Samuel Barber - Historical Recordings, 1935-1960

An extraordinary collection of Barber performances, most of them never before released. Several major works are included in both their original and revised versions. Newly restored sound.

Contents:

Adagio for Strings, op.11
Recorded live on 5th November 1938
NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini

Capricorn Concerto
Recorded live on 2nd May 1945
CBS Orchestra, Samuel Barber

Violin Concerto, op.14
Recorded 7th February 1941
Albert Spalding (violin)
Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy

Cello Concerto, op.22
Recorded 11th December 1950
Zara Nelsova (cello)
New Symphony Orchestra, Samuel Barber

Die Natali, op.37
Recorded live on 23rd December 1960
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch

Dover Beach, op.3
Recorded 13th May 1935
Samuel Barber (baritone)
Curtis String Quartet

First Essay for Orchestra op.12
Recorded live on 5th November 1938
NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini

Second Essay for Orchestra, op.17
Recorded live on 16th April 1942
New Symphony Orchestra, Bruno Walter

Excursions op.20
Recorded 17th November 1950
Rudolf Firkušný (piano)

Knoxville: Summer of 1915, op.24
Recorded live 19th June 1949
Eileen Farrell (soprano)
CBS Symphony Orchestra, Bernard Herrmann

Medea Orchestral Suite, op.23
Recorded 12th December 1950
New Symphony Orchestra, Samuel Barber

Overture to The School for Scandal, op.5
Recorded 11th March 1942
Janssen Symphony, Janssen Victor

Prayers of Kierkegaard, op.30
Recorded live on 3rd December 1954
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch

Cello Sonata in C minor, op.6
Recorded live on 28th January 1973
Orlando Cole (cello), Vladimir 'Billy' Sokoloff (piano)

String Quartet, op.11
Recorded live on 14th March 1938
Curtis Quartet

Symphony no.1, op.9
Original version; recorded live 2nd April 1938
NBC Symphony Orchestra, Artur Rodzinski

Symphony no.2, op.19
Original version; recorded live on 4th March 1944
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Serge Koussevitzky

Vanessa
Recorded live on 1st February 1958
Eleanor Steber (Vanessa), Rosalind Elias (Erika), Nicolai Gedda (Anatol), Giorgio Tozzi (The Doctor), Regina Resnik (The Old Baroness), George Cehanovsky (Nicholas), Robert Nagy (Footman)
Orchestra and Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera House, Dimitri Mitropoulos

Violin Concerto, op.14
Revised version; recorded 7th January 1949
Ruth Posselt (violin)
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Serge Koussevitzky

Knoxville: Summer of 1915, op.24
Revised version; recorded live in October 1958
Eleanor Steber (soprano)
Edwin Biltcliffe

Knoxville: Summer of 1915, op.24
Revised version; recorded live on 15th November 1959
Leontyne Price (soprano)
New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Thomas Schippers

Symphony no.1, op.9
Revised version; recorded 12th March 1944
New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Bruno Walter

Symphony no.2, op.19
Revised version; recorded 13th December 1950
New Symphony Orchestra, Samuel Barber

Medea's Meditation and Dance of Vengeance, op.23a
Recorded live on 16th March 1958
New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Dmitri Mitropoulos

Sure on this shining night, op.13 no.3
Four Songs, op.13, no.4 (Nocturne)
I hear an army
Recorded live on 2nd May 1945
Jennie Tourel (mezzo)
CBS Symphony Orchestra, Samuel Barber

Commando March
Recorded live on 30th October 1943
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Serge Koussevitzky

Souvenirs, op.28
Recorded on 15th August 1952
Gold & Fizdale Duo