COMPOSERS: Beethoven
LABELS: Music & Arts
WORKS: Symphony No. 3 (Eroica); Leonore Overture No. 3,
PERFORMER: NBC SO/Arturo Toscanini
CATALOGUE NO: CD-1134
There’s more divergence between Schuricht’s and Toscanini’s Eroicas: Schuricht takes a relaxed tempo for the first movement, but never deviates from it; Toscanini is generally much more urgent, but slows down for the second subject, and uses rubato to telling effect. His funeral march is more eventful as well, though the quality of orchestral sound (and the recording) isn’t as good as Schuricht’s. The two Coriolan Overtures make the point even more strongly: Schuricht is playing a piece of music, but for Toscanini every note is a matter of life and death. How often do you get that today?
Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 (Eroica); Leonore Overture No. 3,
There’s more divergence between Schuricht’s and Toscanini’s Eroicas: Schuricht takes a relaxed tempo for the first movement, but never deviates from it; Toscanini is generally much more urgent, but slows down for the second subject, and uses rubato to telling effect. His funeral march is more eventful as well, though the quality of orchestral sound (and the recording) isn’t as good as Schuricht’s. The two Coriolan Overtures make the point even more strongly: Schuricht is playing a piece of music, but for Toscanini every note is a matter of life and death. How often do you get that today?
Published: January 20, 2012 at 3:52 pm