Today in 1942, Arturo Toscanini led the NBC Orchestra in the USA's premiere of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 7. Under Toscanini's baton the Orchestra recorded Shostakovich's "Leningrad" symphony in New York for a nationwide broadcast.
Toscanini later sent the composer a recording of the premiere (RCA Victor) which Shostakovich apparently disliked. The composer wrote, "hearing it made me angry. Everything is wrong. The spirit and the character and the tempos. It's a lousy, sloppy hack job."
Well, you can't have everything..
Also, shout-out to German composer and conductor Vinzenz Lachner who was born on this day in 1811. Happy birthday, Vinzenz!
Toscanini later sent the composer a recording of the premiere (RCA Victor) which Shostakovich apparently disliked. The composer wrote, "hearing it made me angry. Everything is wrong. The spirit and the character and the tempos. It's a lousy, sloppy hack job."
Well, you can't have everything..
Also, shout-out to German composer and conductor Vinzenz Lachner who was born on this day in 1811. Happy birthday, Vinzenz!
