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Back by popular demand, The Toscanini Collection is a reissue of RCA's 1992 compendium that encompassed all of the recordings Toscanini made with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and NBC Symphony. A new addition to this amazing collection is his approved recordings with the BBC Symphony from the 1930s that were not included in the 1992 edition. This limited-edition package is the complete RCA Toscanini Collection on 84 CDs plus a bonus DVD, "The Maestro." The deluxe hardcover book contains liner notes by Toscanini biographers Mortimer F. Frank and Michael Stegemann. From the Maestro's acoustic recordings of 1920-21 with La Scala orchestra, to his 1954 retirement, The Toscanini Collection spans all the years in which Toscanini's career veered away from the opera house as it moved exclusively to the concert hall. As with his NBC broadcasts and recordings, the BBC and Philadelphia accounts disprove the specious notion that Arturo Toscanini was always the same from one performance of a given work to the next.
The BBC recordings have special value for occurring in Queen's Hall, acoustically London's finest concert venue. Particularly interesting are three NBC performances of Beethoven's Eroica Symphony, two from broadcasts (October 28, 1939 and December 6, 1953), and the third from a 1949 Carnegie Hall recording session. With each performance being somewhat different from the other, they serve as a reminder of how Toscanini was invariably rethinking his approach to a particular work.
There are 72 volumes, however 11 of the volumes contain 2 discs and 1 of the volumes contains 3 discs, making it a total of 85 discs.
The BBC recordings have special value for occurring in Queen's Hall, acoustically London's finest concert venue. Particularly interesting are three NBC performances of Beethoven's Eroica Symphony, two from broadcasts (October 28, 1939 and December 6, 1953), and the third from a 1949 Carnegie Hall recording session. With each performance being somewhat different from the other, they serve as a reminder of how Toscanini was invariably rethinking his approach to a particular work.
There are 72 volumes, however 11 of the volumes contain 2 discs and 1 of the volumes contains 3 discs, making it a total of 85 discs.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
146 of 149 people found the following review helpful
By John Fowler
Format:Audio CD
When I was a "youth" in Chicago in the sixties, EMI used to infuriate American teens by making us wait several weeks before releasing the US version of each new Beatles album (creating a black-market for imported LPs).
The record companies are still at it: This time Sony released the Toscanini Collection in the UK in April, but made us Yanks wait until July.
This turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
The first UK pressings had a major screw-up that was avoidable.
In 1992 RCA/BMG released the first 82 CD Toscanini Collection.
That is the template upon which the new Toscanini Collection was assembled.
In 1999 RCA/BMG issued twelve 2 CD sets of Toscanini in new, 20-bit transfers. Most people thought these were an improvement over the 16-bit transfers of 1992. *
In 2006 Toscanini's Philadelphia Orchestra recordings were issued in new transfers.
Finally in 2008 Sony Japan issued 15 CDs worth of transfers on Japanese JVC XRCDs [most of this material overlapped with the 1999 20-bit transfers]. JVC XRCDs are highly valued by collectors - I could never afford them.
If you're adding this up, approximately one third of the 1992 set was re-done in new and improved transfers.
Of course, in an ideal world, someone would have re-mastered the remaining 2/3 using the latest technology, but this is not an ideal world.
GOOD NEWS: Sony took the 1992 Collection as a template, and inserted the new and improved masterings onto the appropriate CDs. Can't complain about that.
GOOD NEWS: The price is unbelievably low.
In 1992, the 82 CD box sold for $1200. Today the 84 CD + 1 DVD box sells for $125. This is simply amazing.
Every civilized person should own this set.
A Monument to Western Civilization.
*******************************************************************************************************************
BAD NEWS: ATTENTION UK READERS. This is the most serious blunder.
In the first batch of pressings released in the UK and Europe, the 1949 studio recording of Beethoven's Symphony 3 "Eroica" was MISSING.
The 1949 Eroica was supposed to be on CD1.
Instead, the 1953 broadcast appeared twice: on CD1 (mislabeled as 1949) and on CD29 (where it belongs).
