RCA vintage. Available from Arkivmusic.com, on-demand.

--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

"Ormandy gave the American premiere of the Fifteenth Symphony as well as a number of other Shostakovich works...The playing could hardly be surpassed. The recording sounds superb and stands up well against subsequent versions."

Penguin Guide [2003/4 Edition]

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

TCHAIKOVSKY Symphonies: No. 1 in g, “Winter Dreams”; No. 2 in c, “Little Russian”; No. 3 in D • Eugene Ormandy; Philadelphia O; • RCA-ArkivMusic 38288 (2 CDs: 128:09)

Like the Manfred Symphony, these are Ormandy’s first and only recordings of Tchaikovsky’s first three symphonies. RCA probably wanted a complete cycle—Nos. 4–6 were already in the can—and Ormandy obliged. In general, Ormandy’s stereo Columbia recordings of the last three symphonies strike me as ideal (I don’t yet know his RCA versions), but I like a lighter touch for the early ones. Maazel/Vienna Philharmonic on Decca and Markevitch/London Symphony on Philips are the standard versions, with a special place for Beecham’s spirited 1947 account of the Third and Giulini’s infectious Second with the Philharmonia on EMI. For “Winter Dreams,” especially in the first two movements, lighter would be better; the tempo marking of the second movement is Adagio cantabile ma non tanto; Ormandy ignores the ma non tanto and plays the movement in 11:35, compared to Maazel’s 10:00. On the other hand, the high point of the movement—the statement of the main theme fortissimo by the horns—is underplayed. Ormandy and Tchaikovsky are more in synch in the fourth movement, but it’s not enough compensation for the heavy treatment of the first two.

The Second Symphony is a problem piece for me; much as I love Tchaikovsky, I find it repetitious and tedious in all but the most exciting performances. Here Ormandy is too heavy in the first movement and the introduction of the last; the inner movements seem to work better, and the Finale is impressive once it gets going.

The Third, generally but misleadingly referred to as the “Polish” Symphony because its last movement is labeled Tempo di polacca, has always been a secret vice of mine; I think this is probably due to my having become acquainted with the work through Beecham’s exciting yet affectionate recording. To my ear, Ormandy falls short here. The first movement is well played, but lacking the bounce that Beecham brings to its step; the second and third movements drag. There is some nice woodwind-playing in the Scherzo, but oboist de Lancie, who was just over two years short of retiring when this recording was made in 1974, actually slurs a series of scale passages that are specifically written as staccato! The Finale sounds more aggressive than festive.

As with many of Ormandy’s late recordings, these interpretations will be of interest to fans of the extraordinary Philadelphia Orchestra—in the last years that it had what was simply called “the Philadelphia sound”—or of Ormandy, and to Tchaikovsky specialists. They may not be the last word, but, gee, it’s good to have them!

FANFARE: Richard A. Kaplan

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***