Gustav Holst: (1874-19340) The Planets Op.32 Arnold Schoenberg: (1874-1951) Verklarte Nacht (Transfigured Night) Op.4 Los Angeles Philharmonic Women's Voices of the Roger Wagner Chorale HIS Symphony Orchestra/Leopold Stokowski EMI 67469 Finally! Thank You! Now we can hear the Planets as it was intended to be heard, should be heard. EMI went back to Stokowski's personal notes requesting adjustments to the sound on the tapes of the Holst. A previous CD release washed out all the sound because, while they went to the master tapes they did not go back to Stokowski's approved one. Now they have fixed it and it sounds just wonderful. In fact, I would go so far as to suggest that it sounds better than the LP. There is more air around the notes, a more natural decay. There is more body to the sound, more depth; you can "feel" the bass. Stokowski recorded, indeed performed, little English music. He did Elgar's "Enigma" towards the end of his life, and Holst as recorded here and from a live NBCSO broadcast in 1943. He also gave the US Premiere of Elgar's Second Symphony when Stokowski was in Cincinnati. Other than that, nothing comes to my mind. This recording of the Planets now joins my list of favorites. I can now feel a sense of Elgar as I listen to the music. If Mars is less intense than in 1943, you have to hear the tam-tam at the end. Mien Gott, is it powerful! The most controversial aspect of this recording is Saturn, the "Bringer of Old Age". In 1943 it takes 9:05, fairly close to others, but by 1956 it is revved up to 7:48! This "old age" is still robust and strong, probably a lot like the 74 year young Stokowski. It takes some getting used to. On the other hand the rest is just plain wonderful, sensual, atmospheric. The play and interplay of the woodwinds with the strings is just delicious. I begin to gush, sorry. At first glance I had some doubts about the coupling. I didn't know that both composers were born the same year. Not only that, the orchestral version of Schoenberg's Night is from 1917 whilst The Planets was completed in 1916. My recollections of Verklarte were that it was acerbic, not at all comparable with the romantic Holst. Well, things change. From the fade-out of the Planets to the fade-in of Nacht is so smooth you'd hardly notice the segue. It is neat. This music is early Schoenberg, still influenced by Mahler among others. I love the insert note picture, it reminds me of the one on the LP my father had (on Seraphim I believe). The recording is much finer than a previous CD incarnation. (That was available only on a Japanese EMI release I was able to get from a friend in Japan. I don't know that it was ever obtainable in this country. It was coupled with Bartok's MSPC. If anyone reading this review happens to have a copy, I would like to know) On that disc the sound was muddied whereas now individual detail comes through. This is a wonderful recording of the work, one that will make me go out and do some comparisons to hear other facets. That is the true mark of a great recording, it makes you want to hear others, to explore, to discover. Post Script: Of all the photographs Stokowski hated of himself, and he hated almost all of them when he got older, he hated the one on this cover most of all. Just thought you might be interested in that fact(oid). I now have to go throw up. If you have the CD in question, please contact me at: [log in to unmask] Nuff said. Get this disc. Peace, bob stumpf