[For a detailed explanation of how this came to be, see the comments section at the end of this review - comment dated July 10, 2012].
If you need a quick test of whether you have the 1949 or 1953 Eroica, there is a 20 second difference in the timings of the first movement:
1949 = 13:46
1953 = 14:06
Also, the engineer retained audience noise between movements of the 1953 performance.
This is most audible between movements 3 and 4.
The missing 1949 Eroica on CD1 was corrected in later pressings, including the North American release.
If you have the bad CD1, and ordered it from Amazon UK, contact http://amazon.co.uk to see about getting a replacement CD1.
If you ordered from an independent dealer, there is no uniform replacement policy.
Contact your dealer: you may have to return the entire 84 CD box, and get a new 84 CD box. Wasteful stupidity.
To date, Sony has been ignoring customer's inquiries.
[Past experience: My 60 CD Bernstein Symphony Edition came with one missing CD and two duplicate CDs.
I tried to contact Sony to arrange an exchange of CDs, but they would not acknowledge my existence.
Ended up returning the whole 60 CD box in exchange for a new 60 CD box. Stupid.]
*********************************************************************************************************************
GOOD NEWS: It comes with a nice book of essays about Toscanini and lots of nice photographs.
In 1992, RCA published a booklet with discographical index to the contents of all 82 CDs, but it was a limited edition.
Today the discographical index is included in the book.
This is important, as the published order of recordings was not and is not alphabetical or chronological.
BAD NEWS: The 1992 program notes are no longer included. They were a model of their kind.
GOOD NEWS: You can get them in book form: "Arturo Toscanini: The NBC Years" by Mortimer H. Frank (Amadeus Press, 2002).
It even includes a critical discography cued to the volumes in the old Collection, which are the same volumes as the new Collection.
BAD NEWS: No librettos for the operas and vocal works. This was predictable. Still sad.
BADDISH NEWS: Sony decided to slavishly copy the published sequence of the 1992 edition.
This is taking "original jacket" mania to a ridiculous extreme.
They are not even "original jackets".
Toscanini died in 1957, but the totally arbitrary published order of the 1992 Complete Edition must be respected. Why?
Why not issue the CDs in alphabetical order by composer?
Or chronologically by date of composition (Bach through Shostakovich)?
Or by date of recording (1920 to 1954)?
BAD NEWS: The DVD "Toscanini: The Maestro" features a censored version of Toscanini's wartime film of Verdi's "Hymn of the Nations."
Toscanini's wartime film of Verdi's composition expanded Verdi's original, which combined the national anthems of France, Great Britain and Italy, to include the anthems of the Soviet Union (the Internationale) and the United States (the Star-Spangled Banner).
The unabridged audio of the performance is on CD 63, but the DVD of the film eliminates the Soviet anthem entirely.
Actually, this is not Sony's fault - RCA did the censoring back in the 80's when the work was prepared for VHS release.
GOOD NEWS: The complete, uncensored "Hymn of the Nations" is available on DVD.
It was a production of the U.S. Government Department of War Information, so its in the public domain.
If you want to see as well as hear Toscanini conducting the Soviet National Anthem, do a google search for "Berkshire Record Outlet".
Click on "Search Catalog". Under "Keywords" enter "Toscanini", then check the box next to "DVD", then click "Search".
If you're lucky, you will find a 2 DVD-R set on the PDVD label (#PDVD2) titled "Great Conductors" selling for $14.95.
On DVD2, at 13:26 of track 8, you will both see and hear Arturo Toscanini conducting the Soviet National Anthem (Internationale).
I was never a fan of the Soviet Union, but they had a nice anthem. **
BAD NEWS: I completely missed this the first time. The Overture to L'Italiana in Algeri on CD 47 has a truncated openning.
Rossini wrote 21 soft pizzicatti in three groups of six and one group of three: 1-2-3..4-5-6.....1-2-3..4-5-6.....1-2-3..4-5-6.....1-2-3...Orchestra tutti!
CD 47 omitts the first 6 pizzicatti: 1-2-3..4-5-6.....1-2-3..4-5-6.....1-2-3...Orchestra tutti!
