Columbia Legacy

GLITCH CORRECTEDCD 103 in the original box was defective.It only played for 39:38, ending five seconds too soon, and Ravel’s Tzigane was cut off in mid-phrase.Sony has re-pressed the disc and will mail you a corrected copy if needed.I can’t print e-mail addresses here, so go to YouTube and look up the David Hurwitz video for June 2, 2021, titled “Review Update: Ormandy Edition Problem Fixed”-------------------------------------------Photos: Ormandy/Columbia LPs of music by contemporary American composers.--- 120 CDs remastered using 24 bit /96 kHz technology with original jackets and a 208 page hardcover book.--- These are all the mono LPs Ormandy recorded for Columbia Masterworks (CBS) between 1944 and 1958.Ormandy stereo recordings were made for Columbia between 1957 and 1968, and for RCA between 1968 and 1980.Followed by albums for EMI and smaller companies.Those Columbia stereo recordings established the “Philadelphia Sound” in the public mind.Ormandy’s interpretations did not change all that much between the ‘50s and the ‘60s (Ormandy was born in 1899), so the major difference between the Columbia monos and Columbia stereos is the orchestral sound.Listeners accustomed to the luscious “Philadelphia Sound” in stereo may be disappointed with the tighter, more focused sound of the Columbia monos.To my mind, the monos are not better or worse, just different.Approximately 75% of the contents of the Sony mono box were duplicated in stereo.This leaves about thirty CDs of music that Ormandy never recorded in stereo (see the list at the end of this review).CANINE MYSTERY:With a few exceptions, the Columbia monos were recorded in the orchestra’s home, The Academy of Music, an enormous auditorium with a very dry acoustic.Columbia engineers were never happy with the sound, and tried a number of experiments to add warmth to the LPs.Most infamous was the barking dog on the 1947 recording of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherezade (CD 15).From page 44 of the book: “Note: A microphone was placed in a stairwell to add reverberation, and it picked up the sound of a dog barking outside during (concertmaster) Alexander Hilsburg’s final solo”.The dog was easy to spot on LP, but he’s much more elusive on CD.In 2021, Sony remastering engineers attempted to erase Rover.They managed to remove nearly all of his barks, but were unable to remove one feeble woof @ 11:21 of track 4 (CD 15).[In 1957 Columbia engineers convinced Ormandy and the orchestra that a different recording venue would be needed for the new technology of stereo.The ballroom of Philadelphia’s Broadwood Hotel, with it's reverberant acoustic was selected.The Broadwood Hotel, succeeded by Philadelphia's Town Hall, were as much responsible for the “Philadelphia Sound” as Ormandy and the orchestra.]In the 1950s, the composers that Eugene Ormandy was most closely identified with were Rachmaninov, Sibelius, the Strausses (Johann & Richard) and Tchaikovsky (it wasn’t until the 1960s that Shostakovich joined their group).Four of the six were contemporaries of Ormandy.“Contemporary Music” meant something completely different back then.Nearly half the composers in this box were still alive (or recently deceased) when the recordings were set down.Ormandy in the ‘50s was a dedicated champion of American composers, and Columbia Records under Goddard Lieberson was eager to record their music.Not just Barber, Copland and Gershwin, but also Brand, Dello Joio, Gesensway, Hanson, Harris, Kennan, McDonald, Persichetti, Phillips, Piston, Schuman, Thomson, Vincent, White and Yardumian.CORRECTION:One recording is missing from the index (page 157).On April 2, 1950, Ormandy recorded three Rachmaninov Preludes in orchestrations by Lucien Cailliet: Op.3,No.2 / Op.23,No.5 / Op.32,No.5.All three are on CD 31, but the index fails to list Op.23,No.5.The confusion was probably caused when CBS decided to include only two of the preludes as fillers for the Istomin recording of Concerto 2 on CD 82.PART ONE OF THREE: MUSIC THAT ORMANDY DID NOT RE-RECORD IN STEREO(American composers are listed at the end)ALBENIZ Iberia (CD 92)BACH:---- Fantasia & Fugue BWV 537 orch. Elgar (CD 78)---- Fantasia & Fugue BWV 542 (CD 78)---- Prelude & Fugue BWV 546 (CD 78)---- Choral Prelude BWV 741 “Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein” (CD 78)---- Violin ConcertI BWV 1041 (Stern) and BWV 1042 (Oistrakh) (CD 79)BARTOK Piano Concerto No.3 (Sandor) (CD 24)BEETHOVEN:---- Coriolan Overture (CD 