{"product_id":"mengelberg-the-dawn-of-electrical-recording-live-at-the-bbc-192438-pasc184","title":"MENGELBERG The Dawn of Electrical Recording; Live at The BBC (1924\/38) - PASC184","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eR. STRAUSS, WAGNER, MENDELSSOHN \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eElectrical test recordings\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eMENDELSSOHN \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eA Midsummer Night's Dream (excerpts)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBERLIOZ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphonie Fantastique \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e(excerpt)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eR\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eecorded 1924\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e \u0026amp; 1\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e938\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 50:12 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eNew York Philharmonic Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e BBC Symphony Orchestra \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econducted by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eWillem Mengelberg\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFor those who care, it is a revelation, a treasure to be savored578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThis CD, also available as MP3 and FLAC downloads\n(www.pristineclassical.com), is unique in many ways. The New York\nPhilharmonic items were recorded electrically by Bell Telephone from a\ntelephone transmission line of a radio broadcast, as an experimental\ntest of the system of electrical recordings that it was developing at\nthe time. Along with three earlier broadcasts of Philharmonic concerts\n(December 3 and 17, 1923; January 21, 1924), they are the first live\nrecordings of a symphony orchestra. Why doesn’t this disc include those\nearlier recordings? Because they were conducted by Willem van\nHoogstraten, co-conductor of the Philharmonic—he led 37 concerts that\nseason, Mengelberg 33—but forgotten today. The two \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eDeath and Transfiguration\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\nexcerpts (a total of 11 minutes and 45 seconds) were first released in a\nNew York Philharmonic 10-CD historical set; the other items on this\ndisc are first releases, although they have long circulated in the tape\nunderground. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eWhich brings us to other reasons why this disc is\nunique. Mengelberg recorded the Strauss and Wagner pieces in the studio,\nplus the Mendelssohn Scherzo, but the other works are new to his\ndiscography. For better or sometimes worse, his live performances were\nalways wilder than his studio recordings. Pristine’s transfers of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eTod und Verklärung\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\nexcerpts (oddly, this French outfit uses English titles) are noisier\nthan those in the New York Philharmonic’s own 10-CD historical set, but\nthey seethe and surge with life. Anyone comfortable with historical\nrecordings will be able to feel the dramatic power of this performance.\nIt is upsetting to be dropped into the middle of an extensive piece (and\nthen pulled out), as is the case with all the New York recordings. The\norchestral playing is nowhere near as sophisticated as that in\nMengelberg’s 1942 Telefunken recording with the Concertgebouw, however,\nand this \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFlying Dutchman\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\nis dreadful; Mengelberg and Toscanini would whip the New Yorkers into\ntop shape over the next few years. The Violin Concerto is better, as the\nconductor is not pulling out all the stops, but the brass do make a few\nobnoxious intrusions. Samuel Gardner is not an exceptional\ninstrumentalist, so the performance is merely decent. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe 1938 BBC concert was very well recorded, but\ndamaged acetates have added to the distortion. Again Pristine gets more\nbody and color to the sound than I could have imagined from\nmultigenerational copies of analog tapes in the bad old days. But analog\nhas still been in the mix, as there are (minor) signs of tape\nstretching. The playing is wonderful, except for the horns, which we\nused to be told were the Brains, father and son. The Mendelssohn\nOverture has a thrilling, unmatched vitality, although it has lost most\nof its gossamer subtlety. The Nocturne—both the playing and the sound—is\nunlistenable; I cannot believe it comes from the same performance. The\nScherzo is back on track; it’s as fine as Mengelberg’s Columbia\nrecording. The \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFantastique\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\nexcerpt (the first 3:25 of “Un bal”) is the finest performance and the\nfinest sound on this disc. It is flat-out gorgeous, swinging as never\nsince, making us wish that Mengelberg had recorded the whole symphony,\nand suggesting an additional reason why van Beinum’s three Concertgebouw\nrecordings are so special. There were rumors for years that complete\nacetates of this Mengelberg performance exist, but I haven’t heard\nanything lately. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eNinety-five percent of our readership would hate\nthis disc, but, for those who care, it is a revelation, a treasure to be\nsavored. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eJames H. North \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"dateBlockDiv\"\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 33:3 (Jan\/Feb 2010) of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eFanfare\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC184.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 24px;\"\u003eAn amazing collection of rare Mengelberg recordings\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cem class=\"bodymid\"\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eUnique performances captured on the earliest electrical test recordings\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\nThis collection brings together two fascinating collections of recordings from two concerts given some fourteen years apart. The first four items are taken from a unique set of recordings made by Bell Laboratories on 2nd April 1924, and comprise the only known surviving sides from this concert. Developments in recording technology were urgently needed with the advent of radio, where the use of electric microphones was able to reproduce sound of a quality and frequency range which the acoustic recording process of the day simply could not capture.