TOSCANINI CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN

The commitment from conductor and orchestra alike is total. This shines through in these incandescent performances. One recalls the Toscanini quote "Is not Napoleon. Is not Eroica. Is Allegro con brio." These are pure performances defined clearly by the scores and nothing else. Celebrating the 250th anniversary of his birth, Sony Music Entertainment presents four major reissues devoted to Ludwig van Beethoven in its series of Classical Masters. Among the treasures in these new budget-priced sets are the complete symphonies, string quartets and violin sonatas performed by illustrious musicians of the past century. Between 1949 and 1952, in his mid-80s, Arturo Toscanini conducted his hand-picked NBC Symphony Orchestra in the 9 Symphonies, with RCA Victor’s microphones (mostly in Carnegie Hall) capturing the legendary maestro’s final thoughts on the great works. These taut, unflaggingly energetic performances have never sounded better than in Sony Classical’s latest remastering. From t