43)---- Concerto for Piano No.5 (Serkin CD 36) + (Istomin CD 115)---- Concerto for Violin (Francescatti) (CD 35)---- Violin Romance No.2 (Krachmalnick) (CD 45)BERG Three excerpts from Wozzeck (CD 27)BERLIOZ Three orchestral excerpts from Damnation of Faust (CD 110)BRAHMS:---- Hungarian Dance No.6 (CD 106)---- Serenade No.2 movements 3 & 5 (CD 91)BRUCH Kol Nidrei (Piatigorsky, cello) (CD 8)CHABRIER Larghetto for Horn (Jones) (CD 45)CHAUSSON Poeme (Francescatti, violin) (1950, CD 35) + (1957, CD 109)DEBUSSY:---- Iberia from Images pour orchestra (CD 38)---- La Damoiselle elue (Sayao, soprano) (CD 6)DVORAK:---- Carnival Overture (CD 108)---- Slavonic Dance Op.72, No.2 (CD 6)GABRIELI Sonata pian’ e forte (CD 91)HANDEL:---- Concerto HWV335a (early study for Royal Fireworks Music) (CD 22)---- Oboe Concerto HWV287 (Tabuteau) (CD 45)HAYDN:---- Symphonies No.7 & 45 (CD 48)---- Symphony No.88 (CD 28)--- Symphonies No.99 & 100 (CD 114)HINDEMITH Nobilissima Visione (CD 23)HONEGGER Jeanne d’Arc au bucher (CD 49)KABALEVSKY Comedians Suite (CD 93)KHACHATURIAN Gayane Suite (CD 93)LEHAR:---- Eva Waltz (CD 60)---- Gold & Silver Waltz (CD 60)---- Merry Widow: Waltz Intermezzo and Vilja-Lied (CD 60)---- Land of Smiles: Dein ist mein ganzes Herz (CD 60)LISZT Les Preludes (CD 14)MIASKOVSKY Symphony No.21 (CD 24)MILHAUD Concerto for Percussion (CD 91)MOZART:---- Symphony No.40 (CD 84)---- Piano Concerto No.20 (Serkin) (CD 36)---- Violin Concerto No.4 (Oistrakh) (CD 81)PAGANINI Violin Concerto No.1 (Francescatti) (CD 81)PROKOFIEV:---- Symphony No.7 (CD 51)---- Scythian Suite (CD 21)RACHMANINOV:---- Isle of the Dead (CD 76) *---- Preludes, orch. Cailliet: Op.3,No.2 -- Op.23,No.5 -- Op.32,No.5 (CD 31)RAVEL:---- Daphnis et Chloe Suite No.1 (CD 30)---- Tzigane (Stern, violin) (CD 103)RESPIGHI Ancient Airs & Dances Suite 3: Arie di corte (CD 1)SCHOENBERG Verklarte Nacht (CD 30)STRAUSS (Eduard) Bahn frei Polka (CD 43)STRAUSS (Johann II):---- Die Fledermaus (complete opera sung in English with Metropolitan Opera) (CDs 33/34)---- Die Fledermaus Suite (CD 95)---- Eine Nacht in Venedig Overture (CD 43)---- Das Spitzentuch der Konigin Overture (CD 52)---- Waldmeister Overture (CD 52)---- Zigeunerbaron Overture (CD 20)---- Accelerationen Waltz (CD 43)---- Tik-Tak Polka (CD 52)---- Egyptian March (CD 52)---- Perpetuum mobile (CD 43)STRAUSS (Josef):---- Schwert und Leier Waltz (CD 95)---- Spharenklange Waltz (CD 95)STRAUSS (Richard):---- Serenade Op.7 (CD 91)---- Feuersnot Love Scene (CD 97)---- Frau ohne Schatten Symphonic Fantasia (CD 116)STRAVINSKY Le Sacre du printemps (CD 72)SUPPE Beautiful Galatea Overture (CD 102)THOMAS Mignon Overture (CD 102)VIEUXTEMPS Violin Concerto No.4 (Francescatti) (CD 88)VIVALDI Concerto for Two Violins RV522 (Oistrakh & Stern) (CD 79)WAGNER:---- Parsifal: Transformation Music, Klingsor’s Magic Garden, Closing Scene (CD 80)---- Tristan und Isolde: Liebesnacht (CD 55)WALDTEUFEL---- España Waltz (CD 60)---- Pluie de diamants Waltz Suite (CD 60)WEBER:---- Der Freischutz Overture (CD 20)---- Adagio & Rondo (Munroe, cello) (CD 45)---- Concertino for Clarinet (Gigliotti) (CD 45)* The Philadelphia Orchestra issued a 1977 concert recording of Rachmaninov’s Isle of the Dead in stereo for the orchestra’s Centennial boxed set of CDs in 2000.CLASSIC AMERICAN COMPOSERS - music that Ormandy did not re-record in stereo:- GOTTSCHALK Cakewalk Ballet Suite (CD 44)- GRIFFES Poem (Kincaid, flute) (CD 45)- VICTOR HERBERT:---- American Fantasy (CD 117)---- Irish Rhapsody (CD 117)---- Panamericana (CD 117)---- Fortune Teller Suite (CD 117)---- Naughty Marietta Suite (CD 117)CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN COMPOSERS - music that Ormandy did not re-record in stereo:- BRAND The Wonderful One-Hoss Shay (CD 27)- DELLO JOIO Variations, Chaconne & Finale (CD 111)- GESENSWAY Four Squares of Philadelphia (CD 85)- HANSON Serenade for Flute, Harp & String Orchestra (CD 2)- HARRIS Symphony No.7 (CD 83)- KENNAN Night Soliloquy (CD 2)- KERN Show Boat - Scenario for Orchestra (conducted by Andre Kostelanetz) (CD 119)- McDONALD:---- My Country at War (CD 2)---- Children’s Symphony (conducted by the composer) (CD 27)- PERSICHETTI Symphony No.4 (CD 85)- PHILLIPS Concert Piece for Bassoon (Schoenbach) (CD 45)- PISTON Symphony No.4 (CD 71)- RODGERS:---- South Pacific: Scenario for Orchestra (conducted by Andre Kostelanetz) (CD 119)---- Slaughter on 10th Avenue (conducted by Andre Kostelanetz) CD 119)- SCHUMAN:---- Symphony No.3 (CD 38)---- Symphony No.6 (CD 71)---- Credendum (CD 98)- THOMSON:---- Louisiana Story (CD 27)---- Five Songs from William Blake (Mack Harrell, baritone) (CD 64)---- Three Pictures for Orchestra (conducted by the composer) (CD 64)---- Five Portraits (conducted by the composer) (CD 27)- WHITE Sea Chanty (CD 2)- YARDUMIAN:---- Armenian Suite (CD 70)---- Desolate City (CD 70)---- Psalm 130 (CD 70)BARBER Adagio for Strings, COPLAND Billy the Kid, GERSHWIN Rhapsody in Blue, VINCENT Symphony in D, and YARDUMIAN Violin Concerto were recorded in both mono and stereo.Ormandy recorded the complete COPLAND Appalachian Spring ballet in mono (CD 94), but only the Suite in stereo for RCA.