Celebrating the centenary of electrical recording – in which microphones amplify sound, producing a more realistic representation of music – we go back-to-shellac: Memorable recordings from the golden age of the 78-rpm record. At this speed, many of the legendary figures of 20th-century classical music documented their artistry and set standards of performance that today’s musicians strive to meet.
Note: Reissues of 78-era recordings come and go. Some discs played on this program are out of print, but the performances still circulate in physical and digital incarnations, whose sound quality ranges from judiciously enhanced to faithfully dim and scratchy. The discs I’ve chosen minimize noise and distortion. Dates of performances are listed.
7-10 p.m. EDT
2300-0200 UTC
WDCE, University of Richmond
90.1 FM
http://wdce.net
Richard Strauss: “Don Juan”
Concertgebouw Orchestra/Willem Mengelberg
(1938)
(Dutton Laboratories)
Rachmaninoff: “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini”
Sergei Rachmaninoff, piano
Philadelphia Orchestra/Leopold Stokowski
(1934)
(RCA)
Gershwin: “An American in Paris”
George Gershwin, celesta
Victor Symphony Orchestra/Nathaniel Shilkret
(1929)
(RCA)
Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor
Jascha Heifetz, violin
London Philharmonic/Thomas Beecham
(1935)
(Warner Classics)
Ernest Bloch: “Schelomo: Rhapsodie Hébraïque”
Emanuel Feuermann, cello
Philadelphia Orchestra/Leopold Stokowski
(1940)
(Biddulph)
Liszt: “Harmonies poétiques et religieuses” – “Funérailles”
Vladimir Horowitz, piano
(1932)
(Warner Classics)
Wagner: “Tristan und Isolde” – Prelude & “Liebestod”
Berlin Philharmonic/Wilhelm Furtwängler
(1938)
(Biddulph)
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in A major
New York Philharmonic/Arturo Toscanini
(1936)
(Pristine Audio)
Chopin: Nocturne in D flat major, Op. 27, No. 2
Dinu Lipatti, piano
(1947)
(Warner Classics)
Letter V 