On October 6, 1953, RCA held experimental stereophonic sessions in New York's Manhattan Center with Leopold Stokowski conducting a group of New York musicians in performances of Enesco's Roumanian Rhapsody No. 1 and the waltz from Tchaikovsky's opera Eugene Onegin. There were additional stereo tests in December, again in the Manhattan Center, this time with Pierre Monteux conducting members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In February 1954, RCA made its first commercial stereophonic recordings, taping the Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Charles Münch, in a performance of The Damnation of Faust by Hector Berlioz.
Monteux’s Beethoven has been described as visionary. Respect for the spirit of the score, directness of expression, exceptionally well-drilled playing and a sense of untainted idealism that lay at the very heart of the composer’s vision – these are the qualities that typify Monteux’s interpretation of Beethoven. Eight of the symphonies were recorded for Decca; the Ninth for Westminster; and the third (Eroica) again, for Philips. Together with the rehearsal for the Ninth and an impromptu in-studio performance of ‘La Marseillaise’, they form the most complete collection of Monteux’s Beethoven recordings. Other conductors may have offered a more personalised take on the music but none made it more universal or more human. The fascinating accompanying notes to the set are by Rob Cowan and the recordings have been remastered for this release.
Pierre Monteux was remembered by Sir Georg Solti in his memoirs as "one of most brilliant conductors of the first half of the twentieth century"
• Assembled together, for the first time, Pierre Monteux’s complete recordings for Decca,Philips, Westminster and Decca/RCA.
• Including bonus disc of rehearsal material never before released, from producer Christopher Raeburn’s archives (courtesy of the British Library) – including
Daphnis et Chlo? and Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 3& 9.
• Includes the first international CD release of a Ravel disc conducted by Claude Monteux – Pierre’s son.
Pierre Monteux was remembered by Sir Georg Solti in his memoirs as "one of most brilliant conductors of the first half of the twentieth century"
• Assembled together, for the first time, Pierre Monteux’s complete recordings for Decca,Philips, Westminster and Decca/RCA.
• Including bonus disc of rehearsal material never before released, from producer Christopher Raeburn’s archives (courtesy of the British Library) – including
Daphnis et Chlo? and Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 3& 9.
• Includes the first international CD release of a Ravel disc conducted by Claude Monteux – Pierre’s son.