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The authentic (sic) performing militia hate Stokowski, and that alone is a good enough reason to like him.
His Beethoven is big, bold, dramatic, intense. As my father used to say, Beethoven's Fifth is one of those pieces of music that makes you get out of your chair to conduct the imaginary orchestra behind the wall, and this is even more true with the Stokowski interpretation.
Like many of the greats, he lived a lavish lifestyle hobnobning with the rich and famous; a favourite of Hollywood, he was parodied in the Bugs Bunny episode 'Long-Haired Hare'!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt1V61SPI_w
If you enjoy a big fat cabernet sauvignon, peaty whisky, strong coffee and dark chocolate, then you'll like Stokowski. If not then stay away!
Follow Ups:
Stokowski was a genuine, certified genius who basically invented the modern symphony orchestra during his early years in Philadelphia. He believed in the magical power of music to stir the passions - his was a truly Dionysian approach to music that shocked the desiccated old critics (just as it does today's pedants) but secretly thrilled the otherwise upstanding matrons and patrons at the Academy of Music. To hear Stoky at his most convincing, both musically and emotionally, you really have to go back to the RCA Victor recordings from the late 20s and early 30s with Philly. I could go on for pages about the extraordinary riches to be found there (it didn't hurt that he had some supreme virtuosi in his band during those years.) Because of his great interest in recording technology (unusual among conductors) most of these early recordings hold up amazingly well.
His later recordings are admittedly variable, ranging from inspired to ridiculous, but when he was on his best behavior he had few if any peers. BTW a video available on YouTube showing him rehearsing a mostly student orchestra in the Rachmaninoff Paganini Rhapsody reveals a complete professional whose rehearsal technique is an absolute model of clarity and efficiency. No stupid philosophizing or chit-chat - just great music-making under the control of a perfect ear.
Just my opinion but I'm sticking to it!!!
Edits: 05/22/17 05/22/17
I had the impression it was not, although most of the players were indeed young. I do agree that that uTube video is a model of how to run a really efficient rehearsal So impressive, and, as you say, no monkey business!
It was a professional orchestra with a relatively short season at Carnegie Hall. There are videos of Stokie doing auditions. In addition to the Rachmaninov ASO rehearsal, there are videos of rehearsals of other pieces, perhaps on the same program: Beethoven, Schubert and Barber. Also of a German orchestra in one of his Bach transcriptions.
To further incense the purists, he did a pretty good Beethoven 9 on London....Phase 4...you know, the multimiked one
I used to have this disc, as far as I remember the sound was a bit phasey, but the performance was very good.
But OTOH, it IS Phase-4! ;-)
And Stokowski, too. Took me awhile to get there- I was very influenced in my youth by writers like B.H. Haggin, and Toscanini's pronouncement that Stokowski was a clown. He has become more of a cult figure, and underrated by the general music public, but this was a guy who made quite a large number of world and American premieres of new works, and was still learning new works while in his 80s.
Celibidache once said, "There are three great conductors of the 20th Century: Furtwängler. . . Stokowski. . . and me!"
I once heard St. Hawking assert 2 great physicists in history: "Newton and me".
"That is a great compliment he paid to Eistein," I suggested to my aged pa who almost fell out of the car laughing.
Jeremy
And from a NY Times article in the day:
As for conductors other than himself, Toscanini ''was not a great conductor. He was not a musician.'' Karajan? ''Terrible. Either he's a good businessman or he can't hear.'' Ormandy? ''A mediocrity.''
There's a great video of Celi rehearsing the Berlin PO in the Bruckner 7th. "The Triumphant Return"
Brian - I am quite envious of your beautiful table, "best wishes" as Fear use to say...
Thank you, and yes, I remember Fear!
It tool so long to get all the parts together for that 301 - what a labour of love it was!
Still have a few 301s in storage to be set-up when the time is right - the 301 mounted in ths Slate Deck plinth with the SME 3012 was probably the best sounding turntable I ever had.
I am working on the Technics SL120 now - it is a very underrated deck.
Best regards,
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