Word: beethovens
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...Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 (NBC Symphony, Arturo Toscanini conducting; Victor: eight sides). Most famed of living maestros gives the most famed of all symphonies a fiery performance. But the asbestos-lined acoustics of Radio City's broadcasting Studio 8-H, where it was recorded, make it sound somewhat brittle...
...Beethoven Disregarded...
This recording by Toscanini is rushed to an almost incredible degree. None of the full majesty that is Beethoven is brought to light. None of the sudden v-like bursts in phrasing that have always been conceded to show Beethoven to greatest advantage are present. No idea is given its full value or properly developed. Some one in speaking of the album said it was "electric"-if by that they mean it travels at the speed of light, It's a good description. The album gives you the Impression that Toscanini deliberately set out to play Beethoven the way Toscanini...
...only Toscanini was at fault; the recording was nowhere near the excellence of something like "La Mer" by Koussevitsky, also on this month's release. The base is shallow and distorted, and the highs are brittle and sharp-all of which is exceedingly destructive to Beethoven...
There are three other well-known versions of the Fifth: Koussevitsky (victor), Weingartner (Columbia), and Furtwaengler (Victor). The last two are the recognized experts in Beethoven-rendition. The Weingartner is well-read, albeit a little conservative but gives Beethoven itself a chance rather than garbing it in a cloak of false colors. The Furtwaengler is a truly magnificent recording, not as literal as the Weingartner, but with tremendous sweep and surge, and recorded beautifully, even though it was issued several years ago. The Furtwaengler is best, but all three are better than Maestro Toscanini's version which sound like...