On October 9th, 1947, Artur Rodziński led his inaugural concert as the fourth music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Three months later, the ensemble’s board of directors announced that he would not be re-engaged for the following season due to disputes over cost and artistic control issues. His one season, however, was a marked success with both critics and audiences, and resulted in a handful of memorable recordings. This release assembles all of them on CD together for the first time, and adds the not inconsequential bonus of his complete recordings for the Remington label.
Together these comprise two symphonies: Mendelssohn's "Scottish" Third and Beethoven's First, Richard Strauss's Also Sprach Zarathustra, as well as much by Wagner and Kachaturian and more Beethoven.
These fine new transfers by Mark Obert-Thorn for Pristine follow on from our recent Rodziński and Serkin release (PASC 566) as we continue to highlight the fine and under-recorded work of this superb conductor. Take a listen to the online sample of the first five sections of Also Sprach Zarathustra to get a taste for yourself.