#ClassicsaDay #ClassicalTimeMachine Week 3

For the month of October, the Classics a Day team turned nostalgic. Classical musicians have been making recordings since the 1890s. So we all have over 130 years of documented performance practices. And we can judge first-hand the artistry of legendary performers. 

The challenge is to post classical recordings made before 1949 (pre-LP era). Here are my posts for the third week of the #ClassicsaDay theme #ClassicalTimeMachine.

10/19/20 Richard Strauss - Also Sprach Zarathustra (1944)

Strauss recorded this and other works with the Vienna Philharmonic as part of his eightieth birthday

 celebration.

10/20/20 Elgar - Cello Concerto (1920)

Edward Elgar finished this work in 1919. He recorded it a year later, chopping it down from 29 minutes to 15. Elgar conducted a reduced orcehstra for the acoustic recording, with Beatrice Harrison soloist.

10/21/20 Mahler Second Symphony (1934)

This is a transcribed recording of a concert bpradcast in 1934. Arnold Schoenberg, Mahler's friend and early champion of his music, conducts the Cadillac Symphony.

10/22/20 Elgar - Cello Concerto (1920)

Elgar finished this in 1919. He recorded it a year later, chopping it down from 29 minutes to 15. Elgar conducted a reduced orchestra for the acoustic recording, with Beatrice Harrison.

10/23/20 Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue (1924)

George Gershwin premiered the work with Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra Feb. 12, 1924, and they recorded it four months later. The score was reduced by 1/3 to fit unto the 12-inch discs.