I am listening to a 1940s recording of Beethoven's Leonore Ouverture no.3 conducted by Arturo Toscanini with his legendary NBC Symphony Orchestra. I just cannot describe how wonderful it is. In spite of limited and ancient mono recording technology, every strand of the music comes across with cristal clarity, all orchestral colours blaze forth in their elemental greatness, and every sound and effect calculated to lead up to the next stage with the most impressive energy and passion. It is the kind of performance that makes the blood race in your veins, that brings you up from your chair to cheer and applaud, that really brings home that what you are hearing is something of unique, transcendent importance, glory, and beauty. If anyone wants to argue that there ever was a greater conductor than Toscanini, they will have trouble convincing me.
The Ouverture has just finished. I am going to listen to it again.