November, 2023: Symphony No. 7: Toscanini / Philharmonic Society of New York / Experimentally completed

Click to enlarge Many of you may know of this legendary performance of the Symphony No. 7 conducted by Arturo Toscanani and the Philharmonic Society of New York. It was given at Carnegie Hall on January 27, 1935. The concert was broadcast and recorded, but given the technical limitations of the recording process at that time, some short sections are missing as the acetate discs needed to be switched during the performance. While over 98% of the recording is preserved, the gaps can be jarring and it may well be the reason why the Toscanini family did not release the recording for general release. For years, the recording could only be auditioned at the New York Public Library at Lincoln Center. It was just a matter of time; however, before someone was able to sneak a recording out of the archive - and thus we have this offering. Specifically, this is what is missing: |1| Allegro moderato (18'06") * MISSING: Last seven bars of movement |2| Adagio, Sehr feierlich und sehr langsam (20'15") * MISSING: Three bars beginning four bars before Y |3| Scherzo: Sehr schnell ( 8'52") |4| Finale. doch nicht schnell ( 9'27") * MISSING: Thirteen bars after L NOTE: Forty-eight bar cut between R and V What is offered here is something that may outrage purists, but for others it may finally provide then with a satisfactory hearing of this historic broadcast. A colleague recently contacted me with his "experimentally completed" recording. What he has done is splice in Bruno Walter's 1954 broadcast with the New York Philharmonic from Carnegie Hall. The result is remarkably consistent. For those interested, notes from the editor are available below.