[STEREO ONLY: Significant additions to Ormandy’s American discography at this time were Harris Symphony No.3, Persichetti Symphony No.9, Schuman Symphony No.9, and a lot of Charles Ives.]--------------------------------------------------------------------PART TWO: ORMANDY CBS MONOS NEVER RE-RECORDED IN STEREO - IN NUMERICAL ORDERalso Philadelphia Orchestra recordings not conducted by Ormandy *CD 1 RESPIGHI Ancient Airs & Dances Suite 3: Arie di corteCD 2HANSON Serenade for Flute, Harp & String OrchestraKENNAN Night SoliloquyMcDONALD My Country at WarWHITE Sea ChantyCD 6DEBUSSY La Damoiselle elue (Sayao soprano)DVORAK Slavonic Dance Op.72, No.2* FERNANDEZ Batuque conducted by Saul Caston* GLIERE Russian Sailor’s Dance conducted by Saul CastonCD 8 BRUCH Kol Nidrei (Piatigorsky, cello)CD 14 LISZT Les PreludesCD 20STRAUSS (Johann II) Zigeunerbaron OvertureWEBER Der Freischutz OvertureCD 21 PROKOFIEV Scythian SuiteCD 22 HANDEL Concerto HWV335a (early study for Royal Fireworks Music)CD 23HINDEMITH Nobilissima Visione+ Hindemith Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes by Weber: George Szell, Cleveland OrchestraCD 24MIASKOVSKY Symphony No.21BARTOK Piano Concerto No.3 (Sandor)CD 26* SAINT-SAENS Cello Concerto No.1 (Piatigorsky) conducted by Alexander Hilsberg* TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto (Stern) conducted by Alexander HilsbergCD 27BERG Three excerpts from WozzeckBRAND The Wonderful One-Hoss ShayTHOMSON Louisiana Story* THOMSON Five Portraits conducted by the composer* McDONALD Children’s Symphony conducted by the composerCD 28HAYDN Symphony No.88+ Haydn Symphony No.92: George Szell, Cleveland OrchestraCD 30RAVEL Daphnis et Chloe Suite No.1SCHOENBERG Verklarte NachtCD 31RACHMANINOV Preludes, orch. Cailliet: Op.3,No.2 -- Op.23,No.5 -- Op.32,No.5+ Honegger: Concertino for Piano & Orchestra (Oscar Levant) Fritz Reiner, Columbia Symphony33/34 STRAUSS (Johann II) Die Fledermaus with Metropolitan Opera, sung in English translationCD 35BEETHOVEN Concerto for Violin (Francescatti)CHAUSSON Poeme (Francescatti) first recording (1950)CD 36BEETHOVEN Concerto for Piano No.5 (Serkin)MOZART Piano Concerto No.20 (Serkin)CD 38DEBUSSY Iberia from Images pour orchestraSCHUMAN Symphony No.3CD 43BEETHOVEN Coriolan OvertureSTRAUSS (Eduard) Bahn frei PolkaSTRAUSS (Johann II) Eine Nacht in Venedig OvertureSTRAUSS (Johann II) Accelerationen WaltzSTRAUSS (Johann II) Perpetuum mobileCD 44GOTTSCHALK Cakewalk Ballet Suite* BERNSTEIN Fancy Free: Dance Variations conducted by Alexander Hilsberg* WALTON Façade: Four Dances conducted by Alexander Hilsberg+ Gould: Fall River Legend: Dimitri Mitropoulos, New York PhilharmonicCD 45BEETHOVEN Violin Romance No.2 (Krachmalnick)CHABRIER Larghetto for Horn (Jones)GRIFFES Poem (Kincaid, flute)HANDEL Oboe Concerto HWV287 (Tabuteau)PHILLIPS Concert Piece for Bassoon (Schoenbach)WEBER Adagio & Rondo (Munroe, cello)WEBER Concertino for Clarinet (Gigliotti)CD 48 HAYDN Symphonies No.7 & 45CD 49 HONEGGER Jeanne d’Arc au bucherCD 51 PROKOFIEV: Symphony No.7CD 52STRAUSS (Johann II) Das Spitzentuch der Konigin OvertureSTRAUSS (Johann II) Waldmeister OvertureSTRAUSS (Johann II) Tik-Tak PolkaSTRAUSS (Johann II) Egyptian MarchCD 55 WAGNER Tristan und Isolde: LiebesnachtCD 60LEHAR Eva WaltzLEHAR Gold & Silver WaltzLEHAR Merry Widow: Waltz Intermezzo and Vilja-LiedLEHAR Land of Smiles: Dein ist mein ganzes HerzWALDTEUFEL España WaltzWALDTEUFEL Pluie de diamants Waltz SuiteCD 64THOMSON Five Songs from William Blake (Mack Harrell, baritone)* THOMSON Three Pictures for Orchestra conducted by the composerCD 70YARDUMIAN Armenian SuiteYARDUMIAN Desolate CityYARDUMIAN Psalm 130CD 71PISTON Symphony No.4SCHUMAN Symphony No.6CD 72 STRAVINSKY Le Sacre du printempsCD 76 RACHMANINOV Isle of the DeadCD 78BACH Fantasia & Fugue BWV 537 orch. ElgarBACH Fantasia & Fugue BWV 542BACH Prelude & Fugue BWV 546BACH Choral Prelude BWV 741 “Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein”CD 79BACH Violin Concerto BWV 1041 (Stern)BACH Violin Concerto BWV 1042 (Oistrakh)VIVALDI Concerto for Two Violins RV522 (Oistrakh & Stern)CD 80 WAGNER Parsifal: Transformation Music, Klingsor’s Magic Garden, Closing SceneCD 81MOZART Violin Concerto No.4 (Oistrakh)PAGANINI Violin Concerto No.1 (Francescatti)CD 83HARRIS Symphony No.7+ Harris Symphony No.1: Serge Koussevitzky, Boston SymphonyCD 84 MOZART: Symphony No.40CD 85GESENSWAY Four Squares of PhiladelphiaPERSICHETTI Symphony No.4CD 88 VIEUXTEMPS Violin Concerto No.4 (Francescatti)CD 91BRAHMS Serenade No.2 movements 3 & 5GABRIELI Sonata pian’ e forteMILHAUD Concerto for PercussionSTRAUSS (Richard) Serenade Op.7CD 92 ALBENIZ IberiaCD 93KABALEVSKY Comedians SuiteKHACHATURIAN Gayane SuiteCD 94 COPLAND Appalachian Spring complete balletCD 95STRAUSS (Johann II) Die Fledermaus SuiteSTRAUSS (Josef) Schwert und Leier WaltzSTRAUSS (Josef) Spharenklange WaltzCD 97 STRAUSS (Richard) Feuersnot Love SceneCD 98SCHUMAN Credendum+ Kirchner Piano Concerto No.1 (composer, piano) Dimitri Mitropoulos, New York PhilharmonicCD 102SUPPE Beautiful Galatea OvertureTHOMAS Mignon Overture* BERLIOZ Roman Carnival Overture conducted by Alexander Hilsberg* SUPPE Light Cavalry Overture conducted by Alexander HilsbergCD 103 RAVEL Tzigane (Stern, violin)CD 106 BRAHMS Hungarian Dance No.6CD 108 DVORAK Carnival OvertureCD 109CHAUSSON Poeme (Francescatti violin) second recording (1957)* SAINT-SAENS Havanaise (Francescatti) conducted by William Smith* SARASATE Ziguenerweisen (Francescatti) conducted by William SmithCD 110 BERLIOZ Three Orchestral excerpts from Damnation of FaustCD 111 DELLO JOIO Variations, Chaconne & FinaleCD 114 HAYDN Symphonies No.99 & 100CD 115 BEETHOVEN Concerto for Piano No.5 (Istomin)CD 116 STRAUSS (Richard) Frau ohne Schatten Symphonic FantasiaCD 117HERBERT American FantasyHERBERT Irish RhapsodyHERBERT PanamericanaHERBERT Fortune Teller SuiteHERBERT Naughty Marietta SuiteCD 118* BEETHOVEN Symphony No.6 conducted by Bruno Walter* SCHUBERT Symphony No.8 conducted by Bruno WalterCD 119* BERNERS Triumph of Neptune Ballet Suite conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham* ROSSINI Semiramide Overture conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham* KERN Show Boat: Scenario for Orchestra conducted by Andre Kostelanetz* RODGERS Slaughter on 10th Avenue conducted by Andre Kostelanetz* RODGERS South Pacific: Scenario for Orchestra conducted by Andre Kostelanetz* Philadelphia Orchestra, but not conducted by Ormandy------------------------------------------------------------PART THREE: MONO RECORDINGS FROM 1957 THAT WERE ACTUALLY RECORDED IN STEREOA time of transition: the first stereo record players (and a limited number of stereo LPs) appeared on the market in 1957.I count sixteen mono recordings (2 hours of music) in this box that Columbia issued in stereo at a later date, but with different couplings.All the stereo recordings have been released on individual CDs, and will presumably appear in the hoped-for Ormandy stereo box.CD 99:-- Barber Adagio-- Borodin Nocturne-- Vaughan Williams Greensleeves FantasiaThe mono versions were used as fillers for the 1957 reissue of the 1952 mono Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings (CD 99).The stereo versions were used as fillers for the 1960 stereo Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings on an early stereo LP - MS 6224.CD 103:-- Wieniawski Violin Concerto No.2 with Isaac SternThis was only issued on LP in mono.The first stereo release was on CD, part of the “Isaac Stern: Life in Music” CD collection (1995), also included in Sony's 75 CD Isaac Stern box.CD 106:-- Brahms Hungarian Dances No.17-21-- Gliere Russian Sailors Dance-- Saint-Saens Danse MacabreCD 110:-- Liszt Mephisto Waltz-- Weber Invitation to the DanceThese selections were coupled on an early stereo LP - MS 6241, which is pictured on page 124 of the book.CD 108:-- Enesco Romanian Rhapsodies No.1 & 2Issued on an early stereo LP - MS 6018CD 111:-- John Vincent Symphony in Dissued on an early stereo LP - MS 6179 with a stereo recording of Vincent's Symphonic Poem After Descartes (1959).The stereo recordings of both Vincent works were issued on an Albany CD licensed from Sony.On the CD, they are coupled with Norman Dello Joio’s Air Power Symphonic Suite conducted by Ormandy (composed for a CBS documentary TV series), also recorded in stereo.

