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The Minneapolis Sound: Sony Classical Boxes Eugene Ormandy's Early Recordings with Minneapolis Symphony

May 2, 2022 By Joe Marchese 3 Comments

Eugene Ormandy Minneapolis Symphony

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Eugene Ormandy's The Columbia Legacy, released last year, was the second-biggest box set in Sony Classical history.  At a remarkable 120 discs, the box chronicled the early years of Ormandy's affiliation with The Philadelphia Orchestra - one that, all told, would span 44 years and become the longest-ever relationship between conductor and orchestra.  Ormandy first led the Orchestra in 1931 at just 32 years of age, filling in for his inspiration, Arturo Toscanini.  He joined full-time in 1936, spending two years as joint conductor with Leopold Stokowski before being appointed sole Music Director in 1938.  He would remain in the post until 1980. Ormandy's Columbia tenure began in 1944 and lasted until 1968, defining "The Philadelphia Sound."  But now, a new box set from Sony Classical is turning the clock back to the period between Ormandy's initial visit to Philadelphia and his ascension to the podium.

Eugene Ormandy's The Complete RCA Album Collection, due on July 22, features the Hungarian-born American conductor leading The Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra.  He came to the attention of the Minnesota group after subbing for Toscanini, and was enlisted to step in for Henri Verbrugghen.  The stint led to his leading the Symphony between 1931 and 1936.  Ironically, it was another trip to Philadelphia that clinched Ormandy's contract with RCA Victor which would bring him (and the Minneapolis Symphony) to national attention.

An RCA executive was in the Philadelphia audience when Ormandy was again subbing for Toscanini on a performance of excerpts from Weinberger's opera Schwanda the Bagpiper.  The label wished to preserve Ormandy's interpretation but contractually, The Philadelphia Orchestra couldn't appear.  The young conductor suggested RCA record him leading the Minneapolis Symphony where he and the musicians were paid an annual salary and the recording could be made with little additional expense.  RCA took him up on the offer, and sessions were slated at the University of Minnesota's Northrop Auditorium on January 17-23, 1934 and then on January 5-16, 1935.  Collectively, the sessions yielded a remarkable 174 sides issued at 78 RPM, all of which captured the immediacy of Ormandy's style during that creatively fertile period.

The Complete RCA Album Collection includes every one of these sides on 11 CDs, many of which weren't ever issued on LP, let alone on CD.  Highlights include the 1935 recording of Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony and the U.S. recorded premiere of Rachmaninoff's Second and Sibelius's First.  The Minneapolis Symphony's Bruckner Seventh was the first commercial American recording of any of that composer's symphonies.  Other world premieres include Kodály's Háry János Suite, the string orchestra version of Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht, and Honegger's Concertino for piano and orchestra.  Cementing the Ormandy legend were landmarks such as Enescu's Romanian Rhapsody No. 1, his recording of which brought the composition to an international audience, and the excerpts from Schwanda.  The RCA discography also includes his only recording of Schumann's Fourth Symphony and his first recording of Beethoven's Fourth.

It's all packaged in a compact clamshell case, with each disc housed in a paper sleeve.  Minnesota author Richard Evidon has provided a new essay within the accompanying booklet, and all of the music has been remastered to Sony Classical's usual high standard.  The box is due on July 22 from Sony Classical and can be pre-ordered at Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada.

Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Classical/Opera Tags: Eugene Ormandy, Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

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Joe Marchese

JOE MARCHESE (Editor) joined The Second Disc shortly after its launch in early 2010, and has since penned daily news and reviews about classic music of all genres. In 2015, Joe formed the Second Disc Records label. Celebrating the great songwriters, producers and artists who created the sound of American popular song, Second Disc Records, in conjunction with Real Gone Music, has released newly-curated collections produced by Joe from iconic artists such as Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin, Laura Nyro, Melissa Manchester, Chet Atkins, and many others. He has contributed liner notes to reissues from a diverse array of artists, among them Nat "King" Cole, Paul Williams, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, B.J. Thomas, The 5th Dimension, Burt Bacharach, The Mamas and the Papas, Carpenters, Perry Como, Rod McKuen, Doris Day, Jackie DeShannon, and Andy Williams, and has compiled releases for talents including Robert Goulet and Keith Allison of Paul Revere and the Raiders. Over the past two decades, Joe has also worked in a variety of capacities on and off Broadway as well as at some of the premier theatres in the U.S., including Lincoln Center Theater, George Street Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and the York Theatre Company. He has felt privileged to work on productions alongside artists such as the late Jack Klugman, Eli Wallach, Arthur Laurents, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. In 2009, Joe began contributing theatre and music reviews to the print publication The Sondheim Review, and in 2012, he joined the staff of The Digital Bits as a regular contributor writing about film and television on DVD and Blu-ray. Joe currently resides in the suburbs of New York City.

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Comments

  1. Beto says

    May 3, 2022 at 7:54 pm

    Despite the historical significance, I'll pass. Orchestras in early mono tend to sound bad. What we need is a box of his STEREO output.

    Reply
    • Robert Hutton says

      July 21, 2022 at 12:52 pm

      Too bad, your loss. There are many pieces of music that have never been recorded again in this set.

      Reply
      • Max says

        August 5, 2022 at 3:58 am

        Agree, as my copy is on the way. The quality of the performances will override any limitations of mono, as the previous Ormandy/Philadelphia mono set, and the more recent Mitropolous/NYPO box has already proved. I am looking forward to this recording.

        Reply

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