FURTWÄNGLER conducts Brahms (1942-52) - PABX026
overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fBRAHMS Symphony No. 1BRAHMS Symphony No. 2BRAHMS Symphony No. 3BRAHMS Symphony No. 4BRAHMS Double ConcertoBRAHMS Violin ConcertoBRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 2BRAHMS Variations on a Theme by Joseph HaydnBRAHMS Hungarian Dances Nos. 1, 2, 10BRAHMS Variations on a Theme by HaydnSCHUMANN Piano Concerto in A minorWilli Boskovsky, Emanuel Brabec, Yehudi Menuhin, Edwin Fischer, Walter GiesekingBerlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Lucerne Festival OrchestraRecorded 1942-1952conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples/PASC340.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fClick below to expand note: FURTWÄNGLER conducts Brahms Symphony No. 1, Haydn Variations, 3 Hungarian Dances (1949/52) - PASC340 "The performance is incomparable" - and now, so too is the sound quality Furtwängler's finest Brahms 1 has never sounded as superb as this! If I could nominate whole of this album as a showcase not only for superlative historic performances but also for the astounding sound quality occasionally to be found lurking in the gloomy grooves of older recordings then I would. The tone of the Vienna Philharmonic both in the live 1952 concert recordings and the earlier studio recordings, after Pristine's 32-bit XR remastering, is finer than I could have believed possible when I started the project.The live recordings do have the edge over the older Hungarian Dances, which retained a degree of 78rpm crackle that was tricky to remove. It's also interesting that most discographies and reissues have followed the error in the original release and titled one of them as Hungarian Dance No. 3 in F - it's not, it's No. 10 in F.Analysis of the pitches and residual electrical hum in each of the recordings, from three separate sources, consistently pointed to a tuning used by the VPO at the time of around A4=446.4Hz. I have accurately pitched each recording to this to give the most accurate picture possible of both the sound and pace of these performances.Andrew Rose FURTWÄNGLER conducts Brahms Symphony No. 2, Double Concerto (1952) - PASC341 Two major live Brahms recordings from 1952 Furtwängler's Brahms has never sounded as superb as this! Both of these live recordings were made in the year of 1952 at a time when technical sound quality was undergoing a revolutionary step forward thanks to the advent both of tape and vinyl LP technologies almost simultaneously. However the equipment of the day was not without its sonic shortcomings, and both of these recordings suffered a slightly harsh, boxy sound quality in their original states. Fortunately this can now be largely remedied by Pristine's 32-bit XR remastering system, which has made great strides in improving the tonal qualities of both the Symphony and Concerto recordings. In both cases the orchestras played slightly sharper than the standard A=440Hz, and I've used careful analysis of electrical tones captured in both recordings from mains interference as a guide to set pitch precisely to that heard at each concert. The end result of this work is to bring us closer than ever before to the sound of these concerts as heard by Furtwängler and his 1952 audiences. Note that the lack of applause and movement breaks were as found on my source material. Andrew Rose FURTWÄNGLER conducts Brahms Symphony No. 3, Violin Concerto (1949/54) - PASC342 Furtwängler's finest performance of the Brahms Third Coupled with the legendary 1949 studio Violin Concerto with Yehudi Menuhin The main technical challenge here, and one which has been met only up to a point, was the tonal "grittiness" imposed on certain instruments, most especially Menuhin's violin, by EMI's primitive tape machines during the recording of the Violin Concerto. It's a form of very fine flutter which is exceptionally difficult to lessen and which has always marred this recording. This aside, both recordings offer particularly fine sound quality following XR remastering - in particular the Symphony recording sounds truly excellent. I've also been able to fix a marked jump up in pitch at 13:15 in the first movement of the Violin Concerto, suggesting the joining of two takes from machines running at different speeds, as well as other pitch anomalies present in the earlier recording. Andrew Rose FURTWÄNGLER conducts Brahms Symphony No. 4, Haydn Variations (1943) - PASC344 Furtwängler's legendary 1943 Brahms Fourth and Haydn Variations An astounding sonic revelation from these new XR remasters The two recordings presented here both originated at the same concerts, which took place at the Alte Philharmonie in Berlin on 12 and 15 December 1943. They first appeared on Soviet Melodiya LP pressings in the 1960s, the recordings having disappeared into Russia at the end of the war. The present transfers were made from an EMI LP issue. Despite the common source, there are some clear sonic differences between the two recordings, with the Haydn Variations having survived in slightly better condition than the Fourth Symphony. The latter, too, was pitched significantly higher in its EMI release than the Variations - a ridiculously unrealisting A4=455Hz compared to a far more believeable 442Hz. The latter tallies up with readings of AC electrical hum present in both recordings, and it is to this pitch that the present issue