\u003cp\u003eBell were at the forefront of the development of an electrical recording system, capable of cutting disc masters using electronics for the first time in place of the entirely mechanical horn system that had provided all recordings for over a quarter of a century. Knowing that the new system would need to be able to cope with a very wide range of pitch and dynamics, the engineers at Bell realised that the best test of their system could only be a full symphony orchestra.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHowever, without a suitable studio and the money to experiment in this way with an orchestra, clearly an alternative means of testing their equipment needed to be devised. Fortunately the regular live radio broadcasts from Carnegie Hall could be fed not only to the transmitters, but also directly by wire into Bell's engineering facility. Despite the fragmentary nature of these recordings and their age, they provide us with unique insights not only into a nascent technology still in essence in use today, but they also constitute the only known live recordings of Mengelberg conducting the New York Philharmonic. Furthermore, this is the only known recording of Mengelberg conducting the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, and may also be the only electric recording of the soloist, the violinist and composer Samuel Gardner, who had previously cut three acoustic sides for Victor in 1915.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe BBC recordings are also very special, comprising the only known record of Mengelberg with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Once again the repertoire contains unique recordings - although other recordings exist of the Mendelssohn Scherzo, neither the Overture nor the Nocturne from A Midsummer Night's Dream exist in any other known Mengelberg recording. Finally the short surviving fragment from Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique is the only recording of Mengelberg conducting this work.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003eThese transfers, provided by a private collector, have provided me with great technical challenges. Clearly Bell wished to test the full dynamic range of their recording system, and whilst a full-bodied sound is achieved in the louder sections, the very quietest notes often seem almost to disappear into the background noise. Meanwhile it has been suggested that the BBC acetates from which the 1938 recordings were transfered had been rescued from a waste bin - not the ideal storage medium for so delicate an historic document...\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_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_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong class=\"bodymid\"\u003eThe Dawn of Electrical Recording, 1924\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003eThe only known live recording of Mengelberg with the NY Philharmonic\u003cbr\u003e The only known Mengelberg recording of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto\u003cbr\u003e The only known electric recording of violinist Samuel Gardner \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSTRAUSS\u003c\/strong\u003e: Death and Transfiguration excerpt 1 (5:37)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSTRAUSS\u003c\/strong\u003e: Death and Transfiguration excerpt 2 (6:08)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWAGNER\u003c\/strong\u003e: Flying Dutchman Overture excerpt (6:40)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMENDELSSOHN\u003c\/strong\u003e: Violin Concerto excerpt (6:24)\u003cbr\u003e \u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSamuel Gardner, violin\u003cbr\u003e Live electrical test recordings from Carnegie Hall, 2nd April 1924\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Made at Bell Laboratories from a cable feed intended for radio broadcast\u003cbr\u003e New York Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Willem Mengelberg \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"bodymid\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMengelberg at the BBC, 1938\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003eThe only known live recording of Mengelberg with the BBC Symphony Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e The only known Mengelberg recording of the \u003cem\u003eOverture\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eNocturne\u003c\/em\u003e from Midsummer Night's Dream\u003cbr\u003e The only known Mengelberg recording of the \u003cem\u003eSymphonie Fantastique\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMENDELSSOHN\u003c\/strong\u003e: A Midsummer Night's Dream:\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003eOverture (10:59)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"body\"\u003eNocturne (6:23)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"body\"\u003eScherzo (4:36)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBERLIOZ\u003c\/strong\u003e: Symphonie Fantastique, 2nd mvt - Un Bal excerpt (3:25)\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLive broadcast recordings taken from acetate discs, January 18th 1938\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Willem Mengelberg \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTransfers of live recordings from a private collection\u003cbr\u003e Restoration and XR remastering by Andrew Rose, June-September 2009\u003cbr\u003e Cover artwork based on a photograph of Willem Mengelberg\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003eTotal duration: 50:12 \u003cbr\u003e ©2009 Pristine Audio.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_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_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PASC184.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC184.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":54932254753107,"sku":"scx1789301273282","price":11.51,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":54932254785875,"sku":"dvo1789301273283","price":8.8,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":54932254818643,"sku":"oyk1789301273284","price":9.83,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Mono MP3","offer_id":54932254851411,"sku":"bop1789301273285","price":8.04,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1068\/1833\/9155\/files\/mengelberg-the-dawn-of-electrical-recording-live-at-the-bbc-192438---pasc184_1.jpg?v=1789301281","url":"https:\/\/vendnora.com\/products\/mengelberg-the-dawn-of-electrical-recording-live-at-the-bbc-192438-pasc184","provider":"luckagni","version":"1.0","type":"link"}