It is the existence of surviving broadcast acetate recordings of many of Barbirolli’s broadcasts with the Philharmonic that have enabled us to form a more complete picture of his work and genius (not too strong a word) as a conductor during this period, recordings which in many instances are being made available for the first time publicly. From a period of almost three-quarters of a century, we are able to study and evaluate Barbirolli’s art in a manner that was unavailable to earlier generations of music-lovers. The evaluation produces extraordinary results.

The first of our two CDs in this set opens with Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, in which the soloist is Mishel Piastro. The performance comes from March 1942, and will be a revelation for many listeners. Piastro is hardly known at all these days, but he was the leader of the Philharmonic under Toscanini and, of course, under Barbirolli. He was, as we may hear, an absolutely astounding violinist – it is rumoured that someone remarked to Fritz Kreisler that ‘Piastro is so gifted but he’s lazy and doesn’t practise’, to which Kreisler replied, ‘Thank God!’

The second CD in this set of performances opens with the world premiere performance of the Piano Concerto by Mischa Portnoff. This Concerto is, as can readily be heard, a dazzlingly effective work, with extremely virtuosic writing for the soloist, composed in a style perhaps best described as a mixture of the then contemporary music of Prokofiev and Shostakovich rather than, say, that of Stravinsky. The soloist was the Lithuanian-born but American naturalised pianist Nadia Reisenberg (1904-83), whose family settled in New York after the Russian Revolution.

The works in this set receive brilliant – not to say breathtaking – performances from the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York, the members of which were clearly relishing the opportunity to display their virtuosity under a conductor who by that time had won over the hearts and minds of every musician taking part.

Contents:
CD 1
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D major, Op.35
Mishel Piastro (violin)
Recorded 29 March, 1942

Balakirev: Tamara – symphonic poem
Recorded 24 October, 1937

Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg – Prelude
Recorded 24 October, 1937

Wagner: Die Walküre – Ride of the Valkyries
Recorded 20 November, 1938

Barbirolli: Purcell Suite
Recorded 24 October, 1937

CD 2
Portnoff: Piano Concerto
Nadia Reisenberg (piano)
Recorded 23 February, 1941 – World premiere performance

Weinberger: Christmas
Recorded 24 December, 1939

Collins: Overture – Sir Andrew and Sir Toby
Recorded 22 March, 1942

Creston: Threnody
Recorded c.1942

Menotti: Overture – The Old Maid and the Thief
Recorded c.1942

Bonus Track:
Mozart: Symphony No.34 in C, K. 338 – Finale: Allegro vivace
Recorded c.1938