20 August 2025

24/48: Wilhelm Furtwangler / Vienna Philharmonic - Tchaikovsky. Symphony 4 - HMV 1951

Peter TchaikovskySymphony no.4 in F minor, op.36

I: Andante sostenuto-Moderato con anima-Moderato assai, quasi Andante-Allegro vivo ~ II: Andantino in modo di canzona ~ III: Scherzo: Pizzicato ostinato-Allegro ~ IV: Finale: Allegro con fuoco

Wiener Philharmoniker  conducted by  Wilhelm Furtwängler

4 files 16/44 zip FLAC  Mega Download         4 files 24/48 zip XR WAV  Mega Download

EMI Encore  ENC 109  (HMV ALP 1025). 1961 First Edition LP/matrices: 2XVH23/24 -7N.  Recorded: 4,8-10 January 1951 - Musikvereinsaal, Vienna.  

Very Hi-Fi for a 1951 EMI recording (Spectrum reaches 21kHz).  Original surface + No re-eq or auto de-click..  Sleeve-note/labels >>> 

 



4 comments:

  1. Thank you so much! I do like "original" lp rather than compilations of today.
    Paul.

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    Replies
    1. No doubt several mega-dodo boxed CD sets of Furty's every recording. Do people actually play more than a handful - or are they semi-erotic possessions...(or cheap wall-insulation)..!
      Happened to find this the previous day in Oxfam (£1.99) and was somewhat amazed it was effectively 'silent-surfaced' - hence the upload.
      Bet it sounds vastly superior to the 1952 LP transfer - and quite an entertaining performance (I've very few Furtwangler LP's).
      A slightly obscure/short-lived EMI label: the Hammond/deVito mentioned on the sleeve are early MFP's (have:- but sadly not Kurtz's Petrushka - apparently quite splendid as sound..)

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  2. Many thanks for posting this performance. I had never heard this conductor's take on the 4th symphony before, and I didn't even know that he had recorded it! The sound is very good for 1951. It is also good to hear the music played as serious music, rather than bombast. I doubt that this will ever be my favourite performance, but it is certainly a good antidote for some of the horrors that have been recorded over the years.

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    Replies
    1. Only afterwards checked:- https://en.tchaikovsky-research.net/pages/Discography
      ..and it doesn't appear to have been widely re-issued (unless they're missing some mega-boxes..).
      78 (12") HMV DB 21376/81
      33 (12") EMI ENC 109 [1961]
      HMV ALP 1025 [1952]
      Melodiya Д 028793/4 [1970]
      RCA LHMV 1005 [1952]
      Unicorn WFS 7 [1973]
      CD Documents 600211 [2015]
      Documents 221313 [2003]
      EMI 7648552 [1993]
      Historical Performers HP 8 [1995]
      Membran Music CDM 7101 [2010]
      Tahra FURT 1099/1100
      Urania URN 22169
      Did wonder if Mengelberg conducted in a similarly exaggerated (some very-whipped-up speeds) for his 1929 recording?
      The 3rd movement is particularly nice...and well-caught by quite a close balance (presumably there was rather more than a Single microphone --which Furtwangler apparently had insisted-upon (?) for the rather dire-sounding Decca 1948 LPO/Brahms Sym.2 (on Historical blog -insanely popular!!)
      Some years back was experimenting with a new (1939) 78 album of Furtwangler's BPO "Pathetique" but couldn't achieve decent results, -despite claims about its sound-quality..

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