It’s time for a special Albert Coates bonus this year. In autumn 1923, Coates recorded Beethoven’s 9th Symphony for the Gramophone Company. It was issued in May 1924 to mark the centenary of the work, so it appears here to mark the centenary of the recording being issued, and the bicentenary of the symphony, which received its first performance on 7th May 1824.
Due to the file size, I’ve had to split the finale into 2 sections
This was not the first issued recording of the symphony – Bruno Seidler-Winkler recorded it in Germany for issue in late 1923, but the repeat of the Scherzo was almost completely omitted to reduce the number of records required. Coates was the first to recorded the work uncut. The finale is sung in English.
Chorus in Finale:
Sopranos: Gaby Valli, Louise Trenton
Contraltos: Nellie Walker, Gladys Peel
Tenors: Harold Wilde, Sydney Coltham
Basses: Edward Halland, Leonard Hubbard
Soloists in Finale:
Soprano: Medora Salteni-Mochi
Contralto: Edna Thornton (sides 2, 3, 5), Nellie Walker (sides 4, 6)
Tenor: Frank Webster
Baritone: George Baker
Edna Thornton can be heard as contralto soloist for all of part 1, then in part 2 from start to 3:10, Nellie Walker from 3:10 to 7:37, Thornton from 7:37 to 11:18, and Walker from 11:18 to the end.
Sessions of 24th and 29th October 1923 – 4 1st violins, 3 2nd violins, 3 violas, 2 cellos, 4 basses, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 1 contra-bassoon, 4 horns, 2 trumpets. 1 tuba, timpani, (second movement only) 3 trombones.
Sessions of 7th and 8th November 1923 – soloists and chorus as listed above. Edna Thornton was unavailable on 8th November, so Nellie Walker stepped in as solo contralto. Orchestra – 4 1st violins, 3 2nd violins, 3 violas, 2 cellos, 4 basses, 3 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 contrabassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 1 tuba, 1 timpani, 1 percussion. (plus 3 trombones on 8th November)
In the slow movement Coates, as was his custom in the studio, slowed down considerably at the end of each side. These rallentandi have been digitally reduced to improve the musical flow at the side joins. Between the first and second sides of the finale, three quavers are omitted in the original recording. The identical notes have been extracted from earlier in the side to fill in the join between these two sides. Curiously there are points in the first two movements where there is an overlap of several bars between two sides, making it all the more strange to omit notes at this side join. At the start of the penultimate side, the trombones enter a beat early to give the choir their note. In Coates’s electrical recording, the side join is a little earlier so he does not need to give the choir their note in this manner. I have therefore amended this so the music follows the score.
His Master’s Voice D 842-843
Matrices Cc 3655-III, 3696-IV, 3704-I (4-0511, 4-0512, 4-0513)
Recorded 24th October 1923 (sides 1, 3) and 8th November 1923 (side 2), Room 1, Hayes
His Master’s Voice D 843-845
Matrices Cc 3705-II, 3706-III, 3707-III, 3708-III (4-0514, 4-0515, 4-0516, 4-0517)
Recorded 24th October 1923 (sides 1, 3, 4) and 8th November 1923 (side 2), Room 1, Hayes
His Master’s Voice D 845-846
Matrices Cc 3735-II, 3736-I, 3737-I (4-0518, 4-0519, 4-0520)
Recorded 29th October 1923, Room 1, Hayes
His Master’s Voice D 847-849
Matrices Cc 3738-III, 3813-II, 3814-II, 3815-III, 3816-II, 3817-IV (4-0521, 4-0522, 4-0523, 4-0524, 4-0525, 4-0526)
29th October 1923 (side 1), 7th November 1923 (sides 2, 3, 5) and 8th November 1923 (sides 4, 6), Room 1, Hayes Room 1.
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