COMPOSERS: Brahms/Mendelssohn/Rossini
LABELS: Testament
WORKS: Rossini: Semiramide Overture; Mendelssohn: Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Brahms: Symphony No. 2
PERFORMER: BBC SO/Arturo Toscanini
CATALOGUE NO: SBT 1015
Toscanini draws wonderfully vivid performances from the BBC SO in these recordings from the Thirties. His extraordinarily fast tempi stretch the players to their limits, and occasionally just beyond; but the risk is justified by the electric quality he brings to the music. Not that the performances are always hard-driven; there are some warmly expansive moments, which allow the woodwind players in particular to shine. Ivan Hewett
Brahms/Mendelssohn/Rossini
Toscanini draws wonderfully vivid performances from the BBC SO in these recordings from the Thirties. His extraordinarily fast tempi stretch the players to their limits, and occasionally just beyond; but the risk is justified by the electric quality he brings to the music. Not that the performances are always hard-driven; there are some warmly expansive moments, which allow the woodwind players in particular to shine. Ivan Hewett
Our rating
4
Published: January 20, 2012 at 2:30 pm