Search - Leopold Stokowski :: Conducts Music for Strings

Sumptuous Stokowski

Jeffrey Lipscomb | Sacramento, CA United States | 04/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD would make a great gift for your friends who aren't "tuned in" to classical music. A couple years ago, I played this for a husband & wife who sadly fit that description. About half way through track 2 (Stokowski's incredibly rich transcription of the aria from Bach's Suite No. 3), the husband remarked "Gee, this is really gorgeous music!" I couldn't help wondering: would the same response have been elicited by a "historically informed" period instrument performance? I doubt it. Stokowski was a rare genius at projecting the lyrical beauty of just about everything he ever played. Later on, the wife exclaimed "What delightful dinner music!" That was prompted by the Boccherini Menuet, which was also used so effectively in Stanley Kubrick's visually-stunning film "Barry Lyndon." I decided to give the CD to my friends and buy another copy when, after hearing Berger's utterly delightful Rondo Giocoso, they asked "Could we hear that again?"



If you are interested in surveying more of Stokowski's magnificent recorded legacy, go to Google and type in "complete Stokowski compact discography." That will get you to Stoky expert Robert Stumpf's engagingly frank and down to earth appraisals.



A treasurable disc to share with your friends."

Most Beautiful Sound on a String Orchestra

Oziel Garza Ornelas | monterrey, mexico | 10/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Music is always interesting in how it can be interpreted and such. Then there is the one person, who forgoes 'correctness' and goes for something greater, more powerful and simply beautiful. The famed, well known, most interpreted and re-interpreted Aria for the G String in this recording is simply Art and Beauty combined in their most sublime forms. I am not sure which caused which, I might add. Bach purists will probably frown on this, but the musicality is magnificent. The sound is the most beautiful sound on a string orchestra I have ever heard, and the togetherness of intention, delivery, intensity of Stokowski's musicians is simply well beyond compare. There are other versions of Stokowski and this Aria, but here, is where he finally took it beyond the deep into the magnificently profound. Ever so heartfelt, if you listen to it, you will know what I mean. The whole CD is worth it, but the Aria... is overwhelmingly beautiful and every one anywhere should experience it at least once in their life time. That much beauty, will then make you see, how once is just simply not enough.



Oziel Garza-Ornelas"