The old CD from 1992 is OK; the problem came with the 1999 remastering. I'm surprised no one noticed it until now.
Actually, the abbreviated opening doesn't sound as "wrong" as one might think.
I doubt if Sony will remaster CD 47, but if they do, I'd appreciate it if someone would post a notice in the comments at the end of this review.
DISAPPOINTING NEWS: In their original press release, Sony promised that they would include 2 CDs of previously unreleased Toscanini performances with the BBC Symphony.
That is not the case: These are the same BBC recordings that Biddulph and Naxos have already issued (still nice to have).
ANNOYING NEWS: The 2CD and 3 CD sets are hard to open. Hard to describe the problem, but you'll know what I mean when you handle one.
I have found a drastic solution which works quite well: I used a paper cutter to trim 1/16 of an inch off the two sealed ends.
So long as you have a nice straight cut, it looks totally professional (don't use scissors).
IN SUMMATION: Despite some real problems (especially in the UK), you really should get this set. Especially at the insanely low price.
* It is the majority critical opinion that the new transfers are an improvement over 1992.
I am not going to express an opinion.
I just remembered that I am 63 years old (I try to forget).
I think my hearing is just fine, but that is probably not the case.
After age 50, people gradually loose their ability to hear high frequencies.
Even so, it sounds good to me - always remembering that the originals are 58-92 years old.
** The 2 DVD set also contains videos of other famous conductors. Including the only known existing footage of Leo Borchard.
If you don't know the name, he was Music Director of the Berlin Philharmonic for six weeks in 1945 (until he was accidently shot by an American soldier). He succeeded Furtwangler and was succeeded by Celibidache, who was succeeded by Furtwangler (again).
OK, the American soldier didn't "accidently" shoot Leo Borchard.
Borchard was a passenger in a car that ran a roadblock in occupied Berlin.
Moral: Always stop for roadblocks.
The record companies are still at it: This time Sony released the Toscanini Collection in the UK in April, but made us Yanks wait until July.
This turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
The first UK pressings had a major screw-up that was avoidable.
In 1992 RCA/BMG released the first 82 CD Toscanini Collection.
That is the template upon which the new Toscanini Collection was assembled.
In 1999 RCA/BMG issued twelve 2 CD sets of Toscanini in new, 20-bit transfers. Most people thought these were an improvement over the 16-bit transfers of 1992. *
In 2006 Toscanini's Philadelphia Orchestra recordings were issued in new transfers.
Finally in 2008 Sony Japan issued 15 CDs worth of transfers on Japanese JVC XRCDs [most of this material overlapped with the 1999 20-bit transfers]. JVC XRCDs are highly valued by collectors - I could never afford them.
If you're adding this up, approximately one third of the 1992 set was re-done in new and improved transfers.
Of course, in an ideal world, someone would have re-mastered the remaining 2/3 using the latest technology, but this is not an ideal world.
GOOD NEWS: Sony took the 1992 Collection as a template, and inserted the new and improved masterings onto the appropriate CDs. Can't complain about that.
GOOD NEWS: The price is unbelievably low.
In 1992, the 82 CD box sold for $1200. Today the 84 CD + 1 DVD box sells for $125. This is simply amazing.
Every civilized person should own this set.
A Monument to Western Civilization.
*******************************************************************************************************************
BAD NEWS: ATTENTION UK READERS. This is the most serious blunder.
In the first batch of pressings released in the UK and Europe, the 1949 studio recording of Beethoven's Symphony 3 "Eroica" was MISSING.
The 1949 Eroica was supposed to be on CD1.
Instead, the 1953 broadcast appeared twice: on CD1 (mislabeled as 1949) and on CD29 (where it belongs).
[For a detailed explanation of how this came to be, see the comments section at the end of this review - comment dated July 10, 2012].
If you need a quick test of whether you have the 1949 or 1953 Eroica, there is a 20 second difference in the timings of the first movement:
1949 = 13:46
1953 = 14:06
Also, the engineer retained audience noise between movements of the 1953 performance.
This is most audible between movements 3 and 4.