First off, wouldn't it have been nice if Amazon had actually listed this in new releases for classical box sets? They didn't, so I had no idea this was released two-and-a-half weeks ago. Same with the new Rodzinski box, which I just ordered from the UK because they don't have it here. But enough about Amazon.Okay, and others have had to endure for too many decades classical music snobs and critics deriding Eugene Ormandy. Relentlessly so, actually. I have stood up for Mr. Ormandy every time some dope does that. Why? Simply put, Ormandy was a great, great conductor, who had the uncanny ability to make any kind of music seem accessible to any kind of audience, be it kids or people not interested in classical music. There is a reason he was one of the all-time best-selling classical recording artists. He brought music to so many, who were weaned on his recordings and grew to not only love the music he did, but then sought out other conductors and recordings.In fact, my first introduction to a piece of classical music happened in the eighth grade, when my music appreciation teacher played The Moldau. I was bowled over by the music and the recording. I immediately asked him what album it was from and he showed me the cover - Columbia album with Ormandy conducting. That night, I made my parents take me to a record store, where they purchased the album for me. I played it to death on our big record player, which had nice sound, or so it seemed back in those days. It also played stereo, but we hadn't bought any of those new-fangled records yet and wouldn't until the following year - and yes, the first stereo album I bought was also Ormandy. And thus began my love of classical music. If I was searching for new music to discover, I always bought Ormandy doing it. And the fact that he championed so much American music was a real bonus. And the sound of the Philadelphia Orchestra, well, that was the cherry on the hot fudge sundae. I've been loud and clear that we needed Columbia to do a great box set like they had for Szell and Reiner, etc. And finally, we have it. And it's vastly amusing watching the snobs and critics who suddenly have come around and NOW think Ormandy was great and conveniently forget how they knocked him. And then there are a handful of snobs and dopey critics who still can't quite admit how good he was - they do it begrudgingly.I am ten discs in and I can already tell you this is the box set of the year. 120 discs, all his mono output. We can only drool and hope it sells well so they do all the Columbia stereo stuff because a lot of what's out on CD needs serious remastering. The mastering in this set is beyond superb. The mono sound is so clear and beautiful - the tone, the balances, everything. The earliest stuff sounds amazing, too, for having come from discs. But once we're in the tape era, holy smokes is it great sound. Then there are the performances - from disc one they are simply brilliant. As always with Ormandy, he makes music I've never really liked suddenly enjoyable, because there's no fuss with him - he just lets the music do its job and boy is there something to be said for that. I didn't know any of the performances on the first ten discs, and several have become instant favorites, even more so than some of the stereo counterparts he did. And the early disc of American music is so great. But his Brahms 4th is magnificent as is the Brahms' piano and violin concertos. The beauty of these performances and the sound is actually quite moving.I'll come back when I've heard more, but five stars isn't enough. Some of these humungous sets only get one printing, so I'd grab it pretty quick if I were you, and I am. The two-year-old Previn box, which I bought on day one, now sells for over $1,000 and that happened in the first year. Who knows how big this pressing was. There will be many pleasurable days and nights ahead with this amazing set. I think this is a rave.UPDATE: Fixed the typos :) The glories of this set continue to bowl me over. Currently on disc twenty-one. So far, the best of the highlights (they're all highlights) for me is the Brahms stuff - great performances of the third and fourth symphonies and the couple of concertos. Also, a pretty terrific early Sibelius second, some beautifully done Richard Strauss, a wonderful Beethoven seventh, a perfect Scythian Suite and Respighi's Feste Romana. What a treat! Be back with more thoughts. So far, there's only been couple of CDs where the disc imperfections come through, but everything else sound truly splendid. And I cheated, of course, and listened to The Moldau - just as I remembered it.EDIT AGAIN: I'm on disc 40 now and it keeps getting better, as we're now in the tape years - and as astonishing as the pre-tape sound was, the clarity and brilliance of the tape years is unbelievable and we have to be grateful to Sony that all these tapes were preserved so beautifully. I listening to the gorgeous performance of William Schuman's third symphony right now. Stunning.FURTHER UPDATE: It just gets better and better. So many highlights in this set, well, everything is pretty much a highlight. Only a couple of CDs have had tubby sound, but the rest are just magnificent. But it's the music making, it's the band, and the repertoire is so surprising sometimes. And it occurs to me, of the eight reviews currently up here, I seem to be the only one who's actually heard this. Too bad Bruce R. got shorted a disc - nothing missing in mine, thankfully. I'm currently on disc 70, so 50 more to go. It's like the gift that keeps on giving. Better grab this before the price skyrockets, which I'm pretty sure it will.

We're all familiar with Ormandy's stereo/digital recordings as they are readily available on CD, either new or used. This collection fills in a gap on CD of broad-ranging repertoire, much never re-recorded over Ormandy's long recording career. Note that Pristine Classics is in the middle of a projected 5-volume set of Ormandy/Philadelphia purely orchestral mono recordings on Victor made prior to the orchestras switch to Columbia. Note that Ormandy's historic soloist collaborations on Victor have rarely left the catalogue and are available on CD either new or used. There is one gap who's filling I believe would be appreciated. That would be a compilation of the complete Ormandy/Minneapolis Victor recordings. Here is a young Ormandy, energetic, intense, in charge of his first symphony orchestra. He, the board, and Victor took full advantage of a loosely written contract to engage the musicians in a recording frenzy of eclectic and varied repertoire! That said, kick back and enjoy this much welcomed set!(As an addendum to my earlier review, Pristine has commenced cleaning up and releasing the entire Ormandy/Minneapolis catalogue. Much of it never re-recorded through his long career, and much of it never re-released in later formats. The first volume is a revelation in interpretation, energy, and variety of chosen repertoire. The earnest rediscovery of the Ormandy legacy is in full swing!)

Although this is the MONO material no-one need fear about the technical quality which is, all things being equal, of a uniform excellence. In terms of performance and repertoire there is plenty of interest; yes a lot of which I expected, but a fair amount I didn't.Ormandy has seemed to attract a UK critical response of "very professional but sometimes a rather bland, blowsy approach". Whilst not eulogizing the maestro to the extent that critic David Hurwitz has done in the recent past, I certainly think this set begs a re-appraisal of his talent.There is much to enjoy here.....with the emphasis on much!! Almost as weighty as "The Menuhin Century", and that's saying something!

