Search - Toscanini, Haydn, Respighi :: Toscanini Conducts Gala Concert

Toscanini & the NY Phil in superb sound....at last!

madamemusico | Cincinnati, Ohio USA | 02/07/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It was often said that Toscanini conducted his best performances with the New York Philharmonic. That is stretching the truth a bit in my opinion: he conducted some unforgettable performances with La Scala, the Philharmonia, BBC Symphony (especially that magical Beethoven 6th), and even NBC. But I will admit that, as well as I thought I knew the Maestro's interpretations of these works from other performances, these are his best. Not merely because the New York Philharmonic sounded so great under him--that is a given--but because their response to his direction, and HIS response to their warmth and passion, simply outdo what he could (and did) accomplish with the NBC Symphony. One such example is Siegfried's Funeral March from "Gotterdammerung," in which he builds up his crescendos with awesome power and a depth of feeling I have only heard equalled by Albert Coates or Furtwangler at his best. But the real ear-opener, for me, was this version of "Pini di Roma." The Philharmonic winds and horns are just unbelievably exquisite in this, so much so that you hear colors and details that other recordings--even his own NBC version, which I always thought unsurpassable--simply do not have. And the cleaned-up sound is marvelous; the Respighi and Wagner in particular sound almost like his best hi-fi recordings with NBC. Highly recommended!!"