The missing 1949 Eroica on CD1 was corrected in later pressings, including the North American release.
If you have the bad CD1, and ordered it from Amazon UK, contact http://amazon.co.uk to see about getting a replacement CD1.
If you ordered from an independent dealer, there is no uniform replacement policy.
Contact your dealer: you may have to return the entire 84 CD box, and get a new 84 CD box. Wasteful stupidity.
To date, Sony has been ignoring customer's inquiries.
[Past experience: My 60 CD Bernstein Symphony Edition came with one missing CD and two duplicate CDs.
I tried to contact Sony to arrange an exchange of CDs, but they would not acknowledge my existence.
Ended up returning the whole 60 CD box in exchange for a new 60 CD box. Stupid.]
*********************************************************************************************************************
GOOD NEWS: It comes with a nice book of essays about Toscanini and lots of nice photographs.
In 1992, RCA published a booklet with discographical index to the contents of all 82 CDs, but it was a limited edition.
Today the discographical index is included in the book.
This is important, as the published order of recordings was not and is not alphabetical or chronological.
BAD NEWS: The 1992 program notes are no longer included. They were a model of their kind.
GOOD NEWS: You can get them in book form: "Arturo Toscanini: The NBC Years" by Mortimer H. Frank (Amadeus Press, 2002).
It even includes a critical discography cued to the volumes in the old Collection, which are the same volumes as the new Collection.
BAD NEWS: No librettos for the operas and vocal works. This was predictable. Still sad.
BADDISH NEWS: Sony decided to slavishly copy the published sequence of the 1992 edition.
This is taking "original jacket" mania to a ridiculous extreme.
They are not even "original jackets".
Toscanini died in 1957, but the totally arbitrary published order of the 1992 Complete Edition must be respected. Why?
Why not issue the CDs in alphabetical order by composer?
Or chronologically by date of composition (Bach through Shostakovich)?
Or by date of recording (1920 to 1954)?
BAD NEWS: The DVD "Toscanini: The Maestro" features a censored version of Toscanini's wartime film of Verdi's "Hymn of the Nations."
Toscanini's wartime film of Verdi's composition expanded Verdi's original, which combined the national anthems of France, Great Britain and Italy, to include the anthems of the Soviet Union (the Internationale) and the United States (the Star-Spangled Banner).
The unabridged audio of the performance is on CD 63, but the DVD of the film eliminates the Soviet anthem entirely.
Actually, this is not Sony's fault - RCA did the censoring back in the 80's when the work was prepared for VHS release.
GOOD NEWS: The complete, uncensored "Hymn of the Nations" is available on DVD.
It was a production of the U.S. Government Department of War Information, so its in the public domain.
If you want to see as well as hear Toscanini conducting the Soviet National Anthem, do a google search for "Berkshire Record Outlet".
Click on "Search Catalog". Under "Keywords" enter "Toscanini", then check the box next to "DVD", then click "Search".
If you're lucky, you will find a 2 DVD-R set on the PDVD label (#PDVD2) titled "Great Conductors" selling for $14.95.
On DVD2, at 13:26 of track 8, you will both see and hear Arturo Toscanini conducting the Soviet National Anthem (Internationale).
I was never a fan of the Soviet Union, but they had a nice anthem. **
BAD NEWS: I completely missed this the first time. The Overture to L'Italiana in Algeri on CD 47 has a truncated openning.
Rossini wrote 21 soft pizzicatti in three groups of six and one group of three: 1-2-3..4-5-6.....1-2-3..4-5-6.....1-2-3..4-5-6.....1-2-3...Orchestra tutti!
CD 47 omitts the first 6 pizzicatti: 1-2-3..4-5-6.....1-2-3..4-5-6.....1-2-3...Orchestra tutti!
The old CD from 1992 is OK; the problem came with the 1999 remastering. I'm surprised no one noticed it until now.
Actually, the abbreviated opening doesn't sound as "wrong" as one might think.
I doubt if Sony will remaster CD 47, but if they do, I'd appreciate it if someone would post a notice in the comments at the end of this review.
