A Little More Bizet from Rodzinski

Not long ago I shared a 10-inch LP of Bizet's early symphony by Artur Rodzinski leading the New York Philharmonic. The progenitor of that recording was this 78-rpm set from circa 1945. The earlier album also included the prelude to Act III of Bizet's Carmen in a particularly lovely performance not on the LP.

The earlier set also had a different - and to my eyes far more attractive - Alex Steinweiss cover than did the 10-inch LP. The back of the cover (below) had a photo of Rodzinski not to be found on the LP. Finally the sound is better on the 78s, which are, of course, much less convenient than the LP. All this is strangely reminiscent of the trade-offs in the transition from LP to CD, as you may have noticed.

The download contains the Carmen Act III prelude and the two covers from the 78 set.

REMASTERED VERSION - JANUARY 2015

Rodzinski Conducts Bizet

When we last heard from Artur Rodzinski on this blog, he was conducting the New York Philharmonic in Prokofiev. I said he would return with the Cleveland Orchestra.

Since then, I've discovered that all the Cleveland/Rodzinski recordings in my collection are already available online here. So I've returned to his NYPO recordings for this 10-inch LP of Georges Bizet's early symphony, a work that was not performed until 1935

The recording was made in Carnegie Hall on the same January day in 1945 on which these forces incised the Rachmaninoff symphony featured here earlier. It first appeared on 78s then on this LP with cover by Alex Steinweiss.

Rodzinski and Bizet may not be an intuitive match - and truthfully this does not erase the sonic memories of other performances - but it is a spruce affair that is sure to give pleasure.

REMASTERED VERSION - JANUARY 2015