Grobes Festspielhaus - George Szell, Beethoven, Bruckner (2CD) (2005) FLAC

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This two CD set, recorded live at the 1961 and 1964 Salzburg Festivals and broadcast over Austrian Radio, should have two things going for it: a world-class conductor and a world-class orchestra. But the sad truth is that there is little here to make it worth even its mid-price. The reason: the sound is simply awful and, worse, the Dresden Staatskapelle sounds like a bush-league orchestra much of the time. There are far too many sour, wildly mistuned wind chords and horn clams. And the wiry sound makes the strings sound scrappy at best. The set does have one thing that is worthwhile. Nikita Magaloff, mostly forgotten now but once known for his magnificent Chopin, plays a marvelous Emperor Concerto and is given pretty good support by Szell and the Staatskapelle. But the Beethoven Fifth is sabotaged by the awful sound, as are the two Beethoven overtures. Since there are so many wonderful recordings of these works, including Szell performances with better sound and better orchestras, the Beethoven is a non-starter. The Bruckner Third is given a lean, propulsive reading, but again there are enough jarring instances of out-of-tune winds and brass that this too becomes a minefield for the listener. The Magaloff Emperor Concerto is the only truly worthwhile thing here. Save your money.

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Track List:

CD1:
1. Coriolan
2. I. Allegro
3. II. Adagio un poco mosso - attacca:
4. III. Rondo. Allegro
5. I. Allegro con brio
6. II. Andante con moto
7. III. Allegro - attacca:
8. IV. Allegro

CD2:
1. Overture. Sostenuto, ma non troppo - Allegro
2. I. Mehr langsam. Misterioso
3. II. Adagio. Bewegt, quasi Andante
4. III. Ziemlich schnell - Trio
5. IV. Allegro