Toscanini Pathetique Really Stereo This time Last two Mvts

http://members.aol.com/abbedd4/reallytch64.mp3

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Which Cantelli 88? 20 December 1952 (from ASDisc) or 31 January 1954 (from a Music and Arts box)?

I had wondered the same thing, but found the mystery cleared up by an earlier (Oct 16, 1996) posting by Mark Obert-Thorn:

' I've heard the stereo tape of the penultimate Toscanini/NBC concert. The 'Barber of Seville' Overture is not at all bad, (though not up to the standard of his 1929 NYP recording); however, the 'Pathetique' has some serious ensemble problems, and a sluggish March-Scherzo. (The closing pages of the third movement, by the way, were patched in from the stereo rehearsal tape, because the original tape of the broadcast performance had been cut for use in the notorious Living Stereo demo tape which was lost

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The sound of Cantelli's Franck Symphony, taped a scant two days after Toscanini's tragic final performance, is actually pretty darn good.

No date on the CD but it must be the 1954.

Abbedd

Since my copy, has the splice of the rehearsal it leads me to believe that what I have is not off the air, but a copy of the NBC reference master. A later master after the snipping. So they snipped the master tape. They must have kept awake at night thinking of ways to ruin the Toscanini legacy. But Roland Gelatt in High Fidelity raved about the original fake stereo of the Pictures At an Exhibition and the enhanced version of La Mer. Haggin reports that Walter Toscanini was almost tone deaf and therefore not able to protect his Father's musical interest. He had to rely on Gelatt and the other critics. Some critics have perfect ears, no holes.

Abbedd

Regarding Obert-Thorne's remarks:

Where he says, 'The closing pages of the third movement, by the way, were patched in from the stereo rehearsal tape...', he surely meant to say 'mono rehearsal tape'.

I have a copy of this performance from the in-house stereo master tape, and the only serious ensemble problem I hear is in the exposition of the 1st movement, where indeed a real breakdown threatens for a few bars.

I would not call the March-Scherzo 'sluggish'. I find it entirely consistent with Toscanini's approach in this performance, which is radically different from all his previous performances. He told the orchestra during rehearsals that he had never really understood the music until now.

It's difficult to define why I find this the most moving 'Pathetique' I've ever heard. But it is animated by a profoundly different Spirit than what the Maestro brought to his earlier readings: Appolo, rather than Dionysius, perhaps.

There is no effort to dazzle with virtuousity and orchestral pyrotechnics, which Tchaikovsky's writing provides ample opportunities for, and which the NBC Symphony was certainly capable of. The orchestra is never pushed for its maximum volume, velocity, or intensity of phrasing. Rather, there is careful attention to very subtle and precise tonal shadings and balances as a primary conveyance of emotion, and an inner repose and relaxation that appeared in many of Toscanini's live performances in only his last three seasons. (The incredibly spacious, deep, and philosophic Third Brahms from the live broadcast of November 1, 1952 also comes to mind as another example of this relaxation (not the studio recording of a few days later which failed to recapture the spirit, and is one of Toscanini's rare and real 'official release' failures, in my view)).

A really unique view of the 'Pathetique', unlike any other I have heard from anyone.

Cheers!

Brian Stewart

Dave Nee/Other Change of Hobbit wrote:

<snip> <snip> (The Rossini is unissued in any form, AFAIK.) '

The Rossini was issued on Nuova Era 6345 along with other Rossini and Verdi overtures, mostly unissued broadcast material.

Cheers!

Brian Stewart