A Stokowski Retrospective (3)

[@bbailey7818]

I think the earliest Firebird, maybe the earliest ever recorded Stravinsky, was made by Beecham in 1916. And that was about the sum total of his Stravinsky. Stoky went on to record Firebird around six times over the decades.

[@AlexMadorsky]

I think Stoki recorded music from the Washington Administration all the way up to Nixon.

[@bigg2988]

He surely got up to the Ford Administration, ought to check the election dates to see if he even reached Carter Presidency (who, in his turn, is still with us!). The man kept conducting all the way, as long he was breathing. As for the beginning of Stoki's career, I'll trust your sources. ;D

[@leslieepstein4700]

​@@bigg2988 Stokowski first conducted in 1908, which would make it the Teddy Roosevelt administration, only a mere century and a few years after the Washington administration. He last conducted in the U. S. in 1972, when he was 90 Nixon was President. He continued conducting in Europe until his death five years later, during the Carter administration. It is said at the time of his death he was studying the Rachmaninoff third symphony for an upcoming recording. Being a big fan of his I was privileged to have seen him conduct numerous concerts in his last decade in the U. S., most with the American Symphony, but a few with such other orchestras as the Philadelphia (a Mahler Second), the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and the NY Philharmonic. On a few occasions I went backstage after a performance. He was quite a character, but very friendly, not aloof at all. I have a chapter on him in my book "Reflections from the Audience."

[@Gjoa1906]

I’ll try and find these as I’m curious to hear recordings of that time - once again, thanks for insight.

[@waynesmith3767]

Frequently tasteless or vulgar,often erratic and sometimes just bizarre, Stokowski was a genuine great figure whose like we will never see.