Ormandy must surely be one of the most prolific conductors as far as recordings are concerned - this 120-CD set is without a doubt a treasure trove of his MONO (only) recordings, but even there only for Columbia: he recorded for RCA too. As implied, the many stereo recordings (dozens of them issued and reissued elsewhere) over the years are not included here.I notice another reviewer draws attention to a faulty CD (103, I think) as being defective which - if this affects you - can apparently be followed up with a replacement upon request (see Classics for Today's David Hurwitz YouTube video review update for details).I admit I have only recently acquired this huge CD set, but from what I've heard the transfers are truly admirable to say the least.A further reviewer has already mentioned something that I also spotted on sampling one or two of the CD's. Rimsky's Scheherazade, recorded in 1947 (CD15) has been known in record collector circles as the 'Barking Dog' Scheherazade, referring to the days when 78's were being transferred via an external mic to a master towards producing an Lp version of the same recording. On a certain batch of transferred records, a barking dog could be heard during the final violin solo of the piece when the transfer mic picked up his bark outside the building from a stairwell used to add reverberation to the recording. The lavishly produced booklet even refers to this. However, where is our canine soloist here? Gone! My old Lp had him delightfully adding to orchestra leader Alexander Hilsberg's solo (and yet somehow it never, for me, detracted from the music's beauty). Perhaps I've answered my own question though: the dog 'bombed' an earlier transfer, not the original recording itself, which I assume was used here?Despite all that, I cannot stress enough what a great achievement this set is: a model of beautiful presentation on Sony's part and - I gather - put together entirely over the COVID period. The 200 page full colour book reproduces all the original (and some re-issue) covers and includes everything anyone would need to know about the recordings; moreover, it is cross-referenced. The CD's themselves are individually encased in card jackets on which are miniature facsimiles of front and back Lp covers.In all great playing, based on past knowledge of many of these recordings and readers must not miss the chance to acquire this, such collections falling under the deletion/availability axe far too often in general.Wholeheartedly recommended to those who love Ormandy's recordings, the superlative Philadelphia Orchestra, older mono recordings superbly remastered and of course the music (see other reviews for contents) itself which supplants in quality any reservations about the mono sound anyway.Dare I ask for the Ormandy stereo recordings as a follow up, Sony?

... weighter bass and do not suffer from flutter; sonic congestion is mainly under control. An extraordinary set whose value cannot be overstated: listen, learn, and love much of these performances, for their greatness lives long in the memory.Eugene Ormandy (né Jenő Ormándy- Blau: Budapest, 18 de noviembre de 1899 - Philadelphia, 12 de marzo de 1985; su abuela cambió su apellido Goldberg por Or-mont y, de ahí, probablemente el Ormandy) fue de los pocos músicos de larga carrera (con Claudio Arrau) que grabó en cada uno de los formatos existentes: desde los discos acústicos (como violinista, discípulo de Jenö Hubay), 78 rpm y LPs monoaurales, stereo y digitales. El compositor más cercano a su corazón fue Jean Sibelius (querencia que ya se manifestó como director musical en Minneapolis durante el periodo 1931-1936) y siempre sobresalió en la música con mucho colorido (música ruso/soviética y húngara) y considerablemente menos en el canon austro-germánico (salvo como acompañante de música concertante, en la que era extraordinario). Siempre hubo que admirar la conjuntación precisa que conseguía de la orquesta de Philadelphia, la orquesta más suntuosa del Nuevo Mundo (105 profesores, fundada en 1900), y la profundidad del sonido emitido por ella, aunque las bases de ese sonido fabuloso fueran sentadas por Leopold Stokowski, que le precedió (1912-1938) y Ormandy tuvo el buen juicio de mantenerlo: Ormandy se mantendría 40 años en su puesto de director titular, un record cercano al de Willem Mengelberg en Amsterdam, Yevgeny Mravinsky en Leningrado y Ernest Ansermet en Ginebra. Como violinista que era, tenía un conocimiento profundo de la cuerda y se entendía a la perfección con los instrumentistas de esta disciplina.Ormandy no tenía un ego desmesurado pero ejercía un control riguroso: "main de fer dans un gant de velours". Elasticidad, energía y respeto al espíritu de la partitura eran sus características más sobresalientes en la época que nos ocupa en este mega-cofre aunque, en sus comienzos (cuando idolatraba a Toscanini), era un director mucho más volátil de lo que sería luego y también más amante de los tempi rápidos, que luego se atemperarían considerablemente. Como todos los grandes maestros, Ormandy tenía la cualidad de conseguir suavidad en las transiciones de tempo de forma que accelerandi y ritardandi no resultaran abruptos y de forma que se mantuviera la forma ejerciendo simultáneamente una libertad en la elección de tempo. La habilidad de Ormandy de sostener la línea musical y establecer relaciones entre tempi hacía que sus lecturas parecieran devenir dotadas de una respiración natural. Nunca le hizo ascos a la música de su tiempo y grabó obras de Nielsen, Barber, Copland, Harris, Piston, Schuman, Ives, Delius, Holst, Stravinsky y Britten.Como curiosidad, sepa que el legado discográfico de este director es enorme: aparte del mega-cofre que nos ocupa, tenemos las grabaciones que hizo para RCA en Minneapolis (1934-35) y Philadelphia (1936-1942); luego vendría el periodo stereo en Philadelphia para Columbia (1957-1968) y su vuelta a RCA (1968-1980); también las grabaciones stereo para EMI (1978-1981), Delos (1981) y su último álbum, un Columbia con el cellista Yo-Yo