TOSCANINI conducts Prokofiev, Debussy, Saint-Saëns, R. Strauss (1950) - PASC208

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TOSCANINI conducts Prokofiev, Debussy, Saint-Saëns, R. Strauss (1950) - PASC208

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Overview

PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 1
DEBUSSY Images: No. 2 - Ibéria
SAINT-SAËNS Danse Macabre
R. STRAUSS Don Juan
Recorded live, 25th March, 1950
Total duration: 57:53

NBC Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Arturo Toscanini

This set contains the following albums:

One of the great Toscanini broadcast concerts of the 1950s

Issued for the first time - a real treat for all music-lovers, in superb sound


This concert recording was sent to me earlier in the year, but it was only very recently that I got around to listening to it properly for the first time - and was immediately blown away by it. In particular, Toscanini's reading of the Classical Symphony by Prokofiev came as a revelation to me. It's not a work I have in any other Toscanini reading, but if this live performance is anything to go by it's something I need to investigate immediately!

But perhaps this recording will suffice. Throughout the concert both conductor and orchestra are on top form, and I've rarely heard Studio 8H sounding as fabulous as it does here. The source recording was fine, if a little boxy and shrill at times, but XR remastering has done more than just cure these - it's really opened out the whole sound of the orchestra, something further enhanced by the Ambient Stereo processing available should you choose these options on CD or FLAC download orders. I'd certainly recommend it!

Andrew Rose

  1. Introduction to concert (0:17) - Announcer: Ben Grauer

    PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 1 "Classical" in D, Op. 25
  2. 1st mvt. - Allegro (3:37)
  3. 2nd mvt. - Larghetto (3:52)
  4. 3rd mvt. - Gavotte (1:34)
  5. 4th mvt. - Molto vivace (4:50)

    DEBUSSY Images: No. 2 - Ibéria
  6. 1st mvt. - Par les rues et par les chemins (7:05)
  7. 2nd mvt. - Les parfums de la nuit (6:34)
  8. 3rd mvt. - Le matin d'un jour de fête (4:50)

  9. Saint-Saëns Danse macabre in G minor, Op.40 (7:33)

  10. R. STRAUSS Don Juan, Op. 20 (17:41)


The NBC Symphony Orchestra
conductor Arturo Toscanini

Broadcast from Studio 8H, 25th March 1950

XR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, December 2009
Cover artwork based on a photograph of Toscanini during his summer tour of 1950
Total duration: 57:53