Mussorgsky-Stokowski 'Pictures at an Exhibition' - UK Premiere - Proms 1963

Leopold Stokowski was the first major foreign conductor to appear at the London 'Proms' concerts following a decision to make them more 'international.' Hitherto they had been mainly conducted by such British musicians as Sir Henry Wood and his successor Sir Malcolm Sargent but from 1963 onwards more and more non-British conductors have taken part.
For his Proms debut at the Royal Albert Hall, with the BBCSO on 23 July 1963, Stokowski was asked to conclude the concert with his own orchestration of Mussorgsky's 'Pictures at an Exhibition' in its UK Premiere. The programme also included Britten's 'Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell' and Beethoven's 7th Symphony, both of which have been released on CD.
Stokowski's version of 'Pictures at an Exhibition' omits the two French locations ('Limoges' and 'Tuileries') as he felt the work as whole should be as 'Slavic' as possible. The sequence is as follows:
Promenade 00:00
Gnomus 01:48
Promenade 03:57
The Old Castle 05:07
Bydlo (A Polish Ox Wagon) 08:22
Promenade 10:10
Ballet of Unhatched Chickens 11:00
Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle 12:12
Catacombs 14:40
The Hut on Fowl's Legs (Baba-Yaga) 18:16
The Great Gate of Kiev 20:52
The stereo recording of the broadcast comes from a 'Music and Arts' release (CD-765) to whom all due acknowledgements are made.

[@christopherjohn1852]

It is a totally wonderful arrangement and it is therefore a huge shame that less than 10k have watched your video. One small point ref, your "foreign conductor at The Proms" - Maestro Stokowski was born and bred in the UK, (Irish mother and Polish father). There is another video of this arrangement on KZbin well worth watching... The National Youth Orchestra of Spain playing their young hearts out ..... in OF ALL PLACES - an English cathedral. BRAVO! BRAVISSIMO !!!

[@adam28xx]

I'm glad you like it! ... As to Stokowski, I knew of course that he was born in London but he moved to the USA in 1905 and became an American citizen in 1915. It was in the States that he made his career and since he held a US passport when he made his Proms debut, the first American conductor there to do so, I think the appellation is probably appropriate.

[@dvabrannon]

I grew up loving the Phase 4 recordings of this orchestration! What a special treat to hear a live concert of it!! Thanks so much, adam28xx !!

[@tedknowlegy]

I first heard "pictures" by ELP in the early 1970s. It captured my heart and I found every version I could...Gary Grafman on piano, Isao Tomita on synthesizers, Ravel's symphonic version, a classical guitar version, etc., etc. This composition is my all-time favorite!

[@williamrobinson6059]

I didn’t know the cows were racing.

[@ethosafk]

Excellent, thank you!

[@antiloo]

Thank you

[@Dholmes1022]

Pictures is perhaps my favorite classical piece, and trust me, I love alot of pieces. I do like Ravel's orchestration, but I think Stakowski's arrangement is my favorite of them. Also Andres Segovia's classical guitar version of The Old Castle is really haunting and I suggest checking it out.

[@principalflutist]

The best version of this composition is Vladimir Ashkenazi's arrangement with the Philharmonia Orchestra, where he incorporates bells and very loud percussion in the Great Gate of Kiev. I can't find this recording to this day. You should hear it.

[@coopaloopmex]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGPSp4WGhJyGl5o

[@Tsobanian]

Very nice!! Adam, I was wondering if you have Vladimir Ashkenazy's Pictures when he made his Proms Premiere on 31/7/1989? He conducted the Royal PO. Unless of course it wasn't broadcast.

[@coopaloopmex]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGPSp4WGhJyGl5o

[@flixization]

There sure were a lot of people with bad coughs attending this performance. Thanks nevertheless for the upload. Recordings of this orchestration are all-too-rare.

[@calatria2949]

Always interesting to hear different versions of Pictures. I liked certain touches like the muted trumpets in tulleries and the snarls in baba yaga. Think Ravels is way superior in the great gate, the trombone triplets near the end almost tipped into carnival atmosphere for me.

[@WillCMay]

calatria2949 This is better than Ravel's, but the conductor took it much too fast. There's a better recording from Telark and the Cincinati Pops Orchestra.

[@Tsobanian]

when I wrote broadcast, I meant televised indeed. It's pity that it was not. It should have, as Ashkenazy's version is stellar. Nevermind... I was wondering if you could post more Henry Wood orchestrations from various televised proms concerts?

[@remonholubek8123]

I prefere this version over the version of Ravel. No offense to the very great Ravel afcourse, but this version sounds more russian/mussorsky to me.

[@gregmonks9708]

Never could stand Ravel's orchestrations. He was too much of a lightweight.

[@RewindTour2011]

Watched the entire thing. I am 16. :)

[@RewindTour2011]

I really did. It was wonderful :)