Remastering, like rewriting has a
valuable role to play. This is a perfect
example. Guild issued this set a good
while ago and I reviewed it at the
time, but now Richard Caniell has
worked on Robert Hupka’s original
tape and has effected some rather
special results. The review that follows
relates to the “first edition” of
this release and should be read in
conjunction with this opening paragraph,
which will update sonic matters. Firstly
the missing beat or so in the Concerto,
to which I refer in my review,
has been corrected. And, graphically,
the sound of the Missa Solemnis
has been opened up rather resplendently.
It was rather dour and noise suppressed
with the result that the sound spectrum
was limited. The new transfer really
lets things rip; the trumpets are
piercing in their penetration, and
aeration is all. I strongly approve
of this new restorative work and it
serves to increase the value of the
set as a whole. And that’s all to
the good as the performance, as noted
below, is famously mesmerising.
I can’t imagine that this famous performance
of the Missa Solemnis would
face many detractors in respect of
the fervour and articulacy of its
response. It has long been held to
be the greatest of Toscanini’s extant
traversals and derives from a broadcast
in December 1940; the 1953 NBC set
was his only commercial recording
but we are fortunate that this wartime
broadcast has survived, as have an
earlier 1935 broadcast in indifferent
sound and an impressive 1939 BBC broadcast
with Milanov, Thorburg, Koloman von
Pataky and Nicola Moscona (BBC Legends
BBCL4016-2).
The vivid drama is established immediately
by the puncturing trumpets calls.
These have given rise to claims that
the recorded balance is askew; William
Youngren in his notes makes a valiant
case for the defence but I think unavailingly.
There are deficiencies in the sound
spectrum but it could hardly be otherwise
in a work such as this, which requires
the most acute of balancing. Nevertheless
apart from the solo singers, who are
forwardly balanced, the Westminster
Choir makes a splendid impression.
They were obviously well rehearsed
by their choirmaster and sound passionately
engaged and tightly focused in the
Kyrie. The orchestra is equally on
top form, responding with decisive
power to Toscanini’s breakneck speed
in the Gloria - which after a furious
start relaxes. Vocally Björling and
Kipnis take the greatest honours with
their unmatched response to the drama
- the former’s entrance in the Credo
is particularly telling, as is the
latter’s nobility and declamation
in the Benedictus. But Castagna, substituting
for the ill Thorburg, is also impressive
in the Sanctus and Milanov joins orchestral
leader Mischa Mischakoff in wondrous
phrasing in the Benedictus. The copies
utilised do have some scuffs – these
are noticeable particularly in the
Gloria and the Agnus Dei but the sound
is genuinely vivid and immediate.
As for the performance it’s incandescent.
Coupled with it is the famous Heifetz-Toscanini
recording of the Beethoven Violin
Concerto made earlier in the year,
once more with the NBC Orchestra.
This has last appeared on a Naxos
disc where it’s conjoined with the
1939 Heifetz Brahms Violin Concerto
conducted by Koussevitzky - I reviewed
it on this site and for interpretative
matters I would direct readers there.
Richard Caniell, eminence grise
of the enterprise, notes that
this transfer was undertaken as a
result of complaints regarding the
RCA-BMG CD transfer. So for this transfer
they have utilised a commercial set
in what they state to be "a better
sonic transfer" despite very
honestly noting that the originals
were "afflicted with sporadic
instances of grit and ticks not hearable
in the RCA disc." As well as
the grit there are also a few residual
thumps familiar to 78 collectors and
also, rather more damagingly, the
loss of a beat and a half in a side
join in the first movement (at 12.42).
Of the two transfers whilst I admire
Guild’s honesty and ambition it’s
the Naxos to which you should turn.
I suspect though that you will have
long ago have acquired the Heifetz-Toscanini.
If you have the commercial Missa
Solemnis I would augment it with
this demonstrably superior and blazing
performance. It’s one of the greatest,
if not the greatest accounts
ever committed to disc.
Jonathan Woolf
see also Jonathan's
review of the previous release
of this disc
The remasterings
are only available from Immortal Performances
- gratis but with a postage charge.
(www.immortalperformances.org)
Jussi Björling (tenor) 
