TOSCANINI CONDUCTS VARIOUS ORCHESTRAS 1929-1952

Works by Schubert, Elgar, Mozart, Rossini, Wagner

CD1

1/01 Symphony No. 9 in C major, D. 944 - I. Andante - Allegro ma non troppo Franz Schubert (1797-1828) The Philadelphia Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 13:04

1/02 Symphony No. 9 in C major, D. 944 - II. Andante con moto Franz Schubert (1797-1828) The Philadelphia Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 12:39

1/03 Symphony No. 9 in C major, D. 944 - III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace - Trio Franz Schubert (1797-1828) The Philadelphia Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 8:38

1/04 Symphony No. 9 in C major, D. 944 - IV. Finale. Allegro vivace Franz Schubert (1797-1828) The Philadelphia Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 11:12

1/05 Enigma Variations Op.36 - Theme (Andante) Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 1:39

1/06 Enigma Variations Op.36 - Variation I. (L'istesso tempo) 'C.A.E.' Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 1:44

1/07 Enigma Variations Op.36 - Variation II. (Alegro) 'H.D.S.P.' Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 0:41

1/08 Enigma Variations Op.36 - Variation III. (Allegetto) 'R.B.T.' Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 1:19

1/09 Enigma Variations Op.36 - Variation IV. (Allegro di molto) 'W.M.B.' Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 0:27

1/10 Enigma Variations Op.36 - Variation V. (Moderato) 'R.P.A.' Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 1:46

1/11 Enigma Variations Op.36 - Variation VI. ( Andanti no) 'Ysobel' Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 1:22

1/12 Enigma Variations Op.36 - Variation VII. (Presto) 'Troyte' Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 0:58

1/13 Enigma Variations Op.36 - Variation VIII. (Alleretto) 'W.N.' Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 1:35

1/14 Enigma Variations Op.36 - Variation IX. (Adagio) 'Nimrod' Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 3:20

1/15 Enigma Variations Op.36 - Variation X. (Intermezzo: Allegretto) 'Dorabella' Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 2:39

1/16 Enigma Variations Op.36 - Variation XI. (Allegro di molto) 'G.R.S.' Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 0:51

1/17 Enigma Variations Op.36 - Variation XII. (Andante) 'B.G.N.' Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 2:29

1/18 Enigma Variations Op.36 - Variation XIII. (Romanz: Moderato) Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 2:48

1/19 Enigma Variations Op.36 - Variation XIV. (Finale: Allegro Presto) 'E.D.U.' Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 5:19

CD2

2/01 Symphony No. 35 'Haffner' in D major, K. 385 - I. Allegro con spirito Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 5:23

2/02 Symphony No. 35 'Haffner' in D major, K. 385 - II. Andante Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 6:52

2/03 Symphony No. 35 'Haffner' in D major, K. 385 - III. Menuetto Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 3:56

2/04 Symphony No. 35 'Haffner' in D major, K. 385 - IV. Presto Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 3:34

2/05 Overture 'La gazza ladra' (The Thieving Magpie) Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) La Scala Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 9:27

2/06 Funeral Music Richard Wagner (1813-1883) Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 8:47

2/07 British National Anthem Richard Wagner (1813-1883) Philharmonia Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 1:02

2/08 Variations on a theme of Haydn Op. 56a (St. Anthony) - Thema. Chorale St. Antoni. Andante Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Philharmonia Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 2:02

2/09 Variations on a theme of Haydn Op. 56a (St. Anthony) - Variation I. Poco più animato (Andante con moto) Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Philharmonia Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 1:10

2/10 Variations on a theme of Haydn Op. 56a (St. Anthony) - Variation II. Più vivace (Vivace) Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Philharmonia Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 0:53

2/11 Variations on a theme of Haydn Op. 56a (St. Anthony) - Variation III. Con moto Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Philharmonia Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 1:39

2/12 Variations on a theme of Haydn Op. 56a (St. Anthony) - Variation IV. Andante con moto (Andante) Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Philharmonia Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 2:03

2/13 Variations on a theme of Haydn Op. 56a (St. Anthony) - Variation V. Vivace (Poco presto) Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Philharmonia Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 0:50

2/14 Variations on a theme of Haydn Op. 56a (St. Anthony) - Variation VI. Vivace Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Philharmonia Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 1:05

2/15 Variations on a theme of Haydn Op. 56a (St. Anthony) - Variation VII. Grazioso Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Philharmonia Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 2:05

2/16 Variations on a theme of Haydn Op. 56a (St. Anthony) - Variation VIII. Presto non troppo (Poco presto) Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Philharmonia Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 0:52

2/17 Variations on a theme of Haydn Op. 56a (St. Anthony) - Finale. Andante Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Philharmonia Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 3:59

2/18 BONUS: Violin Concerto (only surviving fragment) Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) Nathan Milstein (violin), Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) 11:21

This is a wholly exceptional release in the Toscanini recorded legacy, for it contains no fewer than eight performances recorded at various times from 1929 to 1952 in New York, Philadelphia, London, Vienna and La Scala, Milan, with none of the performances being given with 'his' own orchestra, the NBC Symphony. We have rare recordings of the Maestro conducting two British orchestras, the BBC Symphony in Elgar and the Philharmonia Orchestra in Brahms (plus the British national anthem!), alongside the rare Philadelphia Orchestra performance of Schubert's Great C major Symphony, the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York in Mozart's 'Haffner' Symphony, the Vienna Philharmonic in Wagner and the La Scala Orchestra in Rossini - all in all, a wonderful collection of exceptional performances from almost a quarter of a century in the great Maestro's career. In addition, there is a bonus track of a fragment of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto from 1936 with the 22-year-old Nathan Milstein as soloist (only the first movement is missing). Rarissima indeed!

Guild Historical 2cds GHCD2384-85