Ma en 1982.Vamos a lo que nos ocupa: en un cofre grande y sólido, tenemos 120 CDs de portadas y contraportadas originales alojados en estuches de un cartón sólido que contienen las grabaciones monoaurales (recientemente reprocesadas) de Ormandy para el sello Columbia dirigiendo la Philadelphia Orchestra durante el periodo 1944-1958 ("it is not just an exercise in nostalgia, though it is surely that. It's a lesson in how a great orchestra can please the public with motives no more arcane than to set before them the music people love and want to experience"). Los CDs están distribuidos en dos hileras de 60 CDs cada una y el único problema que he encontrado es que la numeración de cada uno de ellos viene en el lomo de la cartulina en letra muy pequeña y no resulta cómodo (para ojos cansados) el volver a colocarlo en su sitio una vez escuchado (algo que se soluciona dejando un marcador de algún tipo una vez retirado). Hay 152 grabaciones inéditas en CD, lo que le convierte en una joya para el coleccionista. El libreto informativo en buen papel hace honor a ese deseo de lujo por parte de la editora Sony en forma de un libro de 250 páginas de tapas duras que contiene, entre otras cosas, información detallada sobre cada uno de los CDs, fechas de grabación y reproducciones de todas las portadas originales.Muchos de estos CDs son de duración corta -como eran los originales-, pero hay una cantidad nada despreciable de CDs de duración larga por acumulación de grabaciones bajo una misma carátula. Algunos de los CDs de este cofre ya aparecieron en mega-cofres similares publicados por Sony como, por ejemplo, aquellos dedicados a Rudolf Serkin, Oscar Levant, Isaac Stern, Joseph Szigeti, Robert Casadesus o Eugene Istomin, dado que son grabaciones de música concertante. Los tres últimos CDs están dedicados también a la Orquesta de Philadelphia, pero bajo el comando de otros directores como Bruno Walter, André Kostelanetz, Thomas Beecham y Charles O'Connell.Cualquier trabajo de reprocesado suele conllevar algún tipo de compromiso: se busca ofrecer el sonido con más presencia, reequilibrar los instrumentistas y reducir el ruido de fondo ("hiss, crackle, rumble") sin comprometer el color tonal, los timbres y el detalle cuando se aplican los filtros y el potenciamiento de ciertas frecuencias. Unos optan por el mínimo intervencionismo dejando el ruido de fondo para no tener que poner en peligro la calidad del sonido original; otros optan por potenciar la presencia, el impacto y el detalle (un grado alto de filtraje, pues) reforzando las frecuencias bajas y medias y añadiendo reverberación artificial o se pueden abrir las frecuencias altas, lo que puede acabar pecando de (1) un sonido excesivamente brillante y de (2) unos bajos amordazados: en cualquier caso y simplificando excesivamente, lo más aparente con lo que cualquier nuevo reprocesado de material antiguo se encuentra es el reto de evitar los problemas habituales: agudos estridentes, medios nasales y bajos inexistentes.Las transferencias que nos ocupan han sido el resultado de un compromiso muy acertado pues vencen esos últimos retos mencionados y consiguen que la escucha de estos CDs sea una experiencia confortable y placentera de una forma inesperada para la edad que tienen: solo unos efectos parásitos que se manifiestan como una subida de volumen sonoro en forte de las tomas de 1950-54 pueden resultar algo desconcertantes. Mi equipo de sonido me confirma que las restauraciones preservan estas grabaciones en una acústica deseable sin constreñimientos dinámicos aparentes y con mejoras en los dos extremos (agudos y bajos con más prominencia). Las asperezas han sido eliminadas y también el ruido de fondo en buena medida (lo que da más relieve a los instrumentos individuales y permite percibir abundancia de detalles) y el sonido orquestal es razonablemente cálido y dulce sin pérdida de impacto.A diferencia de las tomas stereo posteriores en Philadelphia, el director está aquí menos interesado en la pura belleza sonora per se y lo que produce son sonoridades de más tensión, más esbeltas, con menos de la grasa opulenta que vendría luego y sus gestos son más abruptos que después. A pesar de lo mencionado, la cuerda es muy bella, la percusión es incisiva, la madera tiene una gran personalidad y el metal esta ahí, pero no ruge con el abandono y presión sonora que lo hace en la Chicago Symphony, aunque resultan más elegantes. Como era de rigor entonces, la música vocal está cantada en inglés (incluida la grabación íntegra de 'Die Fledermaus'), salvo 'Jeanne au bûcher'. Puntos álgidos de esta colección: su Stravinsky, Sibelius (destaquemos que si su idea del compositor finés es la de un Sibelius frío, severo y angular, estas lecturas no serán de su agrado pues son interpretaciones de fraseo sutil y urgentemente románticas), Richard Strauß (un sensacional 'Ein Heldenleben', ¡qué cuerda y qué vientos!), Prokofiev, Bartók (su Rachmaninov suena a Bartók), toda la música francesa ("d'un élan, d'une densité ne rimant jamais avec épaisseur") y americana y la abundante música ligera (Waldteufel, Lehár, Johann Strauß II, …). De Rachmaninov conviene señalar su lectura de la tercera sinfonía de una belleza inusitada gracias a una orquesta de timbres aterciopelados ("most orchestras cannot even appear to match the sheer lushness of Ormandy's Philadelphians") en una toma de sonido espaciosa y bien balanceada. Conviene destacar algunas lecturas individuales: (1) la que es probablemente la más impresionante lectura del concierto de cello de Dvořák de 1946, una lectura serena y afectuosa pero aderezada de toques de heroísmo y de una intensidad férrea (el proverbial guante de terciopelo sobre mano de hierro) a cargo de Gregor Piatigorsky en el cénit de sus capacidades técnicas, uno de los últimos representantes de la gran escuela romántica del cello: " infinite shadings, sweeping eloquence and aristocratic grandeur". (2) Igualmente le impresionará la lectura del primer concierto de piano de Liszt de manos de Claudio Arrau -una de las más perfectas