Toch Symphony No. 3 Steinberg & Cello Concerto

Experience a landmark recording of mid-century modern orchestral mastery, featuring Ernst Toch’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Symphony No. 3, powerfully interpreted by William Steinberg and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Long celebrated by audiophiles and classical music connoisseurs alike, William Steinberg’s definitive recording of this masterwork was famously and perpetually named to The Absolute Sound (TAS) Super Disc list for its staggering sonic depth, dynamic range, and orchestral clarity. Despite its critical acclaim and legendary status among golden-age audiophiles, this remarkable recording has become an extreme rarity, having slipped largely into obscurity and all but been forgotten by the mainstream catalog over the decades. Steinberg’s commanding direction brings out every nuance of Toch's intricate score, making this long-overdue revival an essential cornerstone for any serious collector. Captured with exceptional transparency, the Pittsburgh forces deliver a masterclass in modern symphonic interpretation that has long been prized for its stunning spatial imaging. This release is paired with Toch's rare Cello Concerto, Op. 35, recorded on February 21, 1963, by Radio Zurich, featuring cello soloist Frédéric Mottier and conductor Fred Barth with The Forum Group—offering a fascinating historical companion piece that further illuminates Toch's distinct compositional voice. Artist(s): Symphony No 3 Conductor - William Steinberg Orchestra - Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Cello Concerto (Mono Recording) Cello - Frédéric Mottier Conductor - Fred Barth Ensemble - The Forum Group Recording Info: Symphony No. 3: Producer: Richard C. Jones - Engineer: Frank Abbey Venue: Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (the historic auditorium used for virtually all of William Steinberg’s acclaimed Capitol Records sessions with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra).Recording Date: October 15–16, 1956 Cello Concerto: Produced by Radio Zurich, recorded February 21, 1963. Components used for Transfer: This transfer utilizes precision analog playback and mastering-grade digital conversion. The process begins with a modified Nagra 4SJ equipped with Flux Heads, which is connected to a Merrill Audio Master MX Tape Head Preamp. The analog signal is then converted using a Merging Hapi converter, powered by a Teddy Pardo dedicated linear power supply, and synchronized to an Antelope Audio 10MX atomic clock to ensure temporal accuracy. All components receive isolated power conditioning through a Shunyata Research Everest 8000, using Shunyata Sigma-X power cords. Additionally, the grounding infrastructure employs Shunyata ALTAIRA hubs to minimize the noise floor and preserve sonic detail throughout the transfer chain. Symphony No 3 1 Adagio: Agitato 13:29 2 Andante Tranquillo 5:37 3 Allegro Impetuoso 9:28 Concerto For Cello And Chamber Orchestra, Op. 35 (1925) Mono Recording 4 Allegro Assai Moderato 9:56 5 Agitato 3:31 6 Adagio 7:20 7 Allegro Vivace 5:00 Please Note: This release was edited in DXD PCM from a DSD256 Master then the DXD edited master was used to generate the final DSD files using Merging Technologies Album Publishing. DXD (352.8KHz 24/32 bit PCM) is one of the best and least destructive formats for post-processing DSD originated digital recordings Copyright © & ℗ High Definition Tape Transfers 2026, including all compilation, transfer, remastering, and restoration aspects Play Sample Tracks