Post pinned until October 16 release date

Neither of these performances are new to Szell’s discography having previously appeared on the West Hill Radio Archives label, although both are new to me. Surprisingly, given he conducted Franck’s D-minor Symphony several times in New York alone (between February 28, 1948, and April 6, 1970, the year of his death), there is no commercial taping, Cleveland being the obvious place for such an undertaking, although CBS did record this work with Bernstein and Ormandy. This live version – December 6, 1953 – is wonderfully potent from the off, powerfully articulated, impassioned, yet also flexible and even tender. Only the Finale raises a doubt, somewhat rushed if not throughout, although the New York Philharmonic (as we now know it) remains superb, the last few minutes touchingly yielding and building to a blazing peroration. Sibelius’s Second was even more a regular in Szell’s programming. He made a celebrated Concertgebouw recording for Philips (now Decca) and there’s a much-admired account captured at a concert in Tokyo with his Clevelanders (1970). I recently described this opus as Sibelius’s weakest Symphony, which drew a surprised response from my good friend Rob Cowan. No weaknesses as conducted by Szell on January 18, 1953 – dramatic, expressive, the score seen whole if with leeway moments, thrilling in the Scherzo (with a poetic oboe-led Trio) and a glorious Finale. Once again the NYP is magnificent. Lani Spahr’s remastering is first-class (so too his informative booklet note) – no sonic discolouration due to over-zealous processing, rather clear and dynamic sound that does justice to the music-making and the famed (pre-refurb) Carnegie Hall acoustic. SOMM ARIADNE 5051 is released on October 16. Vol.2 awaited.