If you wish us to send a CD to an address other than your own please e-mail us with the full address details of the recipient, stating the CD order reference.
PASC163 - Alfred Hertz - Complete San Francisco Recordings Volume 1
download
price
San Francisco Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Alfred Hertz Recorded by Victor in 1927 and 1928
Producer and Audio Restoration Engineer: Mark Obert-Thorn
Special thanks to Don Tait for lending the undubbed take of the Marche Militaire
Cover artwork based on a photograph of Alfred Hertz
One of the most important conductors of the early C20
First of four volumes comprising the complete San Francisco recordings
BEETHOVEN - Leonore Overture No. 3, Op.72c (13:11) Recorded 20th, 21st and 28th February, 1928 at the Scottish Rite Temple, Oakland Matrix nos: PCVE-42008-2, 42009-2, 42010-4 and 42011-1R
First issued on Victor 6906 and 6907
SCHUBERT - Rosamunde, D.797 - Entr'acte No. 3 in B flat (4:43) Recorded 12th April, 1927 in the Columbia Theatre, San Francisco Matrix nos: PCVE-245-1
First issued on Victor 6678 in album M-18
SCHUBERT - Marche Militaire, D.733, No.1 (4:45) Recorded 15th April, 1927 in the Columbia Theatre, San Francisco Matrix nos: PCVE-250-2
First issued on Victor 6639
WEBER - Die Freischütz - Overture (9:19) Recorded 13th and 15th April, 1927 in the Columbia Theatre, San Francisco Matrix nos: PCVE-246-3 and 247-2
First issued on Victor 6705
MENDELSSOHN -A Midsummer Night's Dream 1. Overture (11:54)
2. Scherzo (4:40)
3. Nocturne (6:02)
4. Wedding March (4:25)
Recorded 11th, 12th and 15th April, 1927 in the Columbia Theatre, San Francisco Matrix nos: PCVE-238-3, 239-2, 240-1, 241-4, 242-2, 243-1 and 244-2
First issued on Victor 6675 through 6678 in album M-18
Notes on the recording:
This release is the first of four which will present the complete recordings of Alfred Hertz and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Hertz was an important conductor during the early years of the 20th century, both in Germany, where he led the Berlin Philharmonic in their first recordings (Naxos Historical 8.110049-50; Berliner Philharmoniker BPH 06 01) and at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he earned the enmity of the Wagner family by breaking the ban on staged performances of Parsifal outside of Bayreuth.
Between 1925 and 1928, he recorded extensively for the Victor Talking Machine Company with the San Francisco Symphony, whose music director he had become in 1915. Despite his notoriety, none of these recordings has ever been reissued on CD; and indeed, only one (the Tristan Prelude) was ever available on LP – and that only on a limited release from the Met.
For the current Pristine release, all the sides were taken from mid-1930s Victor “Z” shellac pressings, the most quiet form of issue, except for the Marche Militaire. By the time this was released on “Z” pressings, the original matrix had been replaced by a sonically compromised dubbing. However, the original, somewhat noisier “Orthophonic” pressings contained the undubbed side, and that is presented here in order for the recording to be heard in greater detail. (The last side of the Leonore Overture was only ever available in dubbed form, however.) I have also taken pains to correct the pitch fluctuations that plague all of the 1927 sides.
Mark Obert-Thorn
Alfred Hertz
notes from Wikipedia
Alfred Hertz (July 15, 1872– April 17, 1942), a German conductor born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Hertz first came to prominence conducting Wagner at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Some of the performances he conducted were experimentally recorded by the Met's librarian Lionel Mapleson on what are now known as the Mapleson Cylinders and later issued on LP. He later became music director of the San Francisco Symphony, from 1915 to 1930 receiving praise and a cover story in Time for his leadership and accomplishments.
Hertz led the San Francisco Symphony's first recordings, for the Victor Talking Machine Company, from 1925 to 1930. He also conduced the orchestra in its first radio broadcasts, beginning in 1926. After 1930, Hertz guest conducted the orchestra. Hertz spent much of later years in Berkeley, California, but died in San Francisco, California at age 69.
Our MP3 files are encoded at at a constant rate of 320kbps for all issues since mid-August 2008, and using the LAME encoder at high variable bitrate settings for older issues.
Each recording is presented as a single, long MP3 which can be split using the CUE sheet at the bottom of the page, automatically adding track titles and other tag information.
Most modern CD writing programs such as Nero and Burrrn can write these files directly to CD with all track information added using MP3+CUE - see our tutorial
Alternatively a cue splitter program can automatically cut and name the MP3 into individual MP3 tracks
There are also media players which use the MP3+CUE system, allowing gapless playback of all long MP3 files - essential for opera and many other classical works
Save money when you buy several downloads together
Use the following discount codes in the shopping cart:
Buy 5 or more - save 10%: Code: 85187052
Buy 10 or more - save 20%: Code: 12W07104
How To Use: Once you've made your selections, copy the correct code into the space marked Discount or Coupon Code in your shopping cart, then click the Update Cart button to apply the discount before heading to the checkout.
N.B. These discounts apply to all our FLAC and MP3 downloads only. Discounts do not apply to CD purchases
Our CDs are made to order on highest quality Taiyo Yuden Watershield CD-R discs, recorded directly from our original masters.
CDs are shipped by Priority Air Mail from France. Orders over €200 qualify for free international tracked and recorded delivery.
Our worldwide shipping rates are based on total order price:
Up to €10 = €1.50
€10.01- €30 = €3.00
€30.01- €75 = €5.00
€75.01- €200 = €10.00
Over €200 = FREE
All our CDs hold the same quality of audio - the Standard €10 CD comes in a slip case with no covers, the Premium and Ambient Stereo €14 CD comes in a jewel case with printed covers.
Although we aim to provide a swift and speedy service some delays are possible at busy times, therefore please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery.
All payments are processed by PayPal, one of the world's biggest and most reliable global online payment services
You can pay by credit card directly with PayPal acting as a secure card payment processing facility. Your card details remain with PayPal and are not passed to us.
You can use a free PayPal account for quicker and easier secure payments: sign up.
We do not recommend using the e-check option for download purchases as there is always a delay of 3-4 working days between purchase and receipt of goods while the check clears
Payments are shown in Euros and will be converted to your local currency at the current exchange rate before payment is completed.