Toscanini conducts Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" (1938; part 2 of 2)

Click for higher quality audio/video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSUwkUR4i0M&fmt=18

Part 2 of 2; click below for part 1:
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfqTTQj2LnI&fmt=18 (high quality)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfqTTQj2LnI (normal quality)

Toscanini conducts the "Ode to Joy" part of the 4th movement from Beethoven's 9th symphony. The soloists are Vina Bovy, Kerstin Thorborg, Jan Peerce, and Ezio Pinza with the NBC Symphony Orhcestra and Chorus. This is from the February 6, 1938 performance/broadcast I believe in Studio-8H and was Jan Peerce's first of many performances with Toscanini which helped launch his operatic career.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Arturo
• Toscanini
• NBC
• Symphony
• Orchestra
• Chorus
• Vina
• Bovy
• Kerstin
• Thorborg
• Jan
• Peerce
• Ezio
• Pinza
• Beethoven
• Nine
• 4th
• Fourth
• Movement
• Ode
• to
• Joy
• Live
• 1938

[Invisus944]

Oh my God! Where is this from? This sounds SO much better than the Naxos CD of the 1939 concert!

[VinylToVideo]

Per the description, this was February 6, 1938. All Toscanini broadcasts SHOULD sound this good or better since RCA apparently always used state of the art equipment to record him. This one is not a Toscanini approved performance. First released in the 80s on LP I guess; this one on Music & Arts CD 1135; "Toscanini Conducts Beethoven: Treasured Pre-War Performances."

[OldMrGrace]

The best Toscanini material is that which he never even heard, let alone approved. Most of them being regualar concerts and operas.

Is this from Pristine Classical? They have some astonishing Toscanini remasterings available, including a magnificent Mozart Piano Concerto 27 with Serkin in 1936.

[VinylToVideo]

Perhaps but I think Toscanini did hear this recording and it was not approved. The only approved 9th I know of is the 1952 (?) Carnegie Hall performance with Peerce and Farrell which, upon listening to the playback tapes, he declared closest to Beethoven's intention.

[VinylToVideo]

Again, this was released by Music & Arts Programs of America and was remastered in 2004. They've also released the full recording of the 1946 "Traviata" rehearsal which was supposed to be better than the actual performance and is to my knowledge the only full release of that recording.

[SteveAndrewLangford]

Whether you prefer this 1938 recording, or the one from 1952, it's safe to say any Toscanini admirer would vehemently support both as perhaps the greatest two performances of the Ninth ever recorded...but that's just me

[Mozartstavanger]

3 words ... Toscanini and Beethoven!

[VinylToVideo]

I don't care for the '52 recording all the much either but then again I can't say there's a non-Toscanini version I prefer more. They shouldn't have performed it again after the radio broadcast; I think the actual live performance would have been better than a second one afterwords. That's strange; most Toscanini releases were the broadcasts. I'll have to look at my liner notes for that CD; it's one of the few 'official' releases in my collection.

[Invisus944]

Oh my, I had no idea that the 1952 was actually a completely studio-made recording. I'm not a big fan of that recording actually, but Pristine Classical's ambient stereo mastering makes it much more bearable than the standard RCA mono. I'm actually really surprised that that's a studio recording... he's gotten better results live, like here and the 1936 New York. Just my opinion anyway...

[jmccracken1963]

And both of them RE-studied the works they conducted before EVERY time they did them anew, which is why you will find something new and fresh, for better or for worse, in EVERY ONE of their performances. I just wish that Toscanini's performances with the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York in 1942 had been recorded (either in-house or off the radio): quite a Beethoven cycle and QUITE a Berlioz ROMEO ET JULIETTE, too!!!!!

[jmccracken1963]

That recording from 1952 was actually done in "studio" recording sessions in Carnegie Hall after the radio broadcast. That recording is marvelous, but SO IS THIS PERFORMANCE. Wow: what control (not only tempi, but also balance and blend), and what singing and playing. Truly a GREAT performance all around. Thank you VERY MUCH for sharing this with us!!!!!

[Invisus944]

I find it interesting how both Furtwängler and Toscanini both liked their final 9ths the best out of all of them.