Tah 672 - Eduard van Beinum & Concertgebouw Orkest

Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano concerto No. 5, The Emperor concerto, op. 73 - recorded Live on 15.X.1952
Robert Schumann: Piano concerto in A minor, op. 64 - recorded Live on 15.XI.1956
Soloist: Myra Hess - Conductor: Eduard van Beinum
Previously unissued recordings
The booklet includes van Beinum’s complete discography.

This set is the third one dedicated to the Dutch Maestro Eduard van Beinum, successor of the legendary Mengelberg as director of the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orkest, who died fifty years ago on 13 April 1959, at the age of 59.
This CD includes two previously unissued archives: the Beethoven Emperor Concerto and the Schumann piano concerto with the British Myra Hess as soloist. These works are absent from the official van Beinum discography, so their interest is obvious.

Date : June, 2009 - Barre code : 3504129067212

West 3011/12 - Westminster Archives - Scherchen - Vol. VI

CD I: Mahler: Kindertotenlieder - Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (Lucretia West, contralto - Vienna State Opera Orchestra - recorded June 1958) - Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsodies Hongroises nos. 1 & 2
CD II: Liszt : Hungarian Rhapsodies nos. 3 - 6 - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - recorded September 1954 - Saint-Saëns: The Carnival of the Animals, a zoological fantasy - Speaker: Gary Moore - Josef & Grete Dichler, piano - Vienna State Opera Orchestra (recorded 20 & 21.V.1957)

This is the sixth and last volume of the Westminster Scherchen edition lincesed by DGG, and it includes only recordings made between 1954 and 1958 and never released on CD until today: Mahler (Kindertotenlieder and Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen with Lucretia West), Liszt (the six Romanian Rhapsodies with the Royal Philharmonic) and Saint-Saëns (Carnaval des animaux, the original point of this recording residing in the fact that Westminster recorded in a zoo of New York the characteristic screams of the animals).

Press review
Mahler's music has always been a constant presence in Scherchen programming, and this CD witnesses Scherchen interest in his music. The German conductor gives a sharp and exasperated rendering of the Kindertotenlieder. Unfortunatelly the alto Lucretia West is not at the same level, and her singing is far from being perfect. Liszt Hungarian Rapsodies are well performed, with bright sonorities by a responsive orchestra. Scherchen choses to perform Saint-Saens Carnival of the Animals interpolating almost useless texts in between the musical pieces and making hear the true sounds of the animals described by the music. Neverthless this, Scherchen conducting is energetic and precise. (pour l'article entier, voir la revue italienne www.operaclick.com)

Date : April, 2009 - Barre code : 3504129301118

Tah 668/669 - The Orchestre National de France

CD I: Beethoven: Symphony No. 3, Eroica, op. 67 in C minor - Rafael Kubelik conducting - 29.II.1956 - Mahler: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen - Eugenia Zareska, mezzo-soprano, Carl Schuricht conducting - 20.II.1958
CD II: Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 5, KV 219, "Turkish" in C major - Soloist: Christian Ferras - Carl Schuricht conducting - 3.II.1955 - Brahms: Symphony No. 1, op. 68 in C minor - Leopold Stokowski conducting - 13.V.1958
ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE
All these recordings were recorded live during concerts at Théâtre des Champs Elysées de Paris

The Orchestre National de France was founded on 18 February 1934. D.E. Inghelbrecht conducted on that occasion a marathon programme. During ist history quite a number of musical directors succeeded each other (Roger Desormière, Eugène Bigot, Manuel Rosenthal, Maurice Le Roux, Jean Martinon, Lorin Maazel, Sergiu Celibidache, Kurt Masur and more). On the other hand, a policy of inviting guest conductors was rapidly introduced (Klemperer, Schuricht, Walter, Horenstein, Argenta, Jochum, Bernstein, etc.).
The present live recordings of this set are quite rare: an Eroica by Kubelik, a Brahms First by Stokovski, etc. This set will followed by others dedicated to this orchestra.

Date : March, 2009 - Barre code : 3504129066819

Tah 650 - Previously unissued recordings by Youra Guller II

Robert Schumann: Symphonic Studies, op. 13 - Recorded on 06.IV.1962
Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4, op. 58 - Orchestre de la Suisse Romande - Conductor: Ernest Ansermet - Recorded on 15.I.1958
Isaac Albeniz: Triana (Iberia) - Recorded on 07.IV.1961
Previously unissued recordings of the Radio Suisse Romande

After a first CD that was rapidly sold out, we pursue our release of previously unissued recordings of the Radio Suisse Romande with Youra Guller. The programme includes works by Schumann (Symphonic Studies), Beethoven (4th Piano concerto) and Albeniz (Triana), that she never recorded officially. The booklet contains a phonography of the artist listing LPs and radio recordings.

