Rimsky-Korsakov/Stokowski: Russian Easter Overture
Mussorgsky/Stokowski: Extracts from Khovanchina
Tchaikovsky/Stokowski: Aurora's Wedding

HIS Symphony Orchestra.
Leopold Stokowski.  1953 Recordings.

Leopold Stokowski was the last of a long line of great conductors of the
past century.  To him, as to Furtwangler, Beecham, Barbirolli, and even
Toscanini, the score was where you began, and not an end in itself.  This
line stretched back into the 18th century in the likes of Richter and even
Wagner.  When you listen to Stokowski you hear a musician and not just a
conductor.  We shall never see likes of Stokowski, or the others, for
better or worse, again.

HIS Symphony Orchestrasometimes called Leopold Stokowski Symphony
Orchestra.  The name varied somewhat, and the players did, too.  HIS SO
included the top orchestral players in New York in the late 40s and early
50s.  Robert Bloom played oboe, Juliet Baker on flute, Leonard Rose and
Bernie Greenhouse played cello, Walter Trampler was on viola, Mason Jones,
horn, and solo violin was either Oscar Shumsky or Mischa Mischaokff.  Even
Mitch Miller, later of "Sing-a-long" fame, played English horn on occasion.
This roster was joined by other players from the New York Philharmonic and
NBC Symphony Orchestra as this ad hoc orchestra, organized specifically to
record for the Maestro.  Using tape and the latest technologies, Stokowski
transformed an orchestra of 24 strings to sound like 68!  He separated and
individually taped some of the orchestral sections, added reverb to the
recordings, and of course used his famous free bowing to add a legato-like
sound.  When you listen to these recordings, all made in 1953, you will
hear what I am talking about.  Just listen to the solo violin, horn, and
flute at the opening of The Russian Easter Overture, the atmosphere set is
haunting.  Another "innovation" in this piece has the trombone recitative,
depicting the priest's chanting during the Divine Service of the Russian
Orthodox Church at Easter, sung by the baritone Nicola Moscona.  Stokowski
had used this idea in 1942 with the NBCSO (available on CALA 0505).  I have
to tell you that it does sound more "Russian" as a result.  The main item
on this disc, however, is the Sleeping Beauty music, as arranged by
Diaghilev, and nobody, but nobody does Tchaikovsky ballet music better than
the "Old Magician" (and he was in his young 70s by now).  A 1947 recording
has already been released by CALA (0522).  This 1953 recording was
previously issued on the Iron Needle label, but that was obviously taken
from an LP, you can hear the LP swish as it is played.  Now you can hear it
in its full glory and it is impossible to believe that the orchestra is so
small, in fact it sounds fuller than the NBCSO.  Bob Bloom once told me
that frequently the orchestra would arrive, not sure what was to be
recorded.  Thus rehearsals and recording sessions were simultaneous.  This
brought a certain lan to these recordings, an improvisational experience.
Add the Mussorgsky to the mix on this release and you have an indispensable
recording, and not just for Stokowski fans, even though I did append his
name.

Robert M. Stumpf, II
President: Leopold Stokowski Society of America
http://www.classical.net/music/guide/society/lssa/