Long-lost recording of Van Cliburn with Dallas Symphony unearthed at WRR studios

An extended-forgotten recording that includes Texas-raised pianist Van Cliburn, in Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, was unearthed by Dallas metropolis archivists.

Recorded in 1967 at Southern Methodist College’s McFarlin Auditorium, the place the DSO performed in these years, the reel-to-reel tape sat within the studios of Dallas’ classical music station, WRR-FM (101.1), for many years. It was aired as soon as — in 1977 — earlier than the station shared it in a particular program final Saturday.

Metropolis archivist John Slate, who discovered the recording with assistant metropolis archivist Kristi Nedderman, mentioned in a information launch that it was “a delight to show up a gem like this.”

“For us, it’s like discovering an unpublished Gertrude Stein poem.”

In 1958, on the top of Chilly Conflict tensions, Cliburn gained the primary Worldwide Tchaikovsky Competitors in Moscow, catapulting him to immediate fame. A ticker-tape parade greeted him on Wall Road — the one one ever given to a classical musician — and he appeared on the quilt of Time journal, which known as him “The Texan Who Conquered Russia.”

Along with his newfound star energy, Cliburn set off on a busy schedule of concert events and recordings. In 1962, pals in Fort Price inaugurated the quadrennial Van Cliburn Worldwide Piano Competitors in his honor. The sixteenth version of the competition wrapped up earlier this month.

Within the DSO recording, Cliburn expressively shapes melodies, maintaining momentum and urgency, even in slower sections. His swirling passagework dazzles with virtuosity, and the cadenza is appealingly rhapsodic. In contrast to so many trendy pianists, Cliburn by no means bangs out accented concepts.

Led by then-music director Donald Johanos, the DSO collaborates sympathetically, providing each searing depth and lilting lyricism. At the very least for this listener, although, a few of the expression feels a bit schmaltzy in already sentimental music.

The recording, which was transferred to digital format by George Blood Audio in Pennsylvania, positively sounds its age, emitting a relentless hissing noise. Trumpets are approach too loud, probably due to a detailed microphone. Coughs and clearing throats from the viewers are reminders that this was a reside efficiency.

Nonetheless, ultimately, it’s a wonderful discover of a efficiency in any other case misplaced to historical past.

Particulars

The particular radio program, together with Cliburn’s efficiency with the DSO and interviews with town archivists, is accessible on WRR’s SoundCloud web page.