Search - Hector Berlioz, Max Bruch, Claude Debussy :: Barbirolli: The Columbia Masters, Vol. 3

Incredibly good sound from the 1940s

Anton Zimmerling | Moscow, Russia | 01/02/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD from the John Barbirolli series on Dutton lab. has three main attractions. For the first, the restored sound is simply incredible - I could not believe that I was listening to orchestral transfers from early 1940-s. For the second, it captures the star violinist Nathan Milstein in a fabulous shape, supported by a congenial first-rate orchestra. For the third, it includes Berlioz, Debussy and Ravel rarities from one of the best conductors New York Philharmony ever had.

Michael Dutton, the owner of the Dutton label, is a magician. Archive recordings from the 1940-s (and from the 1930-s) sound worlds better than elsewhere.

Milstein always suffered from careless conducting and grudged about great conductors. On 12 April, 1942 he got a huge support from Barbirolli/NYP in Bruch's G minor concerto. I have only read about this recording, which is hard to get. When I came across Tully Potter's statement made in the liner notes to Milstein series on Naxos - that the 1942 Milstein- Barbirolli is the best variant in Milstein/Bruch discography, I took it for a usual brawl from people who are advertising their own product. Now I realise that that is true. And Milstein could not imagine that in the beginning of the XXI century Dutton will save this wonder from oblivion.

Neither of the overtures or suites on this CD is great music (this remark is not for people who listen to Debussy's First Rhapsody or Ravel's Valse all day long), but it gets an outstanding performance from NYP/Barbirolli. He is in full command of the orchestra and extremely convinced: the dynamics is cleverly measured and not exaggerated even in the most obsessive moments. It is a pity that he did not get a position in New York.



Strongly recommended - for the performance sake and for the extraordinary sound quality."