Re: What are you looking to find out?

Music Lane

It's all about the music, dude! Sit down, relax and listen to some tunes.

In Reply to: Re: What are you looking to find out? posted by Luciano,IT on October 26, 2006 at 13:35:42:

Well, the basic background is that Toscanini's final two concerts were recorded in stereo (without AT's knowledge, I believe) from the broadcast performances. The stereo recordings were made from different microphones than the broadcast mono. They were done largely as an experiment by RCA, as David Sarnoff was convinced stereo was the wave of the future. Toscanini was uninterested in the new medium. (Supposedly, when RCA engineers played him a stereo demontration recording and explained that they had two separate channels for his two ears, he replied, "But I only gotta one head!)
The Wagner concert is perhaps the more famous, being the final concert, and containing as it does the notorious memory lapse that convinced AT he should retire. But the previous concert was recorded in stereo and yielded the Pathetique you described. As I recall, one movement of the recording is in mono, because Sarnoff's wife took the tapes to a party and lost one of the reels! The penultimate concert has been out on a number of lables, including Music & Arts and Memories, but neither stereo recording has ever had an official release, AFAIK. Toscanini didn't like the performances, and never approved their release. Most of us who love Toscanini are more than willing to overlook the imperfections in order to savor the chance to hear AT in true stereo.
That's what I know. Much more information available in the many books on AT and RCA.

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Toscanini Patetica in stereo - Luciano,IT 08:05:27 10/26/06 (6)

A good friend of mine (local, too) is the restoration engineer on a new issue of this. I asked him... - clarkjohnsen 14:06:01 10/26/06 (1)

Fantastic info--thanks! (nt) - Russell 08:46:27 10/27/06 (0)

What are you looking to find out? - M. Lucky 12:19:28 10/26/06 (3)

Re: What are you looking to find out? - Luciano,IT 13:35:42 10/26/06 (2)

Re: What are you looking to find out? - M. Lucky 14:43:55 10/26/06 (1)

Thanks to CLK and Mr.L for the enlightening info - Luciano,IT 01:07:57 10/27/06 (0)

Follow Ups

Re: What are you looking to find out? - M. Lucky 14:43:55 10/26/06 (1)

Thanks to CLK and Mr.L for the enlightening info - Luciano,IT 01:07:57 10/27/06 (0)

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