WOW: De Sabata NY Philharmonic Pines of Rome 1950

An exciting performance of Ottorino Respighi’s Pines of Rome by the NY Philharmonic Orchestra on March 12th, 1950. Victor de Sabata conducts. A nearly sonically perfect recording to boot - wow!
I was thrilled to see the title Pines of Rome written in faded pencil on the reel to reel box as I picked it off the shelf- it was my favorite part of Fantasia 2000, and after seeing that movie I sought out more of Respighi’s work.
In a few spots on the tape the oxide is missing so it’s a bit rough, but the majority of this recording is absolutely stellar. There is also a brief edit as I flipped the reel over to the other side.
I believe that Reynolds Marchant recorded these in person at WCCO Minneapolis during the CBS Radio simulcast. The quality is just too good to have been recorded with an AM antenna.
Program for the performance is here:
archives.nyphi...
By pure coincidence, Dukas’ The Sorcerer's Apprentice was also performed. Pines of Rome wouldn’t be part of the Fantasia musical canon until 50 years later. Maybe De Sabata knew something we didn’t :) Fantasia’s music director and presenter Deems Taylor by now was replaced by Jim Fassett as the NY Philharmonic radio announcer, otherwise another neat connection would have been in place.
Finally - at the end of the performance Jim Fassett announces that De Sabata will also be conducting the Brahms Violin Concerto with Nathan Milstein the next week - that is also a performance I have on my channel!
• Milstein and De Sabata...
Technical info:
Unknown Scotch, maybe 102
7” Reel
7 1/2 IPS

[@admusicam3323]

Great pleasure listening this glorious NYPSO under de Sabata : a direct connection to Respighi tradition with superlative and very musical sound. Thanks !

[@rankenfile]

The recording level is spot on. What a treat.

[@karldelavigne8134]

Goodness! That was quite something. Up there with Toscanini...

[@gerontius3]

Absolutely magnificent - thank you!

[@brianmarlene3220]

The glory that was Rome. The victorious all-conquering Legions return home to a tumultuous welcome from the citizens of the eternal City!

[@MarchantTapeArchive]

Where my coughing "fans" at? Must have been something in the air in March of 1950 because this performance has a ridiculous number of coughs!!