Leopold Stokowski! (Random Reviews from the Overflow Room)

There the Stokowski recordings on the Cala label, including material licensed from Decca Phase 4, Sony, and a variety of historical sources. A nifty little catalog, with some genuine rarities.

[@HassoBenSoba]

Stoki's performance of the Antheil 4th Symphony was the world premiere, and Antheil recounts in his autobiography the big night when everyone gathered around the radio to hear it. It's an insane, slap-dash performance that ends very abruptly (for those who know the work). Antheil subsequently lengthened the ending, tossing in lots more oom-pah marching, etc. for a big, triumphant finish. The audience clearly enjoyed the work on this broadcast, as it perfectly captured the spirit of war-time America. LR

[@AlexMadorsky]

I’m going to have to watch this video again with a pen and notepad in tow. The list of items Stoki premiered (either US or World) by other composers and reorchestrated is truly astounding, and one day I hope to listen to much more of it. Thank you Uncle Davey!

[@jdistler2]

So nice to see all of those Stokowski Cala CDs, even though there was no rhyme nor reason nor systematic approach to their reissue agenda. I should mention that Andrew Rose and Pristine Classical offer downloads for sale of many Stoki NBC Symphony Orchestra broadcasts, a few of which appeared on Cala.

[@jimcrawford5039]

I have his Cala Scheherazade which is awesome ( had the original Phase 4 vinyl) the Four Seasons, which is enlightening! I always found him very idiosyncratic, including his “Foreign” accent, when he was born in London! He once asked a cab driver in London “What is that”, the driver replied, That is Big Ben and the Parliament!

[@christopherczajasager9030]

Delightful sum up! I remember his orchestration of the Scriabine etude, the Mendelssohn Symphony...and Tschaikowsky 4th...on LP's.

[@murraylow4523]

Listening to Stokowski is one of the big blanks in my experience, so I’m enjoying these! What a range of things he did and how adventurous in repertoire. I realise many will prefer other streaming services to Spotify but a quick check on there reveals quite a huge number of recordings, including some of those you just talked about.

[@richfarmer3478]

I had that Phase Four Enigma Variations on LP, but then it was coupled with Elgar's Serenade for Strings and the Elegie.

[@fredericmorris2931]

Please: If I could choose only one recording by Leopold Stokowski . . .