DISAPPOINTING NEWS: In their original press release, Sony promised that they would include 2 CDs of previously unreleased Toscanini performances with the BBC Symphony.
That is not the case: These are the same BBC recordings that Biddulph and Naxos have already issued (still nice to have).
ANNOYING NEWS: The 2CD and 3 CD sets are hard to open. Hard to describe the problem, but you'll know what I mean when you handle one.
I have found a drastic solution which works quite well: I used a paper cutter to trim 1/16 of an inch off the two sealed ends.
So long as you have a nice straight cut, it looks totally professional (don't use scissors).
IN SUMMATION: Despite some real problems (especially in the UK), you really should get this set. Especially at the insanely low price.
* It is the majority critical opinion that the new transfers are an improvement over 1992.
I am not going to express an opinion.
I just remembered that I am 63 years old (I try to forget).
I think my hearing is just fine, but that is probably not the case.
After age 50, people gradually loose their ability to hear high frequencies.
Even so, it sounds good to me - always remembering that the originals are 58-92 years old.
** The 2 DVD set also contains videos of other famous conductors. Including the only known existing footage of Leo Borchard.
If you don't know the name, he was Music Director of the Berlin Philharmonic for six weeks in 1945 (until he was accidently shot by an American soldier). He succeeded Furtwangler and was succeeded by Celibidache, who was succeeded by Furtwangler (again).
OK, the American soldier didn't "accidently" shoot Leo Borchard.
Borchard was a passenger in a car that ran a roadblock in occupied Berlin.
Moral: Always stop for roadblocks.
55 of 56 people found the following review helpful
By Moonfish
Format:Audio CD
I have been listening through this intriguing collection over the last few months (got it from the UK) as I am a newcomer to Toscanini's vast number of recordings. My musical journey has been quite enjoyable and amazing. The quality of the recordings (depending on the year) are very good and the performances are indeed enticing. This is truly a bargain in terms of getting a broad spectrum exposure to major works through Toscanini's perspective. The Toscanini box is a great set for beginners, collectors as well as (obviously) the countless Toscanini fans! I will return to these recordings on a regular basis! A bargain that comes highly recommended!
In terms of packaging I am quite satisfied with the sturdy rectangular box with each cd in a cardboard sleeve that details the contents on its back-cover. The front covers of the cds contain an endless variation of the maestro himself in black and white photos. The lid of the box lifts straight up, which allows one to scan the content quickly as the content is printed on the edge of each cd sleeve. They stack nicely and sturdily next to each other. No complaints as long as one removes and inserts the cds carefully.
Enjoy!
Brief outline of content [from JPC]:
Beethoven: Symphonien Nr. 1-9; Leonore-Ouvertüren Nr. 2 & 3;
Septett op. 20; Egmont-Ouvertüre op. 84; Violinkonzert op. 61;
Klavierkonzerte Nr. 1, 3, 4; Weihe des Hauses-Ouvertüre;
Coriolan-Ouvertüre; Geschöpfe des Prometheus-Ouvertüre;
Fidelio; Missa solemnis op. 123
+Brahms: Symphonien Nr. 1-4; Akademische Festouvertüre
op. 80; Tragische Ouvertüre op. 81; Haydn-Variationen op. 56a;
Konzert für Violine, Cello, Orchester op. 120; Serenade
Nr. 2; Klavierkonzert Nr. 2; Liebeslieder-Walzer op. 52;
Schicksalslied op. 89
+Mozart: Symphonien Nr. 35, 39-41; Ouvertüren zu Figaro & Don Giovanni; Fagottkonzert KV 191; Divertimento Nr. 15
+Haydn: Symphonien Nr. 88, 94, 98, 99, 101; Sinfonia
concertante H1: 105
+Schubert: Symphonien Nr. 5, 8, 9
+Schumann: Symphonie Nr. 4; Manfred-Ouvertüre
+Weber: Freischütz-Ouvertüre; Oberon-Ouvertüre;
Aufforderung zum Tanz
+Mendelssohn: Symphonien Nr. 4 & 5; Sommernachtstraum op. 21
& 61; Oktett op. 20
+Tschaikowsky: Symphonie Nr. 6; Nussknacker-Suite;
Manfred-Symphonie op. 58; Romeo & Julia; Klavierkonzert Nr. 1
+Franck: Symphonie d-moll; Psyche Nr. 4
+Saint-Saens: Symphonie Nr. 3 "Orgelsymphonie"; Danse
macabre
+Dvorak: Symphonie Nr. 9
+Sibelius: Symphonie Nr. 2; Pojolas Tochter; Der Schwan von
Tuonela; Finlandia
+Schostakowitsch: Symphonien Nr. 1 & 7
+Kodaly: Hary Janos-Suite
+Smetana: Die Moldau
+Cherubini: Symphonie D-Dur; Ali Baba-Ouvertüre
+Cimarosa: Matrimonio segreto-Ouvertüre; Matrimonio per
raggiro-Ouvertüre
+Prokofieff: Symphonie Nr. 1
+Glinka: Kamarinskaya
+Liadov: Kikimora
+Strawinsky: Petruschka (Ausz.)
