Latest Additions to our playlist,
As of February 14, 2011

Rachmaninoff - Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini - Leopold Stokowski - Philadelphia Orchestra - Sergei Rachmaninoff, piano - 1934 - Victor 8553-5 in M-250 via BMG 09026-61658-2

Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor - Leopold Stokowski - The Philadelphia Orchestra - Sergei Rachmaninoff, piano - 1929 - Victor 16773-7 in DM-58

Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor - Eugene Ormandy - The Philadelphia Orchestra - Sergei Rachmaninoff, piano - 1940 - Victor 18377-9 in DM-865

As of January 26, 2011

Brahms - Symphony No. 4 - Felix Weingartner - London Symphony Orchestra - 1938 - Columbia 69219-23-D in M-335

Wagner - Die Gotterdammerung - Dawn and Siegfried's Rhine Journey - Arturo Toscanini - New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra - 1936 - Victor 16726-7 in DM-308

Wagner-Stokowski - Tristan Und Isolde - Symphonic Synthesis - Leopold Stokowski - Philadelphia Orchestra - 1935, 1937, 1939 - Victor 16232-6 in DM-508

Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 6 - Pathetique - Eugene Ormandy - The Philadelphia Orchestra - 1937 - Victor 14269-73 in AM-337

Wagner - Siegfried Idyll - Arturo Toscanini - New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra - 1936 - Victor 16723-6 in DM-308

Bach, J S - Double Concerto in D Minor - Pierre Monteux - Unnamed Orchestra - Geoges Enesco and Yehudi Menuhin, violins - 1933 - Victor 11-8603-4 in DM-932

Wagner - Lohengrin - Prelude to Acts 1 and 3 - Arturo Toscanini - New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra - 1936 - Victor 16723-5 in DM-308

About Past Performers Showcase

Listen to worthwhile but seldom heard classical performances by artists from the golden era of 1925 to 1950. Legendary musicians like Toscanini, Stokowski, Heifetz, Horowitz, Furtwangler and a great many others were at the peak of their profession. At this time, most of the basic repertoire received their first recordings, and many of the performances were considered definitive at the time.

Being without records, musicians had much less opportunity to hear each other play during their formative years than they do now. They relied almost entirely on their own study of the music, resulting in more individualistic performances than are generally heard today.

Except for the occasional LP or CD reissue, the music on this station is from the original 78 rpm recordings in my collection. By and large, they are in excellent condition, but please forgive the occasional imperfection. Remember, these very fragile records are 60 to 85 years old. To me, it is miraculous that so many of them are still listenable and enjoyable.

Comments and suggestions from listeners are always most welcome!