Credits:

John Barbirolli

Description:

A world premiere release: Barbirolli in Mozart and WagnerBarbirolli (1899-1970) with the Halle Orchestra, in a concert given on 21 January 1964: a programme of Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 and three excerpts from Wagner’s Gotterdammerung. The source is the BBC’s tape of the pre-concert rehearsal recording, unpublished material unearthed by Testament and released here for the first time anywhere.The Halle Orchestra traces its history back to 1858. Barbirolli was its music director from 1943 until his death, and turned an orchestra that had been fighting for survival into one of international standing.Barbirolli never made a commercial recording of Mozart’s Symphony No. 40; only a BBC studio broadcast from 1962 had appeared on CD. This 1964 performance, taken at a comfortable tempo, has all his characteristic seriousness of purpose together with softer shadings and a careful ear for balance – a re