Manfred in Indianapolis

Here by request is Tchaikovsky's Manfred in an early recording from the Indianapolis Symphony and Fabien Sevitzky.

This is another one of the LPs that RCA issued on its low-price Camden label using a pseudonym. In this case it transported the US Midwest to the south of England, turning the Indianapolis band into the Sussex Symphony.

This recording was made in January 1942, at the same time as recordings of music by Harl McDonald and Leo Sowerby, which were never issued. Sevitzky programmed American music quite extensively.

Similar to the feelings about Stokowski, opinions were divided about Sevitzky, with some thinking he was a charlatan, others an effective conductor. The performance here is good and well recorded - although it also can be tentative and the strings do not sound especially glamorous. There also is some pitch instability, possibly introduced in the transfer via tape to LP.

Regardless, I enjoyed the experience a great deal, and will be transferring the same forces' recording of Tchaikovsky's first symphony at a later date.

REMASTERED VERSION (JUNE 2014)