Every once in a while, one of the record companies issues a classical album lovers and esoterics, but to the general public as well.

Such an album is the new recording of the Beethoven Fifth Symphony on Victor Records by Arturo Toscanini and the National Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra.

Any record salesman, any music store clerk can tell you that the Beethoven Fifth Symphony is exceeded only by the Tschaikovsky "Nutcracker Suite" and a few others in public knowledge and esteem. The "Fifth" is probably the best known of the so-called "heavier" classical works. The four notes which announce the first theme of the symphony are as familiar to the general public as any other (not excepting "Our Love" and "Moon Love").

Toscanini A Superman

Toscanini is generally recognized by the American public as being the greatest of all living conductors. Whether he is, is another matter. The point remains that to the average American home, the name Toscanini spells all that is good and great in the renditions of the classics. The tremendous publicity given him at the formation of NBC's gigantic super-symphony and such thing as a a three page spread in Life Magazine all go to make him a myth, a super-man of the "better music."

Little was it to be wondered then that when Victor announced Toscanini was doing the Fifth excitement should reign not only amongst critics and musicians but amidst the general music public as well. A victor official told me that he expected that this album would have the greatest sale of any comparable work ever issued. Reports began to come in of stores selling out their entire stock in a day, some of them even in an hour.

The names "Beethoven," "Fifth" and "Toscanini" were enough to sell the album eight unseen (and surface unheard).

But what happened when you listened to this album of super-synthesis? Quite frankly, throughout the time I have been listening to record I have never heard a rendition of Beethoven that I considered to be as inadequate as this one. As a matter of fact, I can remember few recorded versions of anything that struck me as being so completely shallow and without not only comprehension of what the composer wanted, but what could be done with the score itself. Leopold Stokowski is often accused (and Justly so) of rendering Bach in a manner quite unlike what the composed intended, or what the "correct" interpretation is conceived to be. But at least, he almost always gives a rendition that is musicically fascinating no matter how you may disagree with his interpretations.

Beethoven Disregarded

This recording by Toscanini is rushed to an almost incredible degree. None of the full majesty that is Beethoven is brought to light. None of the sudden v-like bursts in phrasing that have always been conceded to show Beethoven to greatest advantage are present. No idea is given its full value or properly developed. Some one in speaking of the album said it was "electric"-if by that they mean it travels at the speed of light, It's a good description. The album gives you the Impression that Toscanini deliberately set out to play Beethoven the way Toscanini wanted to, without regard for what must be done to give Beethoven the splendor that has made his name revered in the musical world.

This is the same Toscanini that made a fortune out of an American concert tour, and will play no American works. Part of this description is due to the fact that so much was expected because it was Toscanini, and it was the NBC orchestra-but most of it is due to the fact that they failed miserably.

Not only Toscanini was at fault; the recording was nowhere near the excellence of something like "La Mer" by Koussevitsky, also on this month's release. The base is shallow and distorted, and the highs are brittle and sharp-all of which is exceedingly destructive to Beethoven.

Other Versions Better

There are three other well-known versions of the Fifth: Koussevitsky (victor), Weingartner (Columbia), and Furtwaengler (Victor). The last two are the recognized experts in Beethoven-rendition. The Weingartner is well-read, albeit a little conservative but gives Beethoven itself a chance rather than garbing it in a cloak of false colors. The Furtwaengler is a truly magnificent recording, not as literal as the Weingartner, but with tremendous sweep and surge, and recorded beautifully, even though it was issued several years ago. The Furtwaengler is best, but all three are better than Maestro Toscanini's version which sound like the "Hoof Movement" from the "Overture to William Tell."

Both Victor and Toscanini should be ashamed of themselves for ruining an opportunity such as this. The former had best look to its standard of recording, and the latter to an investigation of who writes the music, the composer or the conductor.