Sunday, July 12, 2020

Nutcracker In July 12

Up next, more Nutcracker!  Today's version is by the incomparable Arturo Toscanini And The NBC Symphony Orchestra from the rather obviously titled LP Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite (RCA Victor Red Seal LRY 9000, Mono, 1953). As is the rule, the flip side of this one was items other than the Nutcracker, which is why I'm allowed to feature it here.   If the Nutcracker were the only thing on the record, I'd have to skip it. I know, I know, you don't want to hear about the rules, you just want to hear the music.  Link is below, see you later on.

11 comments:

  1. Thanks - I don't think that I have ever heard this.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for sharing this one Ernie. Toscanini had a reputation for playing pieces just as the composer wrote them... interesting then that Toscanini was the only conductor of the 12 so far that chose to play the ending to the "Waltz of the Flowers" slightly differently than every one else. ...so much for reputations (LOL). Burt

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks, Ernie. Will listen this evening as I wrap some things up for the weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This one is beautifully played, but some of the dances are just too fast. That concert ending that Toscanini adopts for the waltz - not sure where that came from!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for the comments, gang.

    As long as the suite is, I wonder if there was any pressure on the artists to speed it up and fit it onto a single side?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ernie - Toscanini was known for his fast tempos, to the point of seeming brusque as he got older.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Did he ever do the theme from The Lone Ranger? That's better when it's faster! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Here it is, on video even. You'll have to wade through the rest of the William Tell Overture to get to it:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t132rQ6i_zU

    ReplyDelete
  9. It starts at about the 8-minute mark. The orchestral playing is spectacular and Toscanini is fascinating.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ernie, thank you again (yet again) for the shares. Thanks also to commenting folks for the technical insights, especially the Toscanini link and other details.

    ReplyDelete

All comments are greatly appreciated, but replies aren't guaranteed...