Notes and Editorial Reviews
The rating applies to the best performances in this collection, and they may not be what you’d expect: the “Eroica” Symphony and a stupendous Brahms Fourth, Shostakovich’s Sixth, and Khachaturian’s horrendous Third Symphony. There’s also the justly acclaimed Anna Moffo recital (Cantaloube, Villa-Lobos, Rachmaninov), the strangely compelling Mahler Second, and a host of shorter works. The Wagner discs are variable and on the whole a notch less interesting than Stoki’s earlier efforts for Decca (in stereo), never mind his original Philadelphia recordings—and Scheherazade sounded better in just about any of his half-dozen or so previous efforts. But the “New World” Symphony is awfully interesting (the tam-tam in the finale is certainly
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different), and ultimately there was no one like Stokowski, and there never will be again. So why not? Go for it.
-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com
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Works on This Recording
1.
Partita for Violin solo no 2 in D minor, BWV 1004: 5th movement, Chaconne by Johann Sebastian Bach
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Baroque
Written: circa 1720; Cöthen, Germany
2.
Partita for Violin solo no 3 in E major, BWV 1006: 1st movement, Prelude by Johann Sebastian Bach
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Baroque
Written: 1720; Cöthen, Germany
3.
Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, BWV 80: Excerpt(s) by Johann Sebastian Bach
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1744; Leipzig, Germany
4.
Suite for Orchestra no 3 in D major, BWV 1068: Air by Johann Sebastian Bach
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Baroque
Written: circa 1729-1731; Leipzig, Germany
5.
Ich steh' mit einem Fuss im Grabe, BWV 156: Sinfonia/Arioso by Johann Sebastian Bach
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Baroque
Written: 1729; Leipzig, Germany
6.
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140: no 1, Wachet auf ruft uns die Stimme by Johann Sebastian Bach
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Baroque
Written: 1731; Leipzig, Germany
7.
Komm, süsser Tod, komm, sel'ge Ruh'!, BWV 478 by Johann Sebastian Bach
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1736; Leipzig, Germany
8.
Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147: Jesu bleibet meine Freude "Jesu, joy of man's desiring" by Johann Sebastian Bach
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
New Symphony Orchestra,
Norman Luboff Choir
Period: Baroque
Written: 1723; Leipzig, Germany
9.
Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd!, BWV 208 "Hunt Cantata": Schafe können sicher weiden by Johann Sebastian Bach
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
New Symphony Orchestra,
Norman Luboff Choir
Period: Baroque
Written: 1713; Cöthen, Germany
10.
Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 by Johann Sebastian Bach
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1708; Germany
11.
Chorale Preludes (6) BWV 645-650 "Schübler": no 1, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645 by Johann Sebastian Bach
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Baroque
Written: circa 1748-1749; Leipzig, Germany
12.
Fugue in G minor, BWV 578 "Little G minor" by Johann Sebastian Bach
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1706; Arnstadt, Germany
13.
Symphony no 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 "Eroica" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1803; Vienna, Austria
14.
Coriolan Overture in C minor, Op. 62 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1807; Vienna, Austria
15.
Symphony no 2 in C minor "Resurrection" by Gustav Mahler
Performer:
Margaret Price (Soprano),
Brigitte Fassbaender (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra,
London Symphony Chorus
Period: Romantic
Written: 1888/1896; Germany
Date of Recording: 1974
Venue: Walthamstow Town Hall, London, England
Length: 80 Minutes 43 Secs.
Language: German
16.
Symphony no 4 in E minor, Op. 98 by Johannes Brahms
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
New Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1884-1885; Austria
Date of Recording: 06/1974
Venue: Walthamstow Town Hall, London, England
Length: 37 Minutes 4 Secs.
17.
Songs (6), Op. 48: no 4, Die Ehre Gottes aus der Natur by Ludwig van Beethoven
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
New Symphony Orchestra,
Norman Luboff Choir
Period: Classical
Written: by 1802; Vienna, Austria
18.
Academic Festival Overture in C minor, Op. 80 by Johannes Brahms
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
New Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1880; Austria
19.
Chants d'Auvergne: Volume 2 - no 2, L'Antouèno by Joseph Canteloube
Performer:
Anna Moffo (Soprano)
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
American Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1923-1930; France
Date of Recording: 1964
Length: 22 Minutes 50 Secs.
Language: French
20.