+Strauss: Don Quixote; Tod & Verklärung; Don Juan; Till
Eulenspiegel; Schleiertanz aus Salome
+Wagner: Siegfried-Idyll; Orchesterstücke, Arien & Szenen
+Berlioz: Harold en Italie; Romeo & Juliette; Römischer
Karneval; Rakoczy Marsch
+Bizet: L'Arlesienne-Suite; Carmen-Suite
+Mussorgsky: Bilder einer Ausstellung
+Elgar: Enigma-Variations
+Debussy: La mer; Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune;
Iberia; Nuages; Fetes
+Gershwin: An American in Paris
+Sousa: El Capitan; Stars and Stripes forever
+Grofe: Grand Canyon Suite
+Barber: Adagio for Strings
+Ravel: Daphnis & Chloe-Suite Nr. 2
+Dukas: Der Zauberlehrling
+Gluck: Iphigenie-Ouvertüre;: Reigen seliger Geister
+Rossini: Ouvertüren zu L'Italiana, Signor Bruschino,
Barbier, Cenerentola, Gazza ladra, Siege de Corinthe,
Semiramide, W. Tell
+Puccini: La Boheme
+Verdi: Aida; Falstaff; Otello; Un Ballo in Maschera; La
Traviata; Requiem; Te Deum
In terms of packaging I am quite satisfied with the sturdy rectangular box with each cd in a cardboard sleeve that details the contents on its back-cover. The front covers of the cds contain an endless variation of the maestro himself in black and white photos. The lid of the box lifts straight up, which allows one to scan the content quickly as the content is printed on the edge of each cd sleeve. They stack nicely and sturdily next to each other. No complaints as long as one removes and inserts the cds carefully.
Enjoy!
Brief outline of content [from JPC]:
Beethoven: Symphonien Nr. 1-9; Leonore-Ouvertüren Nr. 2 & 3;
Septett op. 20; Egmont-Ouvertüre op. 84; Violinkonzert op. 61;
Klavierkonzerte Nr. 1, 3, 4; Weihe des Hauses-Ouvertüre;
Coriolan-Ouvertüre; Geschöpfe des Prometheus-Ouvertüre;
Fidelio; Missa solemnis op. 123
+Brahms: Symphonien Nr. 1-4; Akademische Festouvertüre
op. 80; Tragische Ouvertüre op. 81; Haydn-Variationen op. 56a;
Konzert für Violine, Cello, Orchester op. 120; Serenade
Nr. 2; Klavierkonzert Nr. 2; Liebeslieder-Walzer op. 52;
Schicksalslied op. 89
+Mozart: Symphonien Nr. 35, 39-41; Ouvertüren zu Figaro & Don Giovanni; Fagottkonzert KV 191; Divertimento Nr. 15
+Haydn: Symphonien Nr. 88, 94, 98, 99, 101; Sinfonia
concertante H1: 105
+Schubert: Symphonien Nr. 5, 8, 9
+Schumann: Symphonie Nr. 4; Manfred-Ouvertüre
+Weber: Freischütz-Ouvertüre; Oberon-Ouvertüre;
Aufforderung zum Tanz
+Mendelssohn: Symphonien Nr. 4 & 5; Sommernachtstraum op. 21
& 61; Oktett op. 20
+Tschaikowsky: Symphonie Nr. 6; Nussknacker-Suite;
Manfred-Symphonie op. 58; Romeo & Julia; Klavierkonzert Nr. 1
+Franck: Symphonie d-moll; Psyche Nr. 4
+Saint-Saens: Symphonie Nr. 3 "Orgelsymphonie"; Danse
macabre
+Dvorak: Symphonie Nr. 9
+Sibelius: Symphonie Nr. 2; Pojolas Tochter; Der Schwan von
Tuonela; Finlandia
+Schostakowitsch: Symphonien Nr. 1 & 7
+Kodaly: Hary Janos-Suite
+Smetana: Die Moldau
+Cherubini: Symphonie D-Dur; Ali Baba-Ouvertüre
+Cimarosa: Matrimonio segreto-Ouvertüre; Matrimonio per
raggiro-Ouvertüre
+Prokofieff: Symphonie Nr. 1
+Glinka: Kamarinskaya
+Liadov: Kikimora
+Strawinsky: Petruschka (Ausz.)
