50’s Unfiltered: Bartok: Concerto For Orchestra (1955) Reiner/Chicago

50’s Unfiltered Béla Bartok Concerto for Orchestra, SZ 116 1. Introduzione: Andante non troppo; Allegro vivace (0:07) 2. Giuoco delle coppie: Allegretto scherzando (10:03) 3. Elegia: Andante non troppo (16:09) 4: Intermezzo interotto: Allegretto (24:03) 5. Finale: Pesante: Presto (28:22) Fritz Reiner, conductor Chicago Symphony Orchestra Recorded on October 22, 1955 at Orchestra Hall, Chicago This is one of the recordings we have long looked forward to in this series. It has always been one of our favorite classical recordings. Fritz Reiner and Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra will always be associated with each other. The story goes back to the WWII era of the 1940s when Béla Bartok, who was in failing health, wrote to his friends that he considered his career as a composer to be over. Since migrating to the United States the success he had known in Europe had not materialized. When the research grant that Bartok was living on ran out Reiner and Joseph Szigeti arranged a commission through a foundation managed by Serge Koussevitsky for the Hungarian composer to write a new piece of music. The “Concerto for Orchestra“ came about as a result of this $ commission. When Bartok completed the Concerto Reiner was amazed; he realized that the new score was one of the most important pieces of music produced in the 20th Century, and that Bartok’s days of obscurity in the USA would soon be over. The Concerto was an immediate success and Koussevitsky became the first to perform it with the Boston Symphony in 1944. The conductor was not entirely satisfied with the work, and suggested that Bartok expand the ending into the finale we now know. Reiner’s first recording in 1949 with the Pittsburgh Symphony was an important moment, not only for the finished score, but also in the widespread acceptance of the new LP format. He would record it again in stereo with the Chicago Symphony in 1955 and the rest, as they say, is musical history. Although the Concerto has been recorded many times due to it’s popularity, the present recording is truly legendary. It is still essential listening to anyone who loves this music. Fifties Unfiltered is a series of issues on this channel that seek to present original recordings from the early stereo period without filtering or alteration of any kind. Often these recordings have been re-mixed for modern issue by the major labels to the detriment of their original sound. The present recording is taken from 20th Century digital transfers made with minimal processing, and fully optimized at 24-bit for issue on YouTube. This allows modern listeners to hear these great recordings, as closely as possible, to what they originally sounded like when issued. NOTE: All recordings from the 1950s have tape hiss. It is part of the original sound. Digital Transfer (1989): Produced by John Pfeiffer - RCA New York 24-Bit Mastering (2023): Paul Howard - The Yucaipa Studio We do not monetize on this channel and our posts are commercial free. If you wish to offer support for this kind of music. You can make a donation to: