This album is included in the following sets:
This set contains the following albums:
- Producer's Note
- Full Track Listing
- Cover Art
Hertz in San Francisco, final volume in a Russian vein
Plus the complete recordings of Gabrilowitsch and the Detroit Symphony
This final volume of Alfred Hertz’s San Francisco recordings features sides taken down in each of the three years they were recorded using the electrical process. The 1926 sides were made using the same kind of setup as the ensemble’s acoustic recordings of the prior year – a reduced orchestra in a small studio, probably with tuba reinforcement of the bass line. The following year saw a move into larger halls, resulting in a more natural concert sound. Even though he was to live for another 14 years, the Glazunov waltz was the final recording Hertz made.During the 1920s, the Victor Talking Machine Company cast its nets far and wide to sign up American ensembles to record. In addition to the San Francisco Symphony, the label recorded the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra under Eugene Goossens and the St. Louis Symphony under Rudolf Ganz. To those were added, for one group of sessions only, the Detroit Symphony under its music director, Ossip Gabrilowitsch. The Russian-born pianist, who had settled in America and married Mark Twain’s daughter, led the Detroit orchestra from 1918 until his death in 1936. Due to the relatively short running time of the Hertz recordings, I have added the complete Gabrilowitsch/Detroit recordings to this program. They display the same kind of dynamic energy, interpretational flair and solid ensemble that distinguished the Hertz/San Francisco sides.
The sources for the transfers were prewar Victor “Z” or “Gold” label pressings for all items except the Rimsky-Korsakov work, which I was only able to locate in an Orthophonic edition. Nearly all of the recordings presented here were plagued by severe pitch problems which I have endeavored to correct in these transfers.
Mark Obert-Thorn
1 RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Capriccio Espagnole, Op. 34 (13:50)
Recorded 21st and 23rd April, 1926 in Oakland
Matrix nos.: PCVE 177-4 and 178-3, and PBVE 172-4 and 179-3
First issued on Victor 6603 and 1185
2 KREISLER: Caprice Viennois, Op. 2 (4:46)
Recorded 24th April, 1926 in Oakland
Matrix no.: PCVE 180-2
First issued on Victor 6586
3 KREISLER (orch. Hertz): Liebesleid (3:37)
Recorded 15th April, 1927 in the Columbia Theatre, San Francisco
Matrix no.: PCVE 251-2
First issued on Victor 6802
4 MOSZKOWSKI (orch. Rehfeld): Serenata, Op. 15, No. 1
(2:06)
5 LUIGINI: Aubade (2:48)
Recorded 15th April, 1927 in the Columbia Theatre, San Francisco
Matrix no.: PCVE 252-1
First issued on Victor 6802
6 GLAZUNOV: Valse de Concert, Op. 47 (7:36)
Recorded 28th February, 1928 in the Scottish Rite Temple, Oakland
Matrix nos.: PCVE 42039-2 and 42040-2
First issued on Victor 6826
San Francisco Symphony Orchestra
conductor Alfred Hertz
7 BRAHMS: Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80 (8:16)
Recorded 16th April, 1928 in Orchestra Hall, Detroit
Matrix nos.: CVE 41972-4 and 41973-2
First issued on Victor 6833
8
BRAHMS: Menuetto I & II (from Serenade No. 1 in D Major, Op. 11)
(4:02)
Recorded 18th April, 1928 in Orchestra Hall, Detroit
Matrix no.: CVE 41978-1
First issued on Victor 6834
9
GLUCK (arr. Mottl): Dance of the Blessed Spirits (from Orfeo ed Euridice)
(4:15)
John Wummer, solo flute
Recorded 17th April, 1928 in Orchestra Hall, Detroit
Matrix no.: CVE 41977-1
First issued on Victor 6834
10 ALTSCHULER: Russian Soldier’s Song (1:09)
11
TCHAIKOVSKY: Marche Miniature (from Suite No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 43)
(2:10)
Recorded 18th April, 1928 in Orchestra Hall, Detroit
Matrix no.: CVE 41979-2
First issued on Victor 6835
12
TCHAIKOVSKY: Waltz (from Serenade for Strings in C Major Op. 48)
(4:19)
Recorded 17th April, 1928 in Orchestra Hall, Detroit
Matrix no.: CVE 41976-1
First issued on Victor 6835
13 CHABRIER: España – Rapsodie (6:13)
Recorded 16th April, 1928 in Orchestra Hall, Detroit
Matrix nos.: BVE 41974-3 and 41975-3
First issued on Victor 1337
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
conductor Ossip Gabrilowitsch
Producer and Audio Restoration Engineer: Mark Obert-Thorn
Special thanks to Don Tait for the loan of some source material
Total duration: 65:06
