NBC Symphony Orchestra
The NBC Symphony Orchestra was one of the world's fabled orchestras. David Sarnoff, chairman of RCA which owned both RCAVictor Records and NBC radio -- offered conductor Arturo Toscanini a specially-built orchestra of the highest standards.
Offering the highest salaries of any orchestra and a 52-week contract, NBC attracted top orchestral musicians: 21 of them were former section leaders of other orchestras. Artur Rodzinski molded them into a precision ensemble and Rodzinski led its first concerts. The orchestra took the air under Toscanini on Christmas day, 1937.
It was immediately ranked as one of the world's great orchestras, famous for its precise, lean sound, even though the players had to do routine radio work in addition to symphony concerts. For 17 years it was conducted by many leading world-class conductors; Leopold Stokowski was its co-conductor from 1941 to 1944. It made numerous classic recordings for RCA, sometimes recording as the "RCA Victor Symphony," including the famous recording of Richard Rodgers' Victory at Sea.
The orchestra had many distinguished alumni: violist William Primrose; violinist Josef Gingold; cellists Naoum Benditzky (of the Gordon Quartet) and Alan Shulman (Stuyvesant Quartet); and future conductors Milton Katims and Frank Brieff, to name just a few. Soloists who recorded with the orchestra included Marian Anderson, Vladimir Horowitz, Jascha Heifetz, and Artur Rubinstein. Some of these recordings, and a few complete opera recordings, were conducted by Fritz Reiner.
Toscanini retired after his April 4, 1954, concert. NBC laid the orchestra off, but it refused to die. Most of its members (with a few new players) reassembled as the Symphony of the Air, which went on to its own distinguished, if brief, renown.
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Brahms: Symphony NO. 1, OP. 68 - Symphony NO. 2, OP. 73 - Symphony NO. 3, OP. 90 - Symphony NO. 4, OP. 98
Symphonic Music - Released by Altair on 3 Oct 2022
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Classical Around the World I
NBC Symphony Orchestra, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, The New England Brass Ensemble
Classical - Released by Music Manager on 1 Dec 2015
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NBC Symphony Orchestra spielt: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: "Haffner-Symphonie", Symphonie Nr. 35
Symphonic Music - Released by Classico Ivano on 14 Nov 2014
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Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21
The Nbc Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini
Symphonic Music - Released by Infinity on 9 Feb 2013
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Toscanini Conducts Wagner (1946-1952)
NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini
Classical - Released by Naxos Classical Archives on 3 May 2011
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Gioachino Antonio Rossini
Arturo Toscanini, NBC Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by ArnebAudio on 25 Apr 2024
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Swan Lake
Léopold Stokowski, NBC Symphony Orchestra
Ballets - Released by Unchained Melodie on 1 Oct 2011
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Toscanini: His Final Concert
Classical - Released by Discover Classical Music on 1 Mar 2010
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Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Suite / Swan Lake Suite
Berlin Symphonic Orchestra, NBC Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Unchained Melodie on 1 Feb 2012
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Sibelius: Finlandia, Op. 26, No. 7
Arturo Toscanini, NBC Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Sunday Club Records on 23 Apr 2014
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Debussy: La Mer, et. al
Classical - Released by Discover Classical Music on 1 Aug 2010
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Dvořák: Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104 - Scherzo Capriccioso, Op. 66
NBC Symphony Orchestra, Edmund Kurtz
Classical - Released by Discover Classical Music on 2 May 2010
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Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition
Classical - Released by Discover Classical Music on 10 Jan 2010
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Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 5 in D Major, Op. 107 - "Reformation"
Classical - Released by Discover Classical Music on 10 Jan 2010
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More Cello Giants, Vol. 8 (Live)
Emanuel Feuermann, NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini
Classical - Released by Intense Media GmbH on 16 Nov 2018
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Milestones of a Legend: Guido Cantelli, Vol. 1
Philharmonia Orchestra, NBC Symphony Orchestra, Guido Cantelli
Classical - Released by Intense Media GmbH on 5 Oct 2018
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Milestones of a Legend: Guido Cantelli, Vol. 2
NBC Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Guido Cantelli
Classical - Released by Intense Media GmbH on 5 Oct 2018
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Schumann: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 97
Classical - Released by Discover Classical Music on 4 Apr 2010
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Kodály: Háry János Suite
Arturo Toscanini, NBC Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Sunday Club Records on 30 Apr 2014
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Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1 in D Major, Op. 25
Arturo Toscanini, NBC Symphony Orchestra
Symphonic Music - Released by Sunday Club Records on 23 Apr 2014
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