Arturo Toscanini discography

Arturo Toscanini

Arturo Toscanini conducted recordings from 1920 until his retirement in 1954.

Toscanini and recording

Toscanini made his first recordings in December, 1920 with the La Scala Orchestra in RCA Victor's Trinity Church studio and his last with the NBC Symphony Orchestra in June, 1954 in Carnegie Hall. His entire catalog of commercial recordings was issued by RCA Victor, save for two single-sided recordings for Brunswick in 1926 with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and a series of excellent recordings with the BBC Symphony Orchestra from 1937 to 1939 for HMV label (which was RCA's European affiliate). Besides the 1926 recordings with the New York Philharmonic (his first with the electrical process), Toscanini made a series of recordings with them for Victor, in Carnegie Hall, in 1929 and 1936. He also recorded with the Philadelphia Orchestra for RCA Victor in Philadelphia's Academy of Music in 1941 and 1942.

The majority of Toscanini's recordings were made with the NBC Symphony Orchestra, which was created expressly for him. The NBCSO recordings, dating from 1937–1954, cover the bulk of his repertoire and document the final phase of his 68 year career.

From 1990-1992, RCA reissued its entire Toscanini catalogue on Compact Disc, on the Gold Seal label. This 71 volume issue covered 82 CDs and was remastered, whenever possible, from original sources. In 2001, RCA again issued 24 CDs from Toscanini's NBC years, in newer remasterings. Recorded concerts with various European orchestras, especially with La Scala Orchestra and the Philharmonia Orchestra, have been issued on other labels. Toscanini's retirement coincided with the first commercial stereophonic recordings. Only his final two NBC concerts, on March 21 and April 4, 1954, were recorded in stereo.

As the Toscanini biographer Harvey Sachs observed, Toscanini's first recordings in 1920 took place at the precise midpoint of his conducting career (1896–1954). Therefore, his recordings only document how Toscanini conducted in the latter half of his career.

Recording guides

A guide to Toscanini's recording career can be found in Mortimer H. Frank's "From the Pit to the Podium: Toscanini in America" in International Classical Record Collector (1998, 15 8-21) and Christopher Dyment's "Toscanini's European Inheritance" in International Classical Record Collector (1998, 15 22-8). Frank and Dyment also discuss Maestro Toscanini's performance history in the 50th anniversary issue of Classic Record Collector (2006, 47) Frank with 'Toscanini - Myth and Reality' (10-14) and Dyment 'A Whirlwind in London' (15-21) This issue also contains interviews with people who performed with Toscanini - Jon Tolansky 'Licia Albanese - Maestro and Me' (22-6) and 'A Mesmerising Beat: John Tolansky talks to some of those who worked with Arturo Toscanini, to discover some of the secrets of his hold over singers, orchestras and audiences.' (34-7). There is also a feature article on Toscanini's interpretation of Brahms's First Symphony - Norman C. Nelson, 'First Among Equals [...] Toscanini's interpretation of Brahms's First Symphony in the context of others' (28-33)

Albums

The discography below is not comprehensive, but rather representative.^[1] The listing only contains Compact Disc releases and does not contain 78rpm, LP, Cassette, or 8-track tape releases. In addition to recordings issued by the RCA label, it includes issues of rehearsals and broadcast performances on other labels.