Chants d'Auvergne: Volume 2 - no 1, Pastourelle by Joseph Canteloube
Performer:
Anna Moffo (Soprano)
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
American Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1923-1930; France
Date of Recording: 1964
Length: 7 Minutes 6 Secs.
Language: French
21.
Chants d'Auvergne: Volume 1 - no 3a, L'Aïo dé rotso by Joseph Canteloube
Performer:
Anna Moffo (Soprano)
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
American Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1923-1930; France
Date of Recording: 1964
Length: 11 Minutes 36 Secs.
Language: French
22.
Chants d'Auvergne: Volume 1 - no 2, Baïlèro by Joseph Canteloube
Performer:
Anna Moffo (Soprano)
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
American Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1923-1930; France
Date of Recording: 1964
Language: French
23.
Chants d'Auvergne: Volume 3 - no 2, Passo pel prat (grande) by Joseph Canteloube
Performer:
Anna Moffo (Soprano)
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
American Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1923-1930; France
Date of Recording: 1964
Language: French
24.
Chants d'Auvergne: Volume 3 - no 5, Malurous qu'o uno fenno by Joseph Canteloube
Performer:
Anna Moffo (Soprano)
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
American Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1923-1930; France
Date of Recording: 1964
Language: French
25.
Chants d'Auvergne: Volume 3 - no 4, Brezairola by Joseph Canteloube
Performer:
Anna Moffo (Soprano)
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
American Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1923-1930; France
Date of Recording: 1964
Language: French
26.
Bachianas brasileiras no 5 for Soprano and 8 Cellos: Aria "Cantilena" by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Performer:
Anna Moffo (Soprano)
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
American Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1938-1945; Brazil
Date of Recording: 1964
27.
Bachianas brasileiras no 5 for Soprano and 8 Cellos: Martelo by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Performer:
Anna Moffo (Soprano)
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
American Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1938-1945; Brazil
Date of Recording: 1964
28.
Songs (14), Op. 34: no 14, Vocalise by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Anna Moffo (Soprano)
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
American Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1912-1915; Russia
Date of Recording: 1964
29.
Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, Op. 41: Our Father by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
New Symphony Orchestra,
Norman Luboff Choir
Written: 1878
30.
Songs (14), Op. 34: no 14, Vocalise by Sergei Rachmaninov
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
New Symphony Orchestra,
Norman Luboff Choir
Period: Romantic
Written: 1912-1915; Russia
31.
Deep river by Traditional
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
New Symphony Orchestra,
Norman Luboff Choir
Written: USA
32.
Doxology by Traditional
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
New Symphony Orchestra,
Norman Luboff Choir
33.
Die Walküre: Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner
Performer:
Martina Arroyo (Soprano),
Carlotta Ordassy (Soprano),
Doris Yarick (Soprano),
Betty Allen (Mezzo Soprano),
Doris Okerson (Mezzo Soprano),
Regina Sarfaty (Mezzo Soprano),
Shirley Verrett (Mezzo Soprano),
Louise Parker (Alto)
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Symphony of the Air
Period: Romantic
Written: 1856; Germany
34.
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg: Act 3 Prelude by Richard Wagner
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1867; Germany
35.
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg: Entry of the Mastersingers by Richard Wagner
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1867; Germany
36.
Das Rheingold: Entrance of the Gods into Valhalla by Richard Wagner
Performer:
Louise Parker (Alto),
Carlotta Ordassy (Soprano),
Martina Arroyo (Soprano)
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Symphony of the Air
Period: Romantic
Written: 1854; Germany
37.
Die Walküre: Magic Fire Music by Richard Wagner
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1856; Germany
38.
Götterdämmerung: Dawn and Siegfried's Rhine Journey by Richard Wagner
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1874; Germany
39.
Götterdämmerung: Siegfried's Funeral Music by Richard Wagner
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1874; Germany
40.
Rienzi: Overture by Richard Wagner
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1840-1843; Germany
41.
Tristan und Isolde: Prelude and Liebestod by Richard Wagner
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1859; Germany
42.
Götterdämmerung: Immolation [instrumental] by Richard Wagner
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1874; Bayreuth, Germany
43.
Hungarian Rhapsodies (6) for Orchestra, S 359: no 2 in D minor by Franz Liszt
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic
44.
Romanian Rhapsody no 1 in A major, Op. 11 no 1 by George Enescu
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1901; Romania
45.
Má vlast: no 2, Moldau, T 111 by Bedrich Smetana
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1874; Czech Republic
46.
