Two complete early recordings. These recordings, made in late 1926 using
the then-new electrical process, are the first recordings of more than merely historical
interest.
Sir Henry Wood, Queens Hall Symphony Orchestra. The Scherzo is the fastest
on record, with all repeats taken. This was not to make it fit on one side (it was still too long
for that in 1926).
Digitization kindly provided by Damian
Rogan
Albert Coates, unidentified orchestra (actually the London Symphony).
This performance remained in the catalog for many years. The first movement is one
of the fastest performances ever; Coates had a reputation for quick tempi, so it's
not necessarily a response to this particular music. The third movement, taken at
a more usual pace, has its repeats cut so it fits onto a single side.
Swarowsky at last. In the LP era, it was common to split the Funeral March over the side-break; this was facilitated by a pause in the music (two eighth rests) in the middle of measure 104. In one case, however, only the second half of the movement made it to the CD reissue -- and the mistake has gone uncorrected through several successive issues, on several different labels! Since, to my knowledge, this movement has never appeared intact on any CD, I present it here.
Mystery #1: can anyone identify the performers on this recording? It was issued pseudonymously on Pickwick CD SMC 61. It's stereo, but the master tape was in mediocre condition. It's not the same performances as Allegro LP ALL701 (1964), which credits the same performers. That performance is mono (probably pre-1950), and has a live audience. (CD from the collection of Bill Summers.)
Mystery #2: this pseudonymous performance was issued before 1953 on Parade 2005. (The third movement was also issued separately on one side of a 45rpm 7" disc, Parade 9041). Warning: the LP is in bad shape, I cleaned it up as best I could.
Please send your best guess to eroica_project@hotmail.com Here are some other examples of the first movement, including three of the earliest recordings.
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