Title/Program	Collaborators	Year(s) of Recording	Record label
Toscanini Collection, Volume 71: La Scala Acoustical Recordings Beethoven:: Adagio; Allegro molto e vivace (last movement) from Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21 Allegro (last movement) from Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 Berlioz: Rákóczy March Bizet: L' Arlésienne, suite for orchestra No. 2 Carmen, Act 4: Entr'acte: Aragonaise Donizetti: Don Pasquale Overture Respighi: Ancient Airs and Dances, Set 1 Massanet: Scènes pittoresques Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream: Scherzo and Wedding March Mozart: Menuetto and Finale from Symphony No. 39 in E flat major, K. 543 Pizzetti: La Pisanelle, Prelude to Act I Wolf-Ferrari: Il segreto di Susanna, Overture	La Scala Theatre Orchestra	1920–1921	RCA Gold Seal
Toscanini Collection, Volume 64: Haydn - Beethoven Haydn: Symphony No. 101 in D major "Clock" Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.21: Scherzo	New York Philharmonic		RCA Gold Seal
Toscanini Collection, Volume 65: Mozart – Brahms – Wagner Mozart: Symphony No. 35 in D major, K 385 "Haffner" Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61: Scherzo and Nocturne Brahms: Variations on a theme by Haydn, Op. 56a Wagner: Siegfried Idyll Dukas: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice	New York Philharmonic		RCA Gold Seal
Toscanini Collection, Volume 66: Overtures & Preludes Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice: Dance of the Blessed Spirits Verdi: La traviata: Preludes to acts 1 and 3 Wagner: Götterdämmerung: Dawn and Siegfried's Rhine Journey Lohengrin: Preludes to acts 1 and 3 Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia: Overture L'italiana in Algeri: Overture Semiramide: Overture	New York Philharmonic		RCA Gold Seal
Complete Philadelphia Orchestra Recordings (3 CD set) Schubert: Symphony No. 9 in C major, D 944 "Great” Richard Strauss: Death and Transfiguration, Op. 24 Debussy: La mer Images for Orchestra: No. 2, Ibéria Resphigi: Roman Festivals Berlioz: Roméo and Juliet, Op. 17: Queen Mab Scherzo Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 "Pathétique” Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night's Dream: Excerpts*	Philadelphia Orchestra Edwina Eustis, soprano* Florence Kirk, soprano* University of Pennsylvania Women's Glee Club*	1941–1942	RCA Red Seal
Beethoven: 9 Symphonies (5 CD set) Beethoven: Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21 Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36 Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 "Eroica" Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60 Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 "Pastoral" Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93 Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 "Choral"*	NBC Symphony Orchestra Eileen Farrell, soprano* Nan Merriman, mezzo-soprano* Jan Peerce, tenor* Norman Scott, bass* Robert Shaw Chorale*		RCA Red Seal
Italian Orchestral Music (2 CD set) Respighi: Pines of Rome Fountains of Rome Roman Festivals Catalani: Loreley: Dance of the water nymphs La Wally: Act 4 Prelude Donizetti: Don Pasquale: Overture Verdi: La forza del destino: Overture Ponchielli La Gioconda: Dance of the Hours Rossini: L'italiana in Algeri: Overture Semiramide: Overture Guillaume Tell: Overture	NBC Symphony Orchestra	1949–1953	RCA Red Seal
Verdi & Cherubini: Choral Works (2 CD set) Verdi: Requiem* Quattro pezzi sacri: Te Deum Cherubini: Requiem in C minor	NBC Symphony Orchestra Robert Shaw Chorale Herva Nelli, soprano* Fedora Barbieri, mezzo-soprano* Giuseppe Di Stefano, tenor* Cesare Siepi, bass*	1950–1954	RCA Red Seal
Schubert & Mendelssohn: Symphonies (2 CD set) Schubert: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major, D 485 Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D 759 "Unfinished" Symphony No. 9 in C major, D 944 "Great" Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 "Italian" Symphony No. 5 in D major, Op. 107 "Reformation"	NBC Symphony Orchestra	1950–1953	RCA Red Seal
Brahms: The Four Symphonies (2 CD set) Brahms: Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68 Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73 Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90 Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98	NBC Symphony Orchestra		RCA Red Seal
Great Symphonies (2 CD set) Mozart: Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550 Haydn: Symphony No. 94 in G major "Surprise" Cherubini: Symphony in D major Schumann: Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 97 "Rhenish" Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 in E minor, B. 178/Op. 95 “From the New World"	NBC Symphony Orchestra		RCA Red Seal
French Orchestral Music (2 CD set) Debussy: La Mer, L. 109 Ibéria, for orchestra, L. 122/2 Nuages, L. 91/1 Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, L. 86 Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, suite No. 2 Berlioz: Roman Carnival Overture, H.95/Op. 9 Roméo and Juliet: Queen Mab Scherzo, H.79/Op. 17 Franck: Psyché Herold: Overture to "Zampa" Saint-Saens: Danse macabre, Op. 40 Bizet: Carmen Suite No. 1 Thomas: Mignon Overture Dukas: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice	NBC Symphony Orchestra		RCA Red Seal