Date : December, 2008 - Barre code : 3504129065010

Tah 663 - The Art of Aida Stucki

Ludwig van Beethoven: Violin concerto, op. 61 - Das Studio-Orchester Beromünster (Zürich) - Conductor: Hermann Scherchen - Violin: Aida Stucki - First release of the recording of 30.XII.1949
Johann Sebastian Bach (Bonus): Violin concerto BWV 1042 - Vienna State Opera Orchestra - Conductor: Hermann Scherchen - Violin: Walter Barylli - Recorded July 1953

The present CD has a double interest: on the one hand, (re)descover the Swiss violinist Aida Stucki, a pupil of Carl Flesch’ and herself professor of Anne Sophie Mutte, and on the other, listen for the first time to Hermann Scherchen conducting a grand violin concerto of the classical repertoire, i.e. the Beethoven violin concerto. This recording was made at the end of 1949 and comes from Mrs. Stucki’s private archive, but it must be considered as a «document» due to the many technical problems of the 78 rpms all of which couldn’t be eradicated despite extensive restoration.

Note : Aida Stucki's recognition as an artist is both inevitable and overdue. Her artistry is a timeless inspiration. Her interpretation incorporates bewitching sound, personal instinct coupled with great insight to the wishes of the composer. I admire this great violinist deeply. This recording is a must for any string player and music lover.
Anne Sophie Mutter

Available for downloading on I-Tunes. Booklet available in PDF format on request.

Date : November, 2008 - Barre code : 3504129066314

Tah 657/658 - Great Interpreters: Hans Rosbaud

CD I: Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 1, Titan - Berliner Philharmonisches Orchester - Recorded 8.XI.1954 at the Hochschule für Musik
CD II: Gustav Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde - Soloists: Grace Hoffman and Ernst Haefliger - Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester (18.IV.1955)

Music lovers remember the Austrian conductor Hans Rosbaud (1895-1962) for his interpretations of the Mozart operas (mainly at the festival of Aix-en-Provence between 1948 and 1959) and of the music of his contemporaries Hindemith, Schoenberg, Bartok and Stravinsky.
He also gave memorable performances of French composers (Turangalila Symphonie by Messiaen in 1951), but also Mahler was often included in his programs. The present two recordings are the Titan Symphony with the Berlin Philharmonic in November 1954 and Das Lied von der Erde broadcast in Cologne in April 1955.

Date : August, 2008 - Barre code : 3504129065713

Tah 661/662 - A. Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 in B Major

CD I: 1st and 2nd movements
CD II: 3rd and 4th movements
Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam - Public stereo recording of 4.XII.1986 under Eugen Jochum

Amsterdam, 4 December 1986. Eugen Jochum , aged 84 conducts his penultimate concert with the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. The programme includes Anton Bruckner’s Fifth Symphony, a gigantic musical cathedral and a masterpiece of counterpoint. The press wrote: «Everything is prayer, everything is contemplation, everything is a state of grace. With this concert the gigantic Eugen Jochum leaves us his final musical testament in the form of a symphony in which he always excelled».
We released this recording for the first time in 1997; it won the Cannes Classical Award at Midem in 1999.

Press review
«Ce que nous vivons ici se passe de commentaire : tout est prière, tout est recueillement, tout est état de grâce... Ce concert est le testament musical du gigantesque Eugen Jochum dans une symphonie dans laquelle il fut toujours grand. Nous sommes ici dans l'univers d'un musicien qui, au bout du chemin, a trouvé sa pierre philosophale, à la fois dans son rapport à ce sommet de la musique de Bruckner mais aussi par rapport à un orchestre qui l'a accompagné tout au long de sa carrière» Christophe Huss (revue Répertoire)

Note : Cannes Classical Award (Midem, 1999)

Substitute : Tah 247/248 This set is the reissue of Tah 247 that was released in 1997 with the kind permission of the heirs Jochum and by courtesy of the Board of Directors of the Concertgebouw d’Amsterdam.

