Mendelssohn Italian and Reformation Symphonies - Charles Munch BSO
The mid-20th century was a golden era for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, a period defined by the "French touch" and electric intensity of their music director, Charles Munch. Among the most enduring relics of this partnership are these recordings of Felix Mendelssohn’s Italian and Reformation Symphonies. Originally captured by the legendary RCA "Living Stereo" team, these sessions at Boston Symphony Hall represent a pinnacle of early stereophonic recording.
Whether you are revisiting these performances or discovering the "Munch Sound" for the first time, this release offers the most transparent window available into a landmark recording. It is a testament to Mendelssohn’s genius and a tribute to a conductor who understood that great music is not just about notes, but about the fire and spirit behind them.
Artist(s): Conductor – Charles Munch
Orchestra – Boston Symphony Orchestra
Recording Info: Recorded at Boston Symphony Hall
Symphony No. 4 ("Italian"): Recorded on February 18, 1958, with John Pfeiffer as producer.
Symphony No. 5 ("Reformation"): Recorded on October 28, 1957, with Richard Mohr as producer.
Lewis Layton engineered both symphonies
Sourced from a 15ips 2-track tape
Components used for Transfer:
This transfer leverages precision analog playback and mastering-grade digital conversion. The signal path begins with a modified Technics 1500 Reel to Reel with Flux Heads, fed through a Merrill Audio Master MX Tape Head Preamp. The analog signal converts via a Merging Hapi converter, synchronized to an Antelope Audio 10MX atomic clock for temporal accuracy. All components receive isolated power conditioning through a Shunyata Research Everest 8000 with Shunyata Sigma-X power cords, while grounding infrastructure utilizes Shunyata ALTAIRA hubs to minimize noise floor and preserve sonic detail throughout the transfer chain.
Symphony No. 4, In A, Op. 90 ("Italian")
1 Allegro Vivace 8:04
2 Andante Con Moto 5:56
3 Con Moto Moderato 6:26
4 Saltarello: Presto 6:06
Symphony No. 5, In D Minor, Op. 107 ("Reformation")
5 Andante; Allegro Con Fuoco 10:43
6 Allegro Vivace 4:12
7 Andante 3:24
8 Andante Con Moto - Allegro Vivace 8:55
Please Note: This release was edited in DXD PCM from a DSD256 Master
then the DXD edited master was used to generate the final DSD files using
Merging Technologies Album Publishing.
DXD (352.8KHz 24/32 bit PCM) is one of the best and least destructive formats for post-processing DSD originated digital recordings
Copyright © & ℗ High Definition Tape Transfers 2026, including all compilation, transfer, remastering, and restoration aspects
 |
|