Bridge Records has just released a new CD of the Tone Poems by
American composer Edward MacDowell, recorded in the 1960s by conductor
Karl Krueger with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London.  Here is
the story.

In the early '80's the Library of Congress offered, to interested
collectors, the remainder of the LP inventory donated to them (together
with the masters) by SPAMH:  The Society for the Preservation of the
American Heritage.  It was the brainchild of the one-time conductor of
the Detroit Symphony Orch., Karl Krueger, who felt that insufficient
attention (to put it mildly) had been paid to the founders of the
American school of composition.

Accordingly, he applied to the Fleisher Collection at the Philadelphia
Pennsylvania Library (the largest accumulation of the scores of
mostly-forgotten American composers in the country) for permission to
borrow works by Paine, Chadwick, Mrs. H.H.A. Beach, Foote, MacDowell,
Farwell, Bristow, Gilbert and number of others.  He raised money,
engaged the Royal Philharmonic Orch. of London, and beginning in the
mid-60's recorded symphonic compositions, resulting in some 40 LP's.

Though there was some interest in the commercial world, the project
ultimately foundered, and as noted, the remaining discs wound up at the
L. of C.  They generously offered -- free -- to institutions and
individuals a choice of 5 LP's, to be sent to you post free, in order to
obtain the widest possible dissemination of the project's achievements.

I, shamelessly, coveting most of the material rounded up a number of
friends and each of us received the designated five, all of which found
a place in my collection.

In the mid 1908s, in the early days of CD, the Library began a program
of conversion, but the few discs which appeared were disappointing when
compared with the original LP's.  The sound lacked presence, the volume
level was down from 5 to 7 decibels, and the presentation itself was
rather drab, no doubt the result of cost factors.

Now, David Starobin, classical guitarist and president of Bridge
Records, has initiated a program of transfers and the first efforts of
his ambitious program are at hand:  MacDowell:  The Tone Poems:  Two
Fragments after the Song of Roland, Op. 30; Hamlet/Ophelia, Op. 22;
Lancelot and Elaine, Op. 23 and Lamia, Op. 29.  As stated, the Royal
Philharmonic Orch., Karl Krueger.  (Bridge 9089)

The transfers are, in a word, stunning.  Digital processing has
eliminated the flaws, including obvious (and not so obvious) edits; the
inevitable deterioration of the sound picture as the pickup traverses
the gradually-decreasing circumference of the LP; further, the SOUND
itself now compares with the finest of the stereo recordings of Sir
Thomas' old orchestra.  It's as if one had taken a sound cloth and
wiped away the accumulation of years (30 some)...  In short, a major
accomplishment, to be followed shortly by Mrs. H.H.A. Beach (Amy Marcy
Cheney)'s "Gaelic" Symphony.

There have been a few contemporary releases (notably on Chandos, with
the Detroit Symphony Orch., conducted by Neeme Jarvi) and some by the
New World folks, but I feel that Krueger had penetrated to the core of
this important turn-of-the century, and into the 1900's composition and
would like to recommend the recording(s) unreservedly.

Amazon.com will surely have the disc shortly, and if interested, you
may contact Bridge Records at <bridgerec@aol.com>.  Starobin's wife,
Becky, handles the publicity and services radio stations;  direct your
inquiry to her.

Albert M. Petrak