Album

While collectors of historic recordings will be thrilled by Idis' 2006 double-disc Arturo Toscanini Stereo, these live 1954 recordings by Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 in B minor, "Pathétique," and five orchestral selections from Wagner's operas will create less of a stir among lay listeners. There are several reasons for connoisseurs to snap up this fascinating package, not least because of the phenomenal early stereo reproduction and scrupulous remastering to CD, but also because the music is clear, crisply detailed, and easy to follow, despite the occasional tape glitches, intermittent audience noises, and ever-present background hiss. But listeners who have become accustomed to modern digital reproduction may be disappointed by the imperfections of these analog recordings and distracted enough by them to miss the finer points of the performances. Furthermore, the microphone placement is so close up and intimate—practically in the center of the orchestra in the "Pathétique"—that these recordings at times seem unnaturally dry and airless, with little resonance or sense of space. One needs to be enthusiastic for Toscanini's legendary interpretations to get past these audio obstacles, but admirers of his work with this famous studio orchestra will be utterly impressed with the vigor and passion that he communicated in these final concerts at age 87; his interpretations of Tchaikovsky and Wagner are as intense and full-blooded as any. So putting the sound issues to one side, the obvious significance of these performances and the undeniable excitement of the performances should be sufficient reasons to buy this important collection.

© Blair Sanderson, Rovi

CD 1 of 2
Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky Composer Symphony No.6 in B-, Op.74 ('Pathétique') Work 45:00 Arturo Toscanini Conductor, NBC Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
1	1.Adagio. Allegro non troppo	17:05			$2.99
2	2.Allegro con grazia	8:08			$1.49
3	3.Allegro molto vivace	9:12			$1.49
4	4.Finale: Adagio lamentoso	10:35			$1.99
CD 2 of 2
Richard Wagner Composer Lohengrin (opera), WWV 75...Act 1 Work Arturo Toscanini Conductor, NBC Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
1	1.Vorspiel (Prelude)	8:09			$1.49
Richard Wagner Composer Siegfried (opera), WWV 86c...Act 2 Work Arturo Toscanini Conductor, NBC Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
2	12.Sc.2: Daß der mein Vater nicht ist (with 'Waldweben' or 'Forest Murmurs')	8:37			$1.49
Richard Wagner Composer Götterdämmerung (opera), WWV 86d...Prologue Work Arturo Toscanini Conductor, NBC Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
3	12.Orchesterzwischenspiel: Siegfrieds Rheinfahrt	12:05			$1.99
Richard Wagner Composer Tannhäuser (opera), WWV 70...Scene 1 Work Arturo Toscanini Conductor, NBC Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
4	1.Overture	25:09			$3.99
Richard Wagner Composer Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (opera)...Act 3 Work Arturo Toscanini Conductor, NBC Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
5	1.Prelude	9:09			$1.49