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PASC041:
Symphony No. 8, "Unfinished" in B minor, D759
MP3
price
New
Queen's Hall Orchestra
Conductor: Sir Henry Wood Recorded
13th February 1923
Issued as 2 UK Columbia 78rpm discs, L1360-1
Matrix numbers: 76518-3, 76519-4, 76520-4, 76521-4
Download ID: 194445
Duration 12'43"
Play
sample movement:
Even
though a précis of an interpretation, this makes for an extraordinary
experience...
- Michael Greenhalgh, Musicweb
International review
I
can't resist observing that of the recordings of Schubert's famously 'Unfinished'
Symphony, some appear rather less finished than others. I had thought
that this acoustic recording from 1923, which squeezes each of the two
movements onto just two short sides of 78s probably held the record at
less than half the usual duration. I am reliably informed, however, that
a recording by Albert Ketelby fits the entire symphony(!) onto a single
78, with a movement per side!
Clearly
there have been significant cuts to make this recording - perhaps few
record companies at the time felt that few of their customers would have
the patience to handle a longer recording, especially given the limitations
of the pre-microphone era from which it dates. And yet the music comes
across remarkably well here, and I would have been happy to hear a good
deal more of it.
A
word to collectors, too, about those record catalogue and matrix numbers
listed above. Wood recorded this work twice. The present recording quietly
replaced one made on or around 3rd July 1919 in the Columbia catalogue,
with the same matrix and catalogue numbers attached to both. The 'take'
numbers shown above are by convention, and are not shown on the discs
themselves (how you can have a third or fourth take some four years after
the first and second takes is beyond me!). The key to differentiating
between the two recordings is in the credit give to the orchestra, with
the earlier labels stating "Sir Henry Wood and his Orchestra".
I have yet to determine the reasons for the remake, which remained in
the Columbia catalogue until 1927.
(My
thanks to the members of the 88son78s Yahoo group for the research
information here.)
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Even
though a précis of an interpretation, this makes for an extraordinary
experience...
- Michael Greenhalgh, 