Tah 660 - Karel Ancerl Centenary

W.A. Mozart: Requiem, KV 626 in D minor
Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Czech Choir conducted by Karel Ancerl - Soloists: Agnes Giebel (Soprano), Vera Soukoupova (alto), Georg Jelden (tenor), Heinz Rehfuss (bass)
Stereo recording made at the Montreux Festival on 14.IX.1966

On 11 April 2008 Karel Ancerl would have been 100 old. For his centenary we have released this previously unissued Mozart Requiem recorded at the Montreux Festival in 1966. Ancerl is backed up by famous international soloists and the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.
One day he declared that the composer he loved most Mozart, but he never recorded his Requiem for his official discographic label Supraphon. Besides, it is the only known existing sound document of this Requiem since the Mozart Requiem he conducted in concert in Toronto in 1973 hadn't been recorded by the Canadian Radio.

Date : June, 2008 - Barre code : 3504129066017

Tah 659 - Great Performers : Pierre Monteux

Cl. Debussy: Fêtes (from the Nocturnes) (New York Philharmonic Orchestra - 5.XI.1944 - V-Disc No. 130 B, matrix D4-TC-480-1B)
F. Schubert : Symphonie n° 8 (9), La Grande (Boston Symphony Orchestra - Enregistrement public réalisé au Conservatoire de Moscou, le 9.IX.1956)

In September 1956, the Boston Symphony Orchestra made a great European concert tour that Charles Munch and Pierre Monteux shared. The latter conducted on 9 September the Schubert Great Symphony in Moscow. This rather fast and brassy vision is very far from the Germanic interpretations of Furtwängler or Abendroth and rather approaches the style of a Toscanini. It would seem that this is the only known recording with Monteux conducting this work. We have added to it a very rare document: a V-Disc recorded in New York in November 1944 and which peculiarly isn’t mentioned in any discography of Monteux.

Note : Not for sale in the USA

Date : June, 2008 - Barre code : 3504129065911

Tah 653-654 - Franch Women Pianists

CD I: Chopin: Waltzes op. 64 Nos. 1 & 2 – Godard: 4th Mazurka –Mendelssohn: Fantaisie Caprice op. 16 No. 2 – Rondo capriccioso – Romance sans paroles (la fileuse) – Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody Nos. 11 and 13 (Aimée Marie Roger-Miclos, Fonotipia recordings, around 1905) - Chopin: Mazurka op. 17 No. 4 – Nocturne posthume – Mozart: Pastorale variée – Albéniz: Granada (Marie Panthès, Columbia recordings 1934-36 and un interview issued by courtesy of Radio Suisse Allemande) - Mazurkas op. 56/2 – op. 6/2 – op. 7/3 – op. 63/2 – op. 67/7 – op. 17/4 – op. 33/2 – op. 30/3 – op. 68/4 – op. 41/3 – op. 50/3 (Youra Guller, recorded in June 1956) - CD II: Duphly: La de Valmalète – Scarlatti: Sonatas L 465, L23, L391 – Couperin: Le carillon de Cythère – La fleurie – Le réveil matin – Les barricades mystérieuses – Le tictoc choc – Les petits moulins à vent (Madeleine de Valmalète, recording date unknown) - Bach: Chaconne of the second partita for violin – Liszt: Mephisto Waltz No. 1 – Rapsodie espagnole – Schumann: Phantasiestücke op. 12/1 and op. 12/3 (Agnelle Bundervoët, recordings of 1954, 1955 and 1957).

After Marcelle Meyer, Monique Haas and Youra Guller, we are continuing our (re)discovery of French women pianists. Thus we are going to give a sort of second life to three great pianists of the past : Aimée Marie Roger-Miclos, Marie Panthès and Angnelle Bundervoët. We are also releasing herewith a number of very rare recordings by the Marquise Madeleine de Valmalète. As for Youra Guller, she stands here as interpreter of eleven Mazurkas by Chopin.

Date : May, 2008 - Barre code : 3504129065317

FURT 2001 - The last Beethoven's Ninth by Furtwängler

L. van Beethoven: Ninth Symphony - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (soprano), Elsa Cavelti (contralto) - Ernst Haefliger (tenor), Otto Edelmann (bass) - Choir of the Lucerne Festival (choir master: Albert Jenny) - Philharmonia Orchestra London - Wilhelm Furtwängler conducting - Live recording made at the Lucerne Kunsthaus on 22.VIII.1954

This is Tahra's first SACD with the famous Beethoven Ninth conducted by Furtwängler at the Lucerne Festival and his very last performance (August 1954) three months before his death. Tahra released it for the first time in 1994; in 1995 it won the Gramophone Award and is our greatest success.
The new mastering allows us to listen to this concert in sound conditions approaching the fabulous quality of the original tape recorded by the Swiss Radio.

