steviefromalaska
10-21-2016, 10:48 PM
Leopold Stokowski recorded Igor Stravinsky’s 1919 The Firebird “Concert Suite” eight times, more than any other conductor, with the Philadelphia Orchestra 3 times (acoustically) in 1924, and again (electrically) in 1927 and 1935 (all for RCA); with the All-American Youth Orchestra in 1941 (for Columbia) and the NBC Symphony Orchestra in 1942; with his own Symphony Orchestra in 1950 (both for RCA); and in two stereo recordings, with the Berlin Philharmonic in 1957 (for Capitol/EMI), and finally, at the age of 85, with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1967 (for Decca Phase 4). It is the 1967 Phase 4 recording that is the crown jewel of this download, newly remastered from a DSD archived multi track reel tape. Stokowski pulled out all the stops in this valedictory performance and the Phase 4 recording team, probably astonished at the virtuoso playing and sound Stokowski was getting from the London Symphony, matched the conductor’s brilliance all the way with some of the best engineering in the Phase 4 series. Also included as an encore is Stokowski’s Phase 4 performance of his lovely arrangement of Stravinsky’s Pastorale.
Leopold Stokowski programmed Alexander Scriabin’s "Le Poeme de L'extase", Op. 54 many times in concert during his long career and recorded the work three times, with the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1932 (for RCA), in 1959 with the Houston Symphony (for Everest) and finally in 1972 with the Czech Philharmonic for Decca Phase 4, recorded on the fly during rehearsals the day of a live concert performance (available on a BBC Legends CD). The Phase 4 recording is presented here in a new remastering, also DSD archived from an excellent reel tape source.
Stokowski recorded French composer Oliver Messiaen’s L'ascension "4 meditations for orchestra" twice, first in monaural for CBS in 1949 and in Phase 4 stereo for Decca in 1970, included in this download remixed & remastered from a DSD archived reel tape source.
This compilation is one of my “desert island” discs (although self created) of 20th Century Classical works. Although the up front, in your face Phase 4 sound is not everyone’s cup of tea sonically, I happen to love it. This program sounds especially great through headphones, in addition to stereo speakers. I hope you like it. The performances are typical (translate that to spectacular) examples of the art of Leopold Stokowski.
STOKOWSKI conducts Stravinsky, Scriabin & Messiaen PHASE 4
THIS FILE IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD
Leopold Stokowski programmed Alexander Scriabin’s "Le Poeme de L'extase", Op. 54 many times in concert during his long career and recorded the work three times, with the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1932 (for RCA), in 1959 with the Houston Symphony (for Everest) and finally in 1972 with the Czech Philharmonic for Decca Phase 4, recorded on the fly during rehearsals the day of a live concert performance (available on a BBC Legends CD). The Phase 4 recording is presented here in a new remastering, also DSD archived from an excellent reel tape source.
Stokowski recorded French composer Oliver Messiaen’s L'ascension "4 meditations for orchestra" twice, first in monaural for CBS in 1949 and in Phase 4 stereo for Decca in 1970, included in this download remixed & remastered from a DSD archived reel tape source.
This compilation is one of my “desert island” discs (although self created) of 20th Century Classical works. Although the up front, in your face Phase 4 sound is not everyone’s cup of tea sonically, I happen to love it. This program sounds especially great through headphones, in addition to stereo speakers. I hope you like it. The performances are typical (translate that to spectacular) examples of the art of Leopold Stokowski.
STOKOWSKI conducts Stravinsky, Scriabin & Messiaen PHASE 4
THIS FILE IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD