http://www.wgbh.org/ WGBH Content Relevant to the Topic of: BSO on Record RSS en-us Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EST Wed, 08 Aug 2012 08:54 AM +0000 http://www.wgbh.org//programs/The-Bach-Hour--Classical-New-England-803/episodes/Bach-in-the-Berkshires-40596 Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied (translation) in a celebration of Bach's music at Tanglewood.

On-demand at Classical New England
]]> http://www.wgbh.org//programs/The-Bach-Hour--Classical-New-England-803/episodes/Bach-in-the-Berkshires-40596 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:09 AM +0000 http://www.wgbh.org//995/bso.cfm On-demand at Classical New England
]]> http://www.wgbh.org//995/bso.cfm ]]> Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:38 PM +0000 http://www.wgbh.org//995/bso.cfm Tonight at 7pm on 99.5 All Classical
]]> http://www.wgbh.org//995/bso.cfm ]]> Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:57 PM +0000 http://www.wgbh.org//995/bso.cfm http://www.wgbh.org//995/bso.cfm ]]> Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:34 PM +0000 http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Charles-Munchs-First-BSO-Recordings-2422 Sunday, Mar. 27 at 2pm on 99.5 All Classical
]]> http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Charles-Munchs-First-BSO-Recordings-2422 Mar. 25

A little background on this week's BSO on Record...

In December of 1949, RCA Victor arrived at Symphony Hall to make the first Boston Symphony records with their new Music Director, Charles Munch (left).

Just as we've seen an evolution of playback technology recently, the Battle of the Turntable Speeds was raging, and Victor was issuing their new 45 RPM discs in addition to the standard discs of 78 RPM.

Fortunately the recording medium by this time was tape, and the sound quality compared to just a few years earlier was significant.

Just hours before the sessions, Munch had fallen ill and had left the concerts to Richard Burgin to conduct, but Munch led the first BSO recording of the Beethoven Seventh Symphony and the first-ever disc of any music from Berlioz's Beatrice and Benedict.

Any question of his health was resolved by the following April, when he made the first of his four recordings of Ravel's La Valse, which closes the program. This one is easily the most frenetic.

Tune in Sunday at 2pm to hear all of it.

]]> Thu, 17 Feb 2011 23:08 PM +0000 http://www.wgbh.org//articles/The-First-Recordings-of-the-Boston-Symphony-Orchestra-1978 ]]> http://www.wgbh.org//articles/The-First-Recordings-of-the-Boston-Symphony-Orchestra-1978
BSO on Record for this week, heard on Sunday, Feb. 20, at 2pm, is not exactly easy listening. But those who have heard this program in the past talk to me about it for months afterward.

The most recent recording in this show was made nearly 95 years ago, and so to call the hour "historic" is something of an understatement.  Some of these discs are one-of-kind, and several of them were not released for more than 75 years.

The bulk of the program consists of the complete surviving recordings of the Boston Symphony Orchestra with conductor Karl Muck (left, from Wikimedia Commons) made in October of 1917.  All but four of the nine sides (eight selections actually, as the Tchaikovsky 4th Symphony finale is taken up by two 12" discs, that were recorded only on one side), were not released until 1995, when the BSO released the discs as part of the premiere issue of BSO Classics.

That's preceded by a rather noisy disc that is something akin to the Dead Sea scrolls. In 1912, an outfit in Boston, in evident violation of Edison's patents, made a series of recordings of BSO musicians, not sanctioned by the Boston Symphony. One of them was the concertmaster Anton Witek playing the Chaconne from Bach's Partita No. 2 for solo violin, which is exemplary musicianship in any age.

The hour begins with a series of discs that were brought to my attention in 2006.  The Boston Symphony Trombone Quartet discs were acquired by BSO Bass Trombonist Douglas Yeo, and the significance was ascertained when I discovered the listing in the Victor discography.  Immediately I had them transferred to CD for the most likely the first-ever broadcast on October 22, 2006.  There is a fabulous page Doug has put together, which I highly recommend.  Just visit his website.

But that's not all!  As soon as the broadcast took place, Thomas Vendetti e-mailed me about an earlier recording of a BSO musician, which indeed dates to the very earliest discs ever to emerge from what was to become the Victor Talking Machine company. It is 'cellist Alexander Heindl, who made recordings beginning in July of 1900. 

The really intriguing question is this:  is it the Alexander Heindl who apparently played Principal 'Cello in the Boston Symphony during the orchestra's first season in 1881 (that's him, to the left, courtesy of stowkowski.org), or his younger relative, who played in the BSO from 1900 until 1907?  (Was it a son?  A nephew?  It's unclear;  isn't history fun?  Oh, and inconveniently - for us - he's also named Alexander Heindl...)  Something to ponder as you listen.

Enjoy!

]]> Thu, 17 Feb 2011 16:44 PM +0000 http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Ben-Roe-Named-Managing-Director-of-Classical-Services-1975 http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Ben-Roe-Named-Managing-Director-of-Classical-Services-1975 Veteran public radio producer and manager Benjamin K. Roe has been named Managing Director of WGBH’s Classical Services. In this role, Roe will guide the overall strategy for 99.5 All Classical services, including programming, live performances and special events.

Roe joins WGBH after serving as the general manager of WDAV Radio in Davidson, North Carolina, since 2008, and his extensive experience with NPR dates back to 1982 with WUMB and WBUR in Boston, where he was one of the early producers of Car Talk. From there, he moved into NPR’s Cultural Programming division, serving in a variety of roles including Director of Music and Music Initiatives from 2002 to 2007.

Marita Rivero, WGBH Vice President and General Manager for Radio and Television said, “When we acquired 99.5 more than a year ago, our mission was to preserve and develop classical music in this region.  Ben will certainly be an asset to WGBH, as we strive to provide the best possible classical services and continue to enhance the listener experience.”

An accomplished producer, Roe earned a Grammy Award in 1998 for a recording of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem by the Washington Chorus and is also a recipient of the Chairman’s Medal from the National Endowment for the Arts, a George Foster Peabody and ASCAP-Deems Taylor Award for NPR’s Performance Today and the National Medal of the Arts for NPR Cultural Programming.

Arts leaders around Boston applauded the appointment of Roe, including Marie-Hélène Bernard, Executive Director and CEO of the Handel and Haydn Society, who said, “Ben Roe brings a wealth of experience in radio broadcasting, true intelligence to programming and a passion for classical music.”

Rob Hayes, Assistant Vice President for External Affairs at the Berklee College of Music, said, "Ben Roe is one of the most astute broadcasters in the United States. He has a true, 20,000-foot view of the relationships between music, radio, and the web -- probably as good as there is -- and a legacy of seminal public radio programs he's helped to create. A city of smart people, with best-of-category producers of culture, just got a new friend and champion. I am thrilled that Ben is coming to WGBH.”

Gerald Slavet and Jennifer Hurley-Wales, co-CEOs of From the Top, said, “We have known Ben for years and are thrilled to see him come back to Boston. We worked closely with him when he was at NPR and his insight and advice have been most valuable over the years. We look forward to collaborating with him in his new capacity at 99.5, as we work together to keep the classical music scene vibrant here in Boston.”

And Mark Volpe, Boston Symphony Orchestra Managing Director, said, “WGBH is incredibly fortunate to have Ben Roe join the team at 99.5 All Classical. Many of us at the BSO have enjoyed working closely with Ben on such NPR broadcasts as the opening of Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood, the Symphony Hall Centennial Celebration, and a James Levine-led performance of Mahler’s Symphony of a Thousand - the maestro’s first concert as BSO music director. Ben’s creative spirit and unquestionable professionalism, along with his uncanny ability to find workable solutions to tough challenges, are just a few of his impressive qualities. We look forward to collaborating with Ben on the BSO’s broadcast presence on 99.5.”
]]> Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:33 PM +0000 http://www.wgbh.org//programs//episodes/Conductor-Susanna-Mlkki-24913 Saturday, Feb. 12 at 7pm on 99.5 All Classical
]]> http://www.wgbh.org//programs//episodes/Conductor-Susanna-Mlkki-24913 ]]>