This page summarizes the results were analyzed for each recording of Mengelberg of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 “Pathetique”.
Analyzed will be following.
April 19, 1923 the second movement only New York Philharmonic
April 23, 1923 4th movement only New York Philharmonic
December 21, 1937 Amsterdam Concertgebouw
April 22, 1941 Amsterdam Concertgebouw
January 20, 1944 the grand Orchestra of Radio-Paris
Analysis detailed items will be below.
VN-01842 : May 19, 1923, the second movement New York Philharmonic
VN-01842 : May 23, 1923 the fourth movement New York Philharmonic
WQCC-351 : December 21, 1937 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from the original SP record)
CD809 : December 21, 1937 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from edited & reworked master)
WQCC-351 : May 22, 1941 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from the original SP record)
OPK-7021 : May 22, 1941 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from the bad quality master of SP record)
CDRG 189-2 : January 20, 1944 the grand Orchestra of Radio-Paris (Recording tape for broadcasting)
Notes : Linked to the CD is Japanese page. Sorry for your inconvenience.
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Waveform
First movement
WQCC-351 : December 21, 1937 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from the original SP record)
CD809 : December 21, 1937 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from edited & reworked master)
WQCC-351 : May 22, 1941 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from the original SP record)
OPK-7021 : May 22, 1941 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from the bad quality master of SP record)
CDRG 189-2 : January 20, 1944 the grand Orchestra of Radio-Paris (Recording tape for broadcasting)
Second movement
VN-01842 : May 19, 1923, the second movement New York Philharmonic
WQCC-351 : December 21, 1937 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from the original SP record)
CD809 : December 21, 1937 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from edited & reworked master)
WQCC-351 : May 22, 1941 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from the original SP record)
OPK-7021 : May 22, 1941 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from the bad quality master of SP record)
CDRG 189-2 : January 20, 1944 the grand Orchestra of Radio-Paris (Recording tape for broadcasting)
Third movement
WQCC-351 : December 21, 1937 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from the original SP record)
CD809 : December 21, 1937 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from edited & reworked master)
WQCC-351 : May 22, 1941 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from the original SP record)
OPK-7021 : May 22, 1941 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from the bad quality master of SP record)
CDRG 189-2 : January 20, 1944 the grand Orchestra of Radio-Paris (Recording tape for broadcasting)
4th movement
VN-01842 : May 23, 1923 the fourth movement New York Philharmonic
WQCC-351 : December 21, 1937 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from the original SP record)
CD809 : December 21, 1937 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from edited & reworked master)
WQCC-351 : May 22, 1941 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from the original SP record)
OPK-7021 : May 22, 1941 Amsterdam Concertgebouw (from the bad quality master of SP record)
CDRG 189-2 : January 20, 1944 the grand Orchestra of Radio-Paris (Recording tape for broadcasting)
The Result of analysis
It is that first I must say, is that the fourth movement of the playing time of each recording is surprisingly different!
Mengelberg has been instructed to play the fourth movement as soon as possible when recording in 1937. Mengelberg had much dissatisfied that. So that is the reason why Mengelberg has re-recorded in 1941. Of course this is an episode, true or not, I don’t know.
The end of the fourth movement of the “Pathetique” will end with the weakest sound. So I can not know the end exact and can not compare to playing time exactly.
By comparing in the approximate time,
Session recording of the first recording of 1923 New York Philharmonic is the fast performance of about four and a half minutes.
8 minutes a little in 1937, about 9 minutes and 15 seconds in 1941.
But, Mengelberg last “Pathetique” performance in 1944, which the playing time of the fourth movement is 12 minutes a little less!
Maybe the final movement of the “Pathetique” that Mengelberg was thinking, I imagine that was a performance very very slow tempo.
First movement also, but not as much as the final movement, in the performance of 1944 have been taken a long playing time compared to the other recording.
On the other hand, the second movement, the third movement, the big difference is not allowed with the recording of each age.
If we pick up only the playing time, to listen to “Pathetique” that Mengelberg really wanted to play, it says that must listen to the live recordig in 1944.
Whether this hypothesis is correct or not, we can see if it is discovered a live recording of the Concertgebouw.
…. Analysis continues (ongoing)
Playing time, because it can not be determined from the CD description and waveform, I would like to count with a stopwatch with score book.