LP & Tape to CD Transfers - Page 11                                                                    

Charles Munch, Conductor
New York Philharmonic
George Weldon, Conductor
Philharmonia Orchestra*

SAINT SAËNS: Symphony Nº 3 in C Minor, 'Organ'  E. Nies-Berger, organist
D'INDY: Symphony on a French Mountain Air  Robert Casadesus, pianist
FRANCK: Symphonic Variations*   Robert Casadesus, pianist

Overall, the sound is quite good,  the performances are top notch.  Munch gives is a rend ition of the Saint-Saëns that best represents the zest of any concert BSO performance he would often conduct in Boston during his tenure from 1949 to 1962.  The NY Philharmonic plays superbly with great intensity throughout. Casadesus gives us his usually sensitive and committed interpretations. More Charles Munch recordings can be found throughout the catalog. 

$12.00 per CD 
MONO

SIBELIUS: Symphony Nº 5 in E Flat, Op. 82
TCHAIKOVSKY: Romeo & Juliet Overture, 1812 Overture

We learned the Sibelius 5th with this special performance back in the mid 40's.  Rodzinski places his special and insightful stamp on all the works here with taught as well as imaginative treatment of these popular works. Fear not, the 1812 Overture does NOT have that usual cut.  The sound of both Tchaikovsky works is spectacular for the period.  

$12.00 per CD
MONO

 LESLIE JONES Haydn Symphonies Series

Arthur Fiedler, Conductor
Boston Pops Orchestra
 Alec Guinness,  narrator

PROKOFIEV: Peter and the Wolf,   
BRITTEN:  Matinées Musicales
ANDERSON: Irish Suite

      $12.00 per CD
      MONO
 

This Alec Guinness narration of Peter and the Wolf is at the very top.  The Britten and Anderson get superb renditions here with Fiedler conducting the Boston Pops as we best remember it with all its unique traditions.  All recorded in the early 1950's and taken from near mint LPs.   

Quality mp3 audio excerpts here 

"O Tentatrice"
VERDI: Otello, “Ave Maria”
PUCCINI: La Boheme, “Si, mi chiamano Mimi” 
PUCCINI: Manon Lescaut: “Tu, tu amore” with Aureliano Pertile
PUCCINI: Madama Butterfly, “Ancora un passo”
PUCCINI: Madama Butterfly, “Bimba dagli occhi mici” with Pertile
PUCCINI: Madama Butterfly, “Un bel di vedremo”
PUCCINI: Madama Butterfly, “E questo”
VERDI: Otello, “Gia nella notte denza” with Renato Zanelli 
GIORDANO: Andrea Chenier, “Vicino a te"; "La nostra morte” with Pertile
 

     $12.00 per CD
     MONO

These mid to to late 1920's recordings of Margaret Sheridan boast some of the best sound ever achieved on 78 rpm during the early years of electrical recording.  Sheridan was the "darling" of Milan's La Scala Opera at this time along with tenor Aureliano Pertile. "La Sheridan", as she was called in Milan, did not have the best voice but certainly one of the best example of  interpreting the words, something not heard too often these days since the passing of Callas. There is plenty of devotion, and total emersion into the task at hand here and the portamento laden playing of the orchestras adds to a truly special effect of the pre-war opera era.  The La Scala Opera orchestra is conducted by Carlo Sabajno in the duets and the Orchestra of Queens Hall accompanies Sheridan in all the arias. 

   Max Goberman Haydn Symphonies Series

CHOPIN: Polonaise in A-Flat, Op. 53
CHOPIN: Scherzo Nº 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 31
LISZT: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 in D-Flat
LISZT: Mephisto Waltz  
BRAHMS: Intermezzo Nº 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op 117 
BRAHMS: Rhapsody Nº 2 in G Minor, Op. 79 
RACHMANINOFF: Prelude Nº 2 in C Sharp Minor, Op. 3

    $12.00 per CD
MONO

The second recorded LP of Lorin Hollander!  His youthful approach and that legendary, unbelievable technique is in full bloom here.  Beautifully transferred to CD. 

RICHARD WAGNER
  Parsifal: Prelude                                                Rec. 4/4/47 at Symphony Hall
  Parsifal: Good Friday Spell                                Rec. 4/19/46 at Symphony Hall
JEAN SIBELIUS 
  Pohjola’s Daughter                                             Rec. 5/6/36 at Symphony Hall
WALTER PISTON
  Prelude and Allegro for Organ and Orchestra    Rec. 4/25/45 at Symphony Hall
                              E. Power Biggs, Organist
JOHN PHILIP SOUSA
  Stars and Stripes Forever                                   Rec. 4/19/46 at Symphony Hall
  Semper Fidelis                                                   Rec. 4/19/46 at Symphony Hall
SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY (arr.)
  Fair Harvard                                                        Rec. 3/25/37 at Symphony Hall
                             Harvard - Radcliffe Choral Society with BSO and organ.  
 

