Steve Schwartz <[log in to unmask]> barks on the Toscacake:

>Toscanini/RCA: I used to love this version.  Now, it seems rather ordinary,
>as does a lot of Toscanini to me these days.  He seems to merely beat time.

I have not heard Toscanini doing Verdis Requiem, but I share Stevens
general opinion on Toscanini, and thats why I by and then drop adverse
comments on him (Toscanini, not Steven) on this list.  The worst example is
I think his Beethoven 6 - in the first three movements he is certainly just
beating the time, but not even that very well - hecticly, nervously.  He
don't care what he is doing.  Of course he just cannot wait to be allowed
to release the storm in the 4th movement, which is tremendeously energic
and powerful...

Toscaninis Sjostakovitj Symphonies are worthless to me, but still there
are pieces where Toscanini is successful; The storm in Beethoven 6 already
mentioned.  I've got a Berlioz "Le Carnavail Romain" with Toscanini, and it
is splendid!  What these well done pieces have in common, is that they
relies solely on effect.

Mats Norrman
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