Bartered Bride, B 143/T 93: Overture by Bedrich Smetana
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra
Written: 1866
47.
Tristan und Isolde: Act 3 Prelude by Richard Wagner
Performer:
Henry Schuman (English Horn)
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Symphony of the Air
Period: Romantic
Written: 1859; Germany
48.
Tannhäuser: Overture and Venusberg Music by Richard Wagner
Performer:
Ralph Froelich (French Horn),
Marilyn Wright (Violin),
Arthur Garnick (Viola),
Harvey Shapiro (Cello)
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Symphony of the Air
Period: Romantic
Written: 1845/1861; Germany
49.
Age of Gold, Op. 22 by Dmitri Shostakovich
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1927-1930; USSR
50.
Symphony no 6 in B minor, Op. 54 by Dmitri Shostakovich
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1939; USSR
51.
Water Music, HWV 348-350: Excerpt(s) by George Frideric Handel
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra
Period: Baroque
Written: circa 1715-1717; London, England
52.
Serse, HWV 40: Ombra mai fu "Largo" by George Frideric Handel
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
New Symphony Orchestra,
Norman Luboff Choir
Period: Baroque
Written: 1738; London, England
53.
Music for the Royal Fireworks, HWV 351 by George Frideric Handel
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra
Period: Baroque
Written: 1749; London, England
54.
Hänsel und Gretel: Abendsegen by Engelbert Humperdinck
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
New Symphony Orchestra,
Norman Luboff Choir
Period: Romantic
Written: 1893; Germany
55.
Orfeo ed Euridice: Les Champs-Elysées by Christoph W. Gluck
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
New Symphony Orchestra,
Norman Luboff Choir
Period: Classical
Written: 1762/1774; Vienna, Austria
56.
Symphony no 9 in E minor, Op. 95/B 178 "From the New World" by Antonín Dvorák
Conductor:
Leopold Stokowski
Orchestra/Ensemble:
New Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1893; USA
57.
Symphony no 3 "Simfoniya-Poema" by Aram Khachaturian
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1947; USSR
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review: 
( 5 Customer Reviews )
Mixed Bag, But Occasionally Unbeatable September 11, 2012
By E. Barnes (Dunn Loring, VA) See All My Reviews
"I would take issue with a lot of the things Mr. Hurwitz said in his review, but not with his conclusion: Buy it, it's fascinating stuff. The swipe Hurwitz takes on the Khachaturian Third Symphony ("horrendous") is totally undeserved. It's a piece that compositionally holds together well and is also a ton of fun. (I had the LP back in the day and used it to blow the cobwebs out of my speakers after too much Mozart.) The Eroica Symphony is indeed fine, but the Brahms Fourth is a hodgepodge of ill-considered tempos. The Sixth Symphony is my favorite of Shostakovich's 15, but Stokowski misses the mark -- too perfunctory by half. The Mahler Second lacks the requisite violence when it needs it -- way too polite. But for me the really cool part of the set is Stokowski conducting his arrangements of the music of J.S. Bach. The Partita for Solo Violin is particularly spectacular in vision. But if I had to characterize what the overarching charm of these discs is, it would be Stokowski's unerring sense of aural fineness, a sort of Hollywood quality but in (usually) the best of taste -- Mantovani for the cognoscenti.
Oh, yeah -- get this one."
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Excellent collection September 6, 2012
By Harold C. (Arlington, VA) See All My Reviews
"Although I'm a "fan" of Stokowski from his earlier mono recordings, I feel that this late-career compendium still represents the finest in orchestral performances and is well transferred as well. Fairly priced and highly recommended."
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Staccato Stokowski September 5, 2012
By Mike Cunningham (Durham City, Durham) See All My Reviews
"
I was first exposed to the magic which was Leopold Stokowski when my parents took my two brothers and I to see Disney's Fantasia. Possibly because I was still a young boy, I was entranced by the cartoons, and only grew ever fonder of that fabulous music, and of the way that music was exploited by the famous conductor, as I grew in both stature and knowledge.
The sweep of the recordings, both in terms of time and of the composers, surprised me, as I was expecting less than I actually received, as the boxed set comprises some 14 CDs.
The music, pushed through a fairly decent amplifier and speaker set-up, does not disappoint, as the famous Stokowski treatment shines through with every note played.
Choose any one of these discs, sit back and let the Master weave his magic into the air around you!
Simply Superb!"
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