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Beethoven Symphony No.7
His Symphony OrchestraSymphony of the AirAll-American Youth OrchestraInternational Festival Youth Orchestra
Code: CACD0551
Dvorak's masterpiece and music by Schubert
His Symphony Orchestra
Code: CACD0550
Stravinsky, Debussy, Enesco and Wagner
His Symphony Orchestra All-American Youth Orchestra
Code: CACD0549
Stokowski conducts hisvirtuosic 1950s New Yorkrecording orchestra incolourful, exotic music.The extra Wagner trackwas recorded binaurally in1941 with astonishing effect.
Bizet & Debussy
Code: CACD0548
Stokowski's 1952 recordings of Bizet's charming Symphony and the colourful L'Arlesienne Suites, and his 1949 recording of Debussy's delightful Children's Corner Suite, are here played with typical Stokowskian elan.
The Heart of the Ballet
Code: CACD0547
These newly re-mastered early 1950s recordings present celebrated ballet highlights, performed in Stokowski's inimitable and colourful style, and played by an orchestra of top-flight New York musicians.
Night on Bare Mountain and other Russian works
Code: CACD0546
Stokowski was in his element in Russian repertoire and these early 1950s recordings, made with his own orchestra of hand-picked New York virtuosi, show him at his colourful best.
Beethoven 6, Three Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies
NBC Symphony Orchestra
Code: CACD0545
Stokowski's 1954 LP of the Sixth Symphony was described as “one of the most beautifully played and superbly recorded Pastoral Symphonies on the market.” The three Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies were hailed for their “immense vitality and dash.”
Swan Lake—Highlights
Code: CACD0543
Stokowski's 1954-55 LPs with the NBC Symphony Orchestra included the generous selection from Swan Lake here here, hailed as a “truly fine reading” with “bright, warm, and well-engineered sound.”
Percy Grainger Favourites
Code: CACD0542
These wide-ranging 1947-53 performances include the first CD release of the original complete set of Grainger/Stokowski recordings (1950), for which