Drawing from the collection — that seems inexhaustible — of Kosuke Hiyama, the Japanese society, The Wilhelm Furtwängler Centre of Japan, has released a new CD.
It has the reference WFFC1801-HYM and offers:
– Brahms’ Second Symphony in the Decca recording of March 1948 with the London Philharmonic,
– four alternative, rejected takes of the same recording,
– Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture in the Polydor release of 1930 (BPO),
– the same work in the VPO recording of 1949 for EMI.
Our partners have avoided, this time, presenting the sides of the 78 discs separately and unedited; we therefore have the works in their continuity
We know that this Second Symphony of Brahms is little appreciated, despite its qualities. It is true that the recording sessions did not go especially well, Furtwängler intervening in the balance, not necessarily for the good… At least we have here an excellent recording that means we can make up our own minds.
Furtwängler was always at ease with the effervescent romanticism of Fingal’s Cave, to use the other name of Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture — one that is more evocative for those who have visited this impressive part of the Scottish coast. The transfers were most seriously effected.
We have ordered for you a certain number of copies.
This CD has a price of 12 €, and will be available from 30 September from our shop.