+Strauss: Don Quixote; Tod & Verklärung; Don Juan; Till
Eulenspiegel; Schleiertanz aus Salome
+Wagner: Siegfried-Idyll; Orchesterstücke, Arien & Szenen
+Berlioz: Harold en Italie; Romeo & Juliette; Römischer
Karneval; Rakoczy Marsch
+Bizet: L'Arlesienne-Suite; Carmen-Suite
+Mussorgsky: Bilder einer Ausstellung
+Elgar: Enigma-Variations
+Debussy: La mer; Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune;
Iberia; Nuages; Fetes
+Gershwin: An American in Paris
+Sousa: El Capitan; Stars and Stripes forever
+Grofe: Grand Canyon Suite
+Barber: Adagio for Strings
+Ravel: Daphnis & Chloe-Suite Nr. 2
+Dukas: Der Zauberlehrling
+Gluck: Iphigenie-Ouvertüre;: Reigen seliger Geister
+Rossini: Ouvertüren zu L'Italiana, Signor Bruschino,
Barbier, Cenerentola, Gazza ladra, Siege de Corinthe,
Semiramide, W. Tell
+Puccini: La Boheme
+Verdi: Aida; Falstaff; Otello; Un Ballo in Maschera; La
Traviata; Requiem; Te Deum
47 of 48 people found the following review helpful
By Bruce Eder
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I've only just started going through this voluminous set, which I received from Amazon on July 5 (I had pre-ordered it, and it was shipped on the 3rd, which was the official release date until that date actually arrived, and then was moved to the 10th). So far, everything appears to be in order -- the 1949 Eroica opens the whole collection on Disc 1, exactly as it should, and it sounds absolutely glorious (I haven't looked to see if the makers finally gave it the 20-bit remastering treatment promised and not delivered circa 1999). And one thing they definitely did repair was the NBC Symphony recording of the Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 which, in the 1992 CD series, had audible gouges in the source that made listening a rather painful experience. The Japanese reissue of that performance had no untoward surface noise, but there hasn't been time to compare that with what's here -- but they have remastered this recording from a proper source, if possibly not the same source as the Japanese reissue. The Fidelio even gives us some spatial relationships and room ambience between the singers, not bad for a pre-tape-era recording.
As to the overall virtues of the set, for anyone who needs convincing -- and this comes from someone who grew up highly doubtful about the worth of Toscanini's recordings -- some of those performances, such as his 1936 Beethoven Seventh with the Philharmonic, the 1949 Eroica, the Grofe Grand Canyon Suite (no, I'm not joking -- he gets the NBC Symphony to play it like real music, and lo, and behold, IT IS!!!), the Rossini overtures, the Boheme, and all of the Verdi, plus a lot of the Beethoven -- have seldom been equaled. And it's ALL worth owning. The producers, beyond the structural flaws delineated by other reviewers, seem to have gotten this one right -- maybe the 1992 CD art hardly constitutes "original jackets," but they had to use something, and if it helped make this project more viable in some way, bravo! And it is a bargain, at anything less than $200 (for those with short memories, back in 1992, the original collection -- which had a lot of sonic deficiencies that have been fixed here -- went for over $1000, and took up a lot more space, although the earlier editions, from 1992 and 1999, also contained extensive essays in each individual volume authored by classical music critic/scholars Harris Goldsmith and Mortimer H. Frank, which are not present in this collection).
