Sibelius* - Boston Symphony Orchestra, Serge Koussevitzky – Sibelius Symphonies No. 5 And No. 7

Symphony No. 5 recorded December 29, 1936 at Symphony Hall, Boston.
Originally released here: "Symphony No. 5, In E Flat Major (Opus 82) / Pohjola's Daughter (Opus 49)."
Released 11/38. 78 rpm: M-474 (15019/23), AM-474 (15024/8), DM-474 (16308/12) (coupled with Sibelius Pohjola's Daughter, filling sides 8, 9, and 10); DB 3168/71, DB 8750/53 (coupled with Sibelius Maiden With The Roses, also listed under 12-29-36, as 8th side filler). LP: LCT-1151, LVT-1015, VlC-1047.
78 rpm matrix and take numbers:
[side # matrix and take # mvt]
1 CS-03168-2 (2) 1
2 CS-03169-1 (1) 1
3 CS-03170-1 (1) 1
4 CS-03171-2,-1(2) 2
5 CS-03172-1 (1) 2
6 CS-03173-1 (1) 3
7 CS-03174-1 (1) 3

Symphony No. 7 recorded May 15, 1933 at Queen's Hall, London.
Recorded by His Master's Voice.
Originally released here: "Symphony No. 3 In C Major / Symphony No. 7 In C Major."
Released by HMV 8/33, by RCA 10/37. 78rpm: DB 1984/6, M-394 (14552/4), AM-394 (14555/7), DM-394 (16545/7) (coupled with Sibelius 3rd Symphony played by London Symphony under Robert Kajanus). LP: LCT-1151, LVT1015, SH 173/4, ANM-34829. Manufactured in U.S. by RCA Victor using HMV parts, RCA matrix numbers, CVE-013643/8.
HMV 78 rpm matrix and take numbers:
[side # matrix and take#]
1 2B3 784-IA
2 2B3 785-IA
3 2B3 786-Il
4 2B3 787-IA
5 2B3 788-IA
6 2B3 789-IA

Notes on the recording of SYMPHONY No. 7:
This was recorded by HMV from a live performance given in Queen's Hall, London. The signal was transmitted via telephone lines to HMV's Abbey Road Studios, where the 78 rpm wax originals were cut. Side 3 bears a HMV take number of "II." Careful audition of this disc reveals the surface noise of another record, that starts just after the beginning of the side. Although nothing about this appears in the documents regarding this recording sent the author by HMV, this side is surely a recut. This is curious because in the Koussevitzky-London Philharmonic recordings made a year and a half later, a "II" following the matrix number indicates not a studio recutting from another record, but a side that was completely recorded over for a second time. The sound quality on side 3 is also markedly worse than that on the other five sides, a typical problem with recut sides at the time.

Apparently, this was recorded from telephone lines simultaneously on two separate lathes. A photocopy of the page from the HMV ''Recording Book" that covers this recording explains that records whose matrix numbers end in -1 were "recorded in No. 4 machine room." Those with a matrix number ending -IA, were "recorded in No. 3 machine room." Koussevitzky never again recorded this symphony commercially. HMV documents made available to the author include a signed contract between HMV and Koussevitzky dated May 22, 1933. In return for the royalties stipulated, he agreed to obtain HMV's written consent before making another commercial recording of the Sibelius Seventh Symphony. One assumes that HMV held out for a substantial amount of money.

The sound on these 78s is among the worst in the Koussevitzky canon. This is a shame because the performance is one of his finest. Fortunately, three other Koussevitzky performances of this symphony survive, that were made with the BSO (April 20, 1946, SH. Broadcast; December 13, 1948, SH. NBC "Dress Rehearsal" program. Entire symphony included. Broadcast; December 17, 1948, SH. Privately made.)

- Edward D. Young: SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY: A COMPLETE DISCOGRAPHY, PART I