Let's feature a few records led by Artur Rodzinski, a talented conductor of the 20th century who is not well remembered these days. I've been listening to some of the symphonies he recorded with the New York Philharmonic and the Cleveland Orchestra (he was music director of each at different times), and they are worth anyone's time.
Here is an early recording of Rachmaninoff's second symphony, in a strong, sympathetic, perceptive, and persuasive performance by the alert New Yorkers. Rodzinski makes the cuts that were usual at the time.
The recording was made in early 1945 in Carnegie Hall. It was originally issued on 78s, and reissued on Columbia's early budget label Entré, encased in the ungainly cover above. The sound is OK for its time.
Rodzinski was apparently quite a character; there are brief bios on the web, but the best account of his life is the biography written by his wife Halina, Our Two Lives. I read it many years ago and recall it as being very lively.
5 comments:
Thnak you for this entry and the Prokofiev. I've downloaded quite a bit of Rodzinski conducting the Cleveland Orchestra, available on Internet Archive. He was a very fine conductor but unfortunately his decline in popularity had much to do with 1. his greatest recordings being in monaural sound and 2. his abrasive and eccentric personality whihc put off many people. These recordings serve as a reminder of just how strong an intepreter he was (especially of Russian music) and what marvelous results he achieved from his orchestras during his prime.
Dear Buster. Rodzinski conducting Rachmaninov's Second is -to my mind- a defying challenge. I would really you to to re - post this thousand carats document, for the sake of all of us.
My best regards and hoping you have an amazing new year.
Fondly.
Hiram
Hiram - I'll reup the Rodzinski recordings as soon as I get a chance.
Ok Bust. thanks beforehand and happy new year.
Remastered version from mp3 files (Apple format):
https://mega.nz/#!vJMnDITQ!5xAKiubptmVz_EyNI9EW2qAQAH71J65Td4gUgiNb0Ss
http://www81.zippyshare.com/v/hD4mtXdi/file.html
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