Wagner (2 CD set) Wagner: Die Walküre: Ride of the Valkyries Siegfried: Forest Murmurs Die Götterdämmerung: Dawn and Siegfried's Rhine Journey / Siegfried's Death and Funeral Music Siegfried Idyll Tristan und Isolde: Prelude to Act I & Liebestod Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg: Prelude to Act III Parsifal: Overture to Act I / Good Friday Spell Lohengrin: Overture to Act 1 / Overture to Act III Tannhäuser: Overture & Bacchanale	NBC Symphony Orchestra		RCA Red Seal
Orchestral Showpieces (2 CD set) Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition (orch. Ravel) Richard Strauss: Death and Transfiguration, Op. 24 Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks, Op. 28 Brahms: Variations on a Theme of Haydn, Op. 56a Four Hungarian Dances Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker suite, Op. 71a Sibelius: Finlandia, Op. 26 Smetana: Vltava (The Moldau)	NBC Symphony Orchestra		RCA Red Seal
Brahms & Tchaikovsky Piano Concertos Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, op. 83 Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23	NBC Symphony Orchestra Vladimir Horowitz, piano	1940–1941	RCA Red Seal
The Complete Concert of March 21, 1954 Rossini: Overture to Il barbiere di Siviglia Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 “Pathétique”	NBC Symphony Orchestra	1954	Music & Arts
The Final Concert – April 4, 1954 Wagner: Lohengrin: Act I Prelude Siegfried: Forest Murmors Die Götterdämmerung: Dawn and Siegfried's Rhine Journey Tannhäuser: Overture and Bacchanale Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg: Act I Prelude	NBC Symphony Orchestra	1954	Music & Arts
Toscanini Collection, Vol 28 – Shostakovich, Prokofiev. Stravinsky Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1 in D major, Op. 25 "Classical" Shostakovich: Symphony no 1 in F minor, Op. 10 Glinka: Kamarinskaya Liadov Kikimora, Op. 63 Stravinsky: Suite from Petrouchka	NBC Symphony Orchestra	1940–1951	RCA Gold Seal
Toscanini Collection, Volume 38 - Gershwin, Grofé, Barber Gershwin: An American in Paris Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite Barber: Adagio for Strings, (arr. From String Quartet, Op. 11) Sousa: El Capitan / The Stars and Stripes Forever (arr. Toscanini) Smith: The Star-spangled Banner (arr. Toscanini)	NBC Symphony Orchestra	1942–1945	RCA Gold Seal
Toscanini Collection, Volume 40 - Blue Danube Waltz, Etc. Waldteufel: Les patineurs, Op. 183 Leopold Mozart: Cassation in G major "Toy Symphony" Johann Strauss Jr.: Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka, Op. 214 / On the Beautiful, Blue Danube, Op. 314 Suppé: Poets and Peasants: Overture Ponchielli La Gioconda: Dance of the Hours Paganini: Moto perpetuo, Op. 11 (arr. Toscanini) J. S. Bach: Suite for Orchestra No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068: Air Glinka: Capriccio brillante on the theme "Jota aragonesa" Weber: Invitation to the Dance, Op. 65	NBC Symphony Orchestra	1938–1952	RCA Gold Seal
Toscanini Collection, Volume 11 - Mozart Symphonies Mozart: Symphony No. 39 in E flat major, K 543 / Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K 550 / Symphony No. 41 in C major, K 551 "Jupiter"	NBC Symphony Orchestra	1938–1948	RCA Gold Seal
Beethoven: Fidelio (2 CD set) Beethoven: Fidelio, Op. 72	NBC Symphony Orchestra Eleanor Steber, soprano Herbert Janssen, baritone Rose Bampton, soprano Jan Peerce, tenor Sid Belarsky, bass Joseph Laderoute, tenor Nicola Moscona, bass NBC Symphony Chorus	1944	RCA Gold Seal
Toscanini Collection, Volume 20 – Franck & Saint-Saëns Symphonies Franck: Symphony in D minor, M 48 Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78 "Organ"	NBC Symphony Orchestra		RCA Gold Seal
Toscanini Collection, Volume 35 – Elgar & Mussorgsky Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition (orch. Ravel) Elgar: Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 "Enigma"	NBC Symphony Orchestra	1951–1953	RCA Gold Seal
Toscanini Collection, Volume 30 - Richard Strauss Richard Strauss: Don Quixote, Op. 35* / Death and Transfiguration, Op. 24	NBC Symphony Orchestra Frank Miller, cello*		RCA Gold Seal
Toscanini Collection, Volume 60 - Verdi: La Traviata Verdi: La Traviata	NBC Symphony Orchestra Jan Peerce, tenor Robert Merrill, baritone Maxine Stellman, mezzo-soprano John Garris, tenor George Cehanovsky, baritone Paul Dennis, bass Arthur Newman, bass Licia Albanese, soprano Johanne Morland, soprano	1946	RCA Gold Seal
Toscanini Collection, Volume 62 - Boito, Verdi: Opera Excerpts Boito: Mefistofele: Prologue Verdi I lombardi: Qual voluttà trascorrere / Rigoletto: Act 3	NBC Symphony Orchestra Nicola Moscona, bass/baritone Vivian Della Chiesa, soprano Jan Peerce, tenor Zinka Milanov, soprano Nan Merriman, alto Leonard Warren, baritone	1954	RCA Gold Seal
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 & Symphony No. 3 Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 83* / Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90	NBC Symphony Orchestra Vladimir Horowitz, piano*	1946–1948	Music and Arts
Beethoven, Mozart, Cherubini (2 CD set) Beethoven: Missa solemnis in D major, Op. 123 / Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 Mozart: Symphony No. 35 in D major, K 385 "Haffner" Cherubini: Anacréon: Overture	BBC Symphony Orchestra Nicola Moscona, bass Kerstin Thorborg, alto Zinka Milanov, soprano Koloman von Pataky, tenor BBC Symphony Chorus	1935–1939	BBC

References

1. ^ [1] | Primary discographical source