One should also point out that, despite the thorough nature of this collection, it will still be necessary even for the non-completist to move beyond this box. There were any number of broadcast performances that, for whatever reason, Toscanini never authorized for commercial release in his lifetime. His estate has granted Testament Records access to several volumes of these, and beyond the legitimate, licensed material, there are some issues by Guild, Music & Art, and other labels that fill out a few major gaps in Toscanini's library (perhaps most notably the Brahms Requiem).
As to the overall virtues of the set, for anyone who needs convincing -- and this comes from someone who grew up highly doubtful about the worth of Toscanini's recordings -- some of those performances, such as his 1936 Beethoven Seventh with the Philharmonic, the 1949 Eroica, the Grofe Grand Canyon Suite (no, I'm not joking -- he gets the NBC Symphony to play it like real music, and lo, and behold, IT IS!!!), the Rossini overtures, the Boheme, and all of the Verdi, plus a lot of the Beethoven -- have seldom been equaled. And it's ALL worth owning. The producers, beyond the structural flaws delineated by other reviewers, seem to have gotten this one right -- maybe the 1992 CD art hardly constitutes "original jackets," but they had to use something, and if it helped make this project more viable in some way, bravo! And it is a bargain, at anything less than $200 (for those with short memories, back in 1992, the original collection -- which had a lot of sonic deficiencies that have been fixed here -- went for over $1000, and took up a lot more space, although the earlier editions, from 1992 and 1999, also contained extensive essays in each individual volume authored by classical music critic/scholars Harris Goldsmith and Mortimer H. Frank, which are not present in this collection).
One should also point out that, despite the thorough nature of this collection, it will still be necessary even for the non-completist to move beyond this box. There were any number of broadcast performances that, for whatever reason, Toscanini never authorized for commercial release in his lifetime. His estate has granted Testament Records access to several volumes of these, and beyond the legitimate, licensed material, there are some issues by Guild, Music & Art, and other labels that fill out a few major gaps in Toscanini's library (perhaps most notably the Brahms Requiem).
Most Recent Customer Reviews
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An Incredible legacy...
My wife bought me this for my birthday. I thought I knew quite a few of these recordings. Not so. I hadn't scratched the surface. Read more
Published 1 month ago by J. Bevan
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Toscanini collection is outstanding!
I have always considered Toscanini to be the ultimate classical conductor, which very few others can approach. However, many of his records have been very difficult to find. Read more
Published 3 months ago by David Gough
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Published 3 months ago by Stephen J. Fundock
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real music
I can not believe the price I paid for this set !!!!!!!! It is truly worth a fortune to any one who enjoys MUSIC, not noise. I DO recomend this MUSIC to any one!!!!
Published 4 months ago by jackie brown
5.0 out of 5 stars
A bargain at any price but.....WOW when it's on sale!
What a incredible set. I will not repeat what many of the more knowledgable reviewers have already written. I will say that the quality of the recordings is quite incredible. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Turmatic
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Published 4 months ago by tobias mostel
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I love historical recordings, and these are great. If you insist on CD quality, you really miss a lot. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Wide Reader
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This set is a staggering value. If your previous experiences with Toscanini recordings have been sonically painful and unhappy ones, as were some of mine, this set goes very far... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Henry Limouze
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This shall only a brief review as I am sure that there will be many before and after me.I can still remember the iconic photograph as the records arrived in the post,from 50 years... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Gregory G. Pomfret
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First off, I appreciate the reviewers who have taken the time to go into some detail on the merits of this release, especially those who pointed out the problem with the Beethoven... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Mark E. Stenroos
