Search - Beethoven, Stokowski :: Beethoven's Ninth

Never Again!

Warren R. Davis | Haddonfield, NJ USA | 09/18/2001

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I am a longtime devotee of Beethoven, having collected dozens of recordings of the Ninth Symphony in all formats over the last 34 years. I even have the Stokowski version of the 9th with the London Symphony from Decca in 4-Phase stereo from the sixties, which is arguably worthy of a star or two.

But the Stokowsi recording with the Philadelphia Orch. from April 30, 1934 is worthy only of condemnation. This recording is nothing short of blasphemous. On technical terms alone, this is an interpretation that ranks with Stokowski's most ego-centric ever, all the worse for it. There is nothing at all to commend the (to be nice) "quirky" twists and turns of the baton. If anyone else were so curious as I was to buy this, you might also wonder at the failure of all reason behind these strange phrasings.

To be sure, still from a technical perspective, there is no help at all from the horrible ineptitude of the Philadelphia players. I have lived in Philadelphia for over 30 years, and while the orchestra is occasionally overrated, it has long been one of the finest. But it has never resembled this collection of what can only be supposed are malcontents of a long gone era - at least for this concert. From players who were certainly intimately familiar with the symphony, and who played so sublimely -- even under Stokowski's baton -- when Sergei Rachmaninoff recorded his second piano concerto here a few years before, the technical deficiencies in this performance of the Ninth are beyond description. One actually must hear this to believe it (and that is the only reason this CD "earns" a star). The playing is at times worse than the most amateur ensemble in the remotest region of the civilized world, and always of remarkably inferior quality. One can only imagine that this orchestra wanted no part of this event and hoped to disguise their participation. Because it only got worse in the final movement, when the chorus sang the famous "Ode to Joy" in English.

One must hope that the musicians were not serious on that day. But one must still wonder who would take it so seriously to re-release the recording, especially to CD format."

Stokowski works his magic even 70 years after the fact.

Kimba W. Lion | the East Coast | 05/25/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When artists of the calibre of Stokowski and the Philadelphia can evoke such strong emotions as those displayed by the previous reviewer, you know something has to be going on that is worth a listen.



This is a 1934 recording. It's not going to be anyone's choice for an "only" Beethoven Ninth. So its reason for existing these days is to shed some new light on the music, to make you see it in a different way. Even if the emotion it evokes is hatred, at least you come away with a greater appreciation for whatever your favorite performance is, and a greater knowledge of what's in the music. Stokowski was the greatest conductor ever to record for one simple reason: his mission was always to communicate. Even if he shocked you, even if your jaw dropped in amazement, you came away knowing that you experienced something unique.



Using an English translation of the Ode To Joy was one way he sought to make this music more communicative. Unfortunately, I don't find this recording very intelligible, so save for an occasional word, it may as well have been in German.



Word on the street is that this release is copied from the Music and Arts release of the same music, and it may sound better on the original release."