Press review
Furtwangler regarded Beethoven's Ninth Symphony as one of the great monuments of Western civilization and always saved its performance for special occasions. Of Furtwangler's twelve live recordings of the Beethoven's Choral Symphony known to exist (he never recorded it in a studio), three stand out as being the greatest of the great: a 1942 Berlin Philharmonic concert, the 1951 Bayreuth Festival and the 1954 Lucerne Festival. The 1951 EMI release is undeniably the most famous one for the publicity surrounding the reopening of the Festival Hall at Bayreuth after the Second World War. Many regard this edited recording as the best of Furtwangler's Ninths on record. It is without any question a magnificent and passionate reading, full of lyricism where the sense of the special occasion makes it even more appealing (...) (by Robert Manary, San Francisco, on Amazon)

Note : Historical non-vocal Gramophone Award 1995 - Replacement of Furt 1003

Date : May, 2008 - Barre code : 3504129200114

Furt 1047/1048 - Furtwängler, Ludwig van Beethoven Fidelio, Op. 72 (Salzburg, 1948)

Leonore - Erna Schlüter ; Marzelline - Lisa della Casa ; Florestan - Jiulius Patzak ; Jacquino - Rudolf Schock ; Don Pizarro - Ferdinand Frantz ; Rocco - Herbert Alsen ; Don Fernando - Otto Edelmann ; First Prisoner - Karl Dönch ; Second Prisoner - Hermann Gallos Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - Choir of the Vienna State Opera - Recorded Live 3.VIII.1948 in the " Kleines Festspielhaus " of Salzburg (Nos. 5-8 from First Act are missing)

Date : N/A - Barre code : 3504129104719

Furt 1034/1039 - Wartime Archives of the RRG (1942-1944)

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 3 (*), 5 (a), 6 et 9 (Soloists: T. Briem, E. Höngen, P. Anders, R. Watzke et B. Kittel Choir) - Piano Concerto No. 4 (Soloist: Conrad Hansen) (*) with Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra J. Brahms: Symphony No. 4 - Piano Concerto No. 2 (Soloist: A. Aeschbacher) Variations on a Theme by Haydn R. Strauss: "Waldseligkeit, Liebeshymnus, Verführung et Winterliebe" Soloist: Peter Anders R. Wagner: "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg", Prelude; "Tristan und Isolde", Isoldes Liebestod Interview of Friedrich Schnapp by Gert Fischer (sound excerpt - but full transcription in the booklet)

Note : Not available at the moment

Date : N/A - Barre code : 3504129103415

Tah 666/667 - French Pianists

CD I: Robert CASADESUS
J.S. Bach: Concerto for three keyboards, BWV 1063 - Orchestra of RAI Torino - Conductor: Fernando Previtali - Piano: Gaby, Robert and Jean Casadesus (4.IV.1958)
W.A. Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 12, KV 414 - Orchestra Scarlatti of Naples - Conductor: Franco Caracciolo (28.III.1958)
W.A. Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 24, KV 491 - NDWR Sinfonieorchester - Conductor: Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt (22.III.1954)
CD II: Vlado PERLEMUTER
W.A. Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21, KV 467 - Orchestre de Chambre Oubradous - Conductgor: Fernand Oubradous (16.XII.1956)
L. van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 - Orchestre National de France - Conductor: Jean Martinon (22.III.1956)
Previously unissued recordings

After a first set dedicated to five Franch lady pianists (Tah 653-4), the present album is dedicated to two great French male pianists: Vlado Perlemuter and Robert Casadesus. The present recordings are all released for the first time. One of them is particularly moving, i.e. the Bach concerto for 3 keyboards performed by the Casadesus family (i.e. Gaby, Robert and their son fils Jean who died later in a car accident). As for Perlemuter, he was a great interpreter of Ravel and Chopin, but this performance of the Beethoven 3rd piano concerto – accompanied by the somewhat forgotten conductor Jean Martinon – is very touching.

Date : N/A - Barre code : 3504129066611