    $12.00 per CD
     MONO

This CD release can be called a Koussevitzky Potpourri but that would be too cliché and cheapen the contents, especially the Wagner Parsifal music which should rank among the very best ever recorded and on CD for the first time.  The Sibelius is superb!   The Harvard Alma Mater treated by Koussevitzky's arrangement is unusual, a curiosity to be sure.  The Piston is remarkable music and the recording shows off the original 1900 Hutchings Pipe Organ in Boston's Symphony Hall.   

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
Overture to La Clemenza di Tito, KV 621 Rec. 8/17/49  
Overture to Idomeneo, KV 366 Rec. 8/17/49  
Overture to Impresario, K486 Rec. 8/17/49  
Symphony Nº 33 in B-Flat Major, KV 319 Rec. 8/15/46  
Symphony Nº 39 in E-Flat Major, KV 543 Rec. 1/3/45  

Finalmente!  The rest of Koussevitzky's Mozart is now available.  Beautifully transferred from prime yet very rare releases.  

   $12.00 per CD
     MONO

SCHUBERT: Symphony Nº 5 in B-Flat Major  Rec. 4/4/47  
RAVEL: Pavane pour une infante défunte  Rec. 11/4-5/46 
BRAHMS: Academic Festival Overture  Rec. 4/2/47l
SIBELIUS: Symphony Nº 5 in E-Flat Major  Rec. 12/29/36

$12.00 per CD
MONO

These Symphony Hall RCA Victor recordings with Koussevitzky conducting the Boston Symphony have not been well served in all playback media over the years. The Schubert, Ravel and Brahms have been given no attention at all.  Beautiful transfers from rarely played 78 rpm disc sets.  Highly recommended and a must for all Koussy enthusiasts.  

click  LESLIE JONES Haydn Symphonies Series

SCHUBERT: Symphony Nº 8 in B Minor "Unfinished"  
           [Rec. 1945 at Symphony Hall] 
MOZART: Symphony Nº 36 in C Major "Linz"   [Rec. 1949 at Tanglewood] 
PROKOFIEV: Peter and the Wolf    [Rec. 1949 at Tanglewood] 

     $12.00 per CD
    MONO

Would that such a program be scheduled today!   The 1945 Unfinished was one of the top selling recordings  after WW II, The Mozart is typical Koussy but this recording saw little light of day, same for the Prokofiev Peter and the Wolf.   Mrs. Roosevelt is filed with head-tones and sententiousness, becoming a caricature of herself tot he delight of all those who know this recording well.   Balances between her voice and orchestra were poorly done but we were able to fix all.  The playing is incredibly first class throughout.
This is a top seller.

Frederick Fennell Conductor
Eastman Wind Ensemble

ANDREA GABRIELI: Aria della battalglia
GIOVANNI GABRIELI:Sonata octavi toni,
Sonata pian’ e forte,  Canzon duodecimi toni, 
Canzon septimi toni No. 1,  Canzon quarti toni

      $12.00 per CD
    STEREO

Taken from a very hard to find Mercury 35mm Stereo LP, Frederick Fennell departs from his usual fare and presents us with antiphonal brass with organ music from St. Mark's in Venice. The very wide stereo effects caused tracking distortion. All these problems have been overcome by our meticulous transfer process, leaving the wide stereo stage intact. Recorded at the Eastman Auditorium and in one of the Rochester, NY area churches.  
  

Jean Fournet
Conductor
Lamoureux Orchestra 

IBERT: Escales
IBERT: Concertino da Camera - Daniel Deffayet, saxaphone
DEBUSSY: Danse (Orch. Ravel)
SAINT-SAËNS:  Bacchanale from "Samson et Dalila"
THOMAS Raymond Overture
AUBER OVERTURES
Le Domino Noir - Le Cheval de Bonze
Fra Diovolo - La Muette de Portici

    $12.00 per CD
     MONO

Classic Recordings from France and Jean Fournet.  C'est l'esprit français total." Transferred and re-mastered from rarely played Epic LPs. 

Bruno Maderna Conductor
Vienna Symphony Orchestra

MAHLER Symphony Nº 7 In E Minor "Song of the Night"

     $12.00 per CD
     MONO

This 1967 concert recording features one of the more unusual renditions of this enigmatic music. This CD is a must for Mahler enthusiasts, a performance stressing inner woodwind detail. High Quality mp3 audio excerpt here