que existen a todos los niveles- y la del primer concierto de piano de Tchaikovsky a cargo de Oscar Levant, una visión poco eslava pero enérgica, vitalista y rápida, pero no neurótica.; lo que hacía de Levant un gran intérprete de Gershwin (Rhapsody in Blue), aparte de su amistad personal con el compositor, es que sabía refrenar sus impulsos románticos (que sí se materializan en la lectura del concierto de Tchaikovsky) y concentrarse en el ingenio, la energía y la insolencia muy 'Nuevo Mundo' de la música que interpretaba mejor que cualquiera de sus contemporáneos. (3) El concierto para la mano izquierda de Ravel: "Casadesus had a rare ability to combine purity of utterance with intensity of purpose: his readings provide nuance without fuss and a strong sense of narrative progress: just the right amounts of virility, clarity, drama, and wit".No encontrará un énfasis especial en el canon austro-germánico (salvo en obra concertante), pero sí dispondrá de varias sinfonías de Haydn (nums. 7, 45, 88, 99, 100 y 101); una sinfonía de Mozart (num. 40) y un concierto de piano (num.20 con Rudolf Serkin); un ciclo entero de los conciertos de piano de Beethoven con Rudolf Serkin y conciertos individuales con Claudio Arrau (tercero) -una lectura eminentemente lírica de un pulido pianístico de fábula: unos trinos que parecen "seamless undulations of energy"-, Robert Casadesus (cuarto) -"the elegant French pianist reminds us that the influence of Mozart and Gallican suavity have a good deal to say to us in this work"- y Eugene Istomin (Emperador), el concierto de violín (Zino Francescatti) -"violinist is at the height of his powers", muy superior en estilo y técnica a su remake stereo de 1962 con Walter- y las sinfonías tercera, séptima y novena (también aparece la Pastoral, pero dirigida por Walter); un ciclo completo de las sinfonías de Brahms así como su concierto de violín (Joseph Szigeti) y su segundo de piano (Rudolf Serkin) y, de Bruch, tenemos el primer concierto de violín (Isaac Stern). Istomin vuelve en el segundo concierto de piano de Rachmaninov, con la particularidad de que parece estar tocando Bartók.Adenda: Algunos sellos que editan mega-cofres optan por producir descargas en tecnología 192 kHz/24 bit de álbumes selectos para la nueva generación 'high res', algo que resulta más barato que editar CDs individuales, y no sabemos por qué ruta optará Sony. Y luego está el streaming, que se materializa de tres guisas: ficheros comprimidos con pérdidas (MP3, entre 96 y 320 Kbps -kilobites por segundo - y resolución 16 bits) calidad incompatible con las exigencias de la música clásica, ficheros comprimidos sin pérdidas (FLAC, 1411 Kbps, 16 bits) equivalente a calidad CD y ficheros no comprimidos (WAV, 9216 kbps, 24 bits) calidad master, pero muy voluminosos. Algunas plataformas admiten la creación de colecciones personales por descarga, pero ese material archivado (si tiene Ud. espacio suficiente en su disco de almacenamiento) desaparece cuando expira la suscripción. Para los amantes de la música clásica hay dificultades: la mayoría de las plataformas que suministran servicio están diseñadas para la música pop siguiendo la lógica de búsqueda "intérprete-canción-álbum" lo que se presta poco a la búsqueda de nuestra música. Además, esta lógica hace que muchos suministradores opten por los álbumes compilación, crossover y 'easy listening': en el Reino Unido, el 8.6% del streaming en clásica está en manos del pianista neo-minimalista Ludovico Einaudi, algo que probablemente sea parecido en los 'más vendidos`de amazon.

I was always a bit hesitant about old mono recordings. The sound quality is important for me as well as the performance and repertoire. This box set is absolutely outstanding. I have started to listen and the first album proved that Sony has done an amazing job. The sound is great. Although it is only mono , it is better than many modern recordings and has even some unique charm. I don't know how to describe it better but I would say it is a very natural, warm, clean and... interesting sound - I am enjoying it very much. I don't notice any noises. The package is a top class: beautiful book with photos and details (more than 200 pages), very cool stylish original cover jackets - it is just a piece of art. Repertoire: I found it very interesting as many of recorded pieces are new for me. It is a fantastic journey to discover historically important conductor in a great sound quality. My scepticism about mono recordings started to disappear with listening of Bruno Walter Sony box. Now with Ormandy legacy I am becoming even a bigger fan of nicely recorded / remastered mono! Having these great conductors mega boxes with this sound quality and in such amazing package is a luxury experience.

This is Ormandy's mono legacy from the start of his time with Columbia. Some purchasers are annoyed this isn't adequately advertised -- it should have been -- but it is incredible that Sony has taken such pains to make so many almost lost recordings available. Usually, we just get the stereo legacy, but for Ormandy there is much to be said for going back a bit further. There's just a bit more energy in these early years with the orchestra. There were many great recordings to come, but this is perhaps the best of his work with the Philadelphia. What struck me most forcibly when I started exploring the set was the vast repertoire covered. Needless to say, we get the popular works, often superaltively done, but there's so much more. I especially like the discs of 20th century American music. There are many wonderful discs, but I will mention just one specifically: Haydn Symphonies Nos. 7 and 45, 'Midi' & 'Farewell'. Ormandy plays them with astonishing energy and artistry. I find these performances more satisfying than almost any that have come since. And so many discs hold similar revelations. The sound is generally extremely good and the book is rich in information and illustration. This is a superlative set by a company that sets the standard for historical reissues.