has been matched. XR remastering has done much to improve the sound of the originals, bringing a wonderful new sense of life to the orchestra and rounding out the lower end magnificently. Likewise the top end is remarkably extended for a recording of this vintage, though unfortunately the recording equipment of the day was prone to slight overload distortion at the loudest sections, something I've attempted to alleviate as much as is possible. Elsewhere the sound quality is quite astonishing! I've also done away with a number of coughs and sneezes from a Berlin audience that sounded not in the best of health at the time. Andrew Rose FURTWÄNGLER conducts Brahms Piano Concerto No 2, Schumann Piano Concerto (1942) - PASC347 Furtwängler and Fischer deliver a classic Brahms 2nd Piano Concerto Delivered here with a fullness and presence that only adds to the experience Both of these wartime recordings originated as radio broadcasts and were among a number which disappeared into the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. They suffer similar defects to the majority of Furtwängler's wartime broadcasts, both in sound balance and distortion during louder passages. My aim has been to minimise the effect of these and to try and round out the rather poor, one-dimensional sound of the originals. The better sound is to be found in the Brahms, which has greater top-end frequency extension, and is without doubt the star performance here - it sounds remarkably well given its origins, with the full and rich orchestral sound coming across particularly well. A slight fuzziness in the piano's sound detracts little from a stunning overall effect. The Schumann concerto, Furtwängler's only surviving recording of the piece, is perhaps less successful both as performance and recording, but is at least much cleaned up over previous issues. Andrew Rose 578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fClick below to expand track listing: FURTWÄNGLER conducts Brahms Symphony No. 1, Haydn Variations, 3 Hungarian Dances (1949/52) - PASC340 BRAHMS Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68 BRAHMS Variations on a Theme by Joseph Haydn, Op. 56a Recorded live, 27 January 1952, in the Großer Musikvereinssaal, ViennaTransfers from EMI LP 27 0124 1 and EMI LP SG 153-53669 M BRAHMS Hungarian Dances Nos. 1, 2, 10Recorded 29/30 March & 4 April, 1949, in the Großer Musikvereinssaal, ViennaIssued as HMV DB.6976, Matrix No. 2VH.7168 and HMV DB.6934 Matrix No. 2VH.7167 Transfers from EMI LP SG 153-53665 M Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Wilhelm Furtwängler conductor XR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, May 2012Cover artwork based on photographs of Brahms and FurtwänglerTotal duration: 75:06 FURTWÄNGLER conducts Brahms Symphony No. 2, Double Concerto (1952) - PASC341 BRAHMS Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73Berlin Philharmonic OrchestraTransfer from EMI LP SG 153-53668 M Recorded live, 7 May 1952, Deutsches Museum, Munich BRAHMS Double Concerto in A minor, Op. 102Willi Boskovsky violin Emanuel Brabec celloVienna Philharmonic OrchestraTransfer from EMI LP SG 153-53669 M Recorded live, 27 January 1952, Großer Musikvereinssaal, Vienna Wilhelm Furtwängler conductor XR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, May 2012Cover artwork based on photographs of Brahms and FurtwänglerTotal duration: 75:57 FURTWÄNGLER conducts Brahms Symphony No. 3, Violin Concerto (1949/54) - PASC342 BRAHMS Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90Berlin Philharmonic OrchestraTransfer from DGG LP 2535 163 Recorded live, 27 April 1954 at Titania-Palast, Berlin by RIAS Berlin BRAHMS Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77Yehudi Menuhin violinLucerne Festival OrchestraTransfer from EMI LP SG 153-53666 M Recorded 7 October 1949, Lucerne First issued as HMV DB.2100-3 & DBS.210904 Matrix Nos. 2ZA63-71 Wilhelm Furtwängler conductor XR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, May 2012Cover artwork based on photographs of Brahms and FurtwänglerTotal duration: 76:24 FURTWÄNGLER conducts Brahms Symphony No. 4, Haydn Variations (1943) - PASC344 BRAHMS Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98Transfer from EMI LP SG 153-53662 MRecorded 12/15 December 1943Alte Philharmonie, BerlinFirst issued as Melodiya D 09867/8 BRAHMS Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56aTransfer from EMI LP SG 153-53662 MRecorded 12/15 December 1943Alte Philharmonie, BerlinFirst issued as Melodiya D 010854Berlin Philharmonic OrchestraWilhelm Furtwängler conductor XR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, June 2012Cover artwork based on photographs of Brahms and FurtwänglerTotal duration: 60:30 FURTWÄNGLER conducts Brahms Piano Concerto No 2, Schumann Piano Concerto (1942) - PASC347 BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat, Op. 83 Edwin Fischer piano Transfer from EMI LP SG 153-53661 M Recorded 8 November 1942, Alte Philharmonie, Berlin SCHUMANN Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54Walter Gieseking piano Transfer from DG LP 427 773-1 Recorded 3 March 1942, Alte Philharmonie, BerlinBerlin Philharmonic OrchestraWilhelm Furtwängler conductor XR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, June 2012Cover artwork based on photographs of Brahms and FurtwänglerTotal duration: 77:26 578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f
