Toscanini/NBC SO: Brahms Symphony No. 1 Op. 68 - FALP 201 (red/silver) - rare

$

34

redgarnett Store ITEM DESCRIPTION:

This beautiful and very rare LP from La Voix de son Maitre (FALP 201, French pressing, red/silver label – ED1, mono) features Arturo Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra’s powerful account of Brahms’s Symphony No. 1 in C minor Op. 68, recorded in the rich acoustics of New York’s Carnegie Hall on 6 November 1951.

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In reviewing Toscanini’s recordings of Brahms’s Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2, the wonderful critic Lionel Salter wrote in his review for the October 1952 issue of The Gramophone:

“As a second-best for those unable to hear Toscanini's "live" performances of the Brahms symphonies in the Royal Festival Hall, which will have taken place by the time these words appear—and as a permanent reminder for the fortunate others—these records should have a considerable appeal. When they were made I do not know, but despite the great man's advancing years they are as full of fire and finesse as ever. (I am irresistibly reminded of Widor, at the age of nearly ninety, ripping his way through the finale of his Fifth Symphony for H.M.V.). The meticulous care over every detail, the beautiful phrasing and the breadth of line, the rhythmic bite, are hallmarks of the master. It has been claimed that, as an Italian, Toscanini is not the ideal interpreter of Brahms' typically Teutonic genius; but the Second Symphony elicits from him a perfectly appropriate lyricism, and there is not the smallest suggestion of stylistic impropriety in the more virile First. Besides, remembering Furtwängler's wilful exaggerations, is the German spirit necessarily more en rapport? There are, needless to say, none of these distortions here, but instead a choice of tempi which is made to seem inevitable: I would draw attention to the perfect tempo-transitions in the third movement of No. 2. The "bell-chime" horn tune and the trombones' chorale-like passage in the finale of No. 1 are taken slower than usual, and later in the movement the speeds do vary somewhat, but there is the evidence of Brahms' markings to justify this. In the orchestra's playing there is much of great beauty—I instance the glowing 'cello tone in the Adagio of No. 2 and the truly sotto voce quality of the start of the finale; and indeed the only real flaw I can find anywhere is the out-of-tune held A on trumpet and horn at the close of the first movement of the same symphony. Students of Brahms' scores will notice with interest that in No. 1 Toscanini suppresses the viola-and-timpani triplets at the two breakoffs a couple of dozen bars before the end.

“On the technical side these issues are less satisfactory, though never enough seriously to detract from appreciation of the music. The worst fault for me is the extremely sharp pitch at which both works are recorded—I cannot get used to a Brahms' symphony in D sharp—but others without perfect pitch may not be worried by this. I suspect, however, that the consequent increase in speed may be partly responsible for the metallic tone of the strings (the wood-wind suffer less). The quality in general is rather coarse and thick, particularly in forte sections (e.g., in the Allegretto of No. 1 and the finale of No. 2); and the engineers seem to have been reluctant to allow a true p or pp level: the solo violin in the Andante of the First Symphony has been unduly amplified. In the SP version of No. 2 there is an overlap of four bars on the change-over from side 1 to side 2, and of three bars from side 7 to side 8; and in the first movement of No. 1 the gap between sides 2 and 3 comes just at that dramatic change of harmony between the chords of G7 and the 6-4 of B minor, so that Brahms' effect is lost. In these regards, at any rate, the LP issue which is promised is bound to be an improvement.”

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And of Toscanini’s complete RCA Brahms Symphony cycle, the erudite critic T.H. wrote in his review for the May 1959 issue of The Gramophone:

“The reappearance of Toscanini's recordings of all the Brahms symphonies on the R.C.A. label is a most welcome event, for they should never be unavailable. As commercial ramifications are the only reason for their ever being off the market I had intended to give them what I believe is called in book circles a "reviewer's reading", a skim through. But, started on the first, I could not leave these ardent, blazing performances alone. They are wonderful and it is certain that, whatever the claims of other conductors, no Brahms lover should be without these. On their new label they sound very well and one need not fear the unpleasant sound associated with many Toscanini recordings, only the 3rd being less good....”

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Incidentally, the striking cover art was executed by Pierre Leroy. There are insightful liner notes on the reverse side of the jacket by Jean-Marie Grenier, printed in French only.

CONDITION – PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.

The condition of the jacket is VERY GOOD+. There is minor edgewear, more so at corners, as well as light aging, but that is all. There are no seamsplits, bends, owners’ markings, or other defects, and the album remains solid, bright, and highly attractive – overall, a very good collector's copy.

The condition of the LP itself is VERY GOOD+. Though there is surface noise and occasional tics, in general playback remains quite fine. However, those wanting a flawless or near-MINT copy are kindly advised to look elsewhere. Overall, this rates as a very good collector's copy.

PLEASE NOTE:
This LP has been carefully cleaned using a VPI cleaning machine. All LPs are provided with a new Nagaoka (or Nagaoka-style) inner sleeve. The images I've provided are of the actual item you are potentially bidding on - these are not stock images or images I've taken from other sites. Bid with confidence!

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