The music of Johann Strauss the younger presented Rodzinski and Rosenthal

A couple nice mid 50's recordings of music by the Waltz King.

Probably many of you would not expect Strauss waltzes by Artur Rodzinski but here it is. Recorded in mono with Beecham's RPO, these charmers sparkle with great tunes, of course, coupled with that Rodzinski ear for detail. Amazing how others just gloss over little things - witness the New Year's concerts from Vienna!  Without a doubt, the RPO was the right orchestra to record this fare with since Beecham did not give short shrift to the "lighter" classics but treated them to the care and attention that they deserve. The orchestra was well prepped to dive into Strauss with vim and vigor!

Manuel Rosenthal probably would more likely come to mind  for dance music and with good reason since he was one of the more renowned proponents of "dance" music in the 20th century. Rosenthal leads the Paris Opera Orchestra here - in fine form, on a Capitol mono release, in Roger Desormiere's arrangement of Strauss into a ballet known as Le Beau Danube. This arrangement is wonderfully crafted and it's a damn shame that these kind of ballet suites are hardly ever heard anymore. One thing I'll say is that a number of bloggers in the last year have done Rosenthal great justice by resurrecting lps that have otherwise fallen into the great vinyl black hole. This man was a very, very fine conductor and musician as evidenced by recordings that I have been privileged to listen to. Such is the case with Le Beau Danube.

Johann Strauss the younger was a truly talented and gifted composer. These two recordings bear witness to that statement through the superior efforts of Artur Rodzinski and Manuel Rosenthal. Enjoy!

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More from Rodzinski and the PSONY

I've heard gazillion recordings of the Nutcracker Suite and so have you. After a while, the music just seems to play itself for god's sake. Well, if you are tired of the hum drum, cookie cutter, totally auto pilot approach, give this a listen. In short, this is the finest take on this overrecorded ballet suite that you are apt to lean an ear towards. There is a bounce in all the numbers and articulation, which often is glossed over, is crisp and clean. Most important, sunshine and a child's sense of merriment abounds in this most childlike of scores. My only regret is that there are a couple of unfortunate skips in the Miniature Overture due to the poor quality of the lp; everything else cleaned up rather well. A gem!

Nutcracker is not the end of the story. Tchaikovsky's Suite No 4 "Mozartiana" is served up in spades, the "prayer" will make your heart melt. To be truthful, I've never much cared for any of these suites or given them much thought but this Rodzinski recording opened my eyes up to Mozart's melodies brilliantly realized by the great Russian master. This is superb arranging and orchestration folks and, Rodzinski knows how to present the palette of colors truthfully and tastefully. 

And....as a fill, I've incorporated a 10 inch by Ormandy of Rimsky's Russian Easter Overture and Prokofiev's Classical Symphony. Each is immaculately performed by this great Philadelphia orchestra. These recordings made during Ormandy's first 20 years in Philly are the real deal.  There is an excitement level, an intensity you might say, that wore off as the stereophonic era took hold and made its way into digital.  Note: The cover above is not from my copy but from the French edition of the record.

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Artur Rodzinski and the Pathetique

A few weeks back,  I offered Dean Dixon conducting Tchaikovsky's Pathetique. That version is a fine performance but admittedly falls short to the absolute splendid take here under Artur Rodzinski. From a "Columbia Special Products" release, this performance is simply one of the finest, if not the finest, interpretations of this over recorded classic that I know of. It is too, a rather melancholy reminder of what should have been and, alas, what did not become of Artur Rodzinski as his career in the United States was self destructing on account of his severe personality disorder.

No doubt that Artur Rodzinski was a man of considerable gifts and high expectations. Respected by Toscanini and Stokowski for his supreme orchestral training skills and infallable ear, Rodzinski during the mid 1930's through the mid 40's acquired a reputation as one of the most brilliant orchestral leaders anywhere. Within a short period of time, he took a provincial Cleveland ensemble and raised its standards to close to the very best. George Szell would dispute that last statement but the proof exists in the excellent recordings that came out of Cleveland during Rodzinski's tenure.

From Cleveland, Rodzinski moved to the dangerous waters of New York to head the Philharmonic Symphony. This was the beginning of his psychological meltdown though moments of brilliance were captured, like this Pathetique. Recorded in 1947, shortly before Rodzinski fled to Chicago, the PSONY play like men possessed. Detail, phrasing, sense of "line" are magnificent. This is a Pathetique for the ages, much like I would say of Mravinsky's anguished, and rather polar opposite, 1960 recording. Rodzinski's entirely unemotional approach works superbly.

If Rodzinski had been able to maintain focus, his career would not have shattered, only to resurrect late in life as he approached his end on earth. No, he most likely would have assumed the mantle of the leading orchestral conductor in the US, probably succeeding Toscanini as a household name. Well...speculation I know but what if?

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