Search - Stokowski :: Collection 1

Baroque treasures

Brian H. Williams | Manteca, CA United States | 06/04/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Stokowski, usually known for conducting composers of the romantic era, here in a rare event, conducts music before 1800. At first you may seem hesitant to purchase it since Stokowski is not associated with the Baroque era, other than his own transcriptions of Bach's organ works. Here, the listener will be pleased in the fact the Stokowski arranged only one work, and stayed faithful to the original scorings. The recorded sound is splendid, and this disc gives the listener a rare chance to hear Stokowski conduct Mozart. An important composer that Stokowski conducted relatively infrequently. If you want baroque performed by one of the great conductors of this century, this is the one you want!"

A young 85, Stokowski leads a marvelous Mozart Serenade #10

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 01/16/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD combines two LPs from 1966-67 when Stokowski was in his mid-eighties. The first half consists of Baroque works, politely performed, by Vivalid, Corelli, and Bach. A New York pickup group labeled "His Symphony Orchestra" performs well, but without much panache.



The reason to seek out this CD is the second half, the Mozart "Gran Partita" Serenade, probably the greatest work for wind instruments ever written. The players here are the wind section from the American Symphony, which Stokowski then headed. They are not glorious musicians but certainly quite good. Later in life Stokowski the showman displayed a great deal of finesse, as he does here. Klemperer came out with a clasic recording of this serenade at about this time, but where he is rugged and dramatic, Stokowski is light and mellifluous. By a young man's standards I suppose this is "autumnal" music-making, but I find it very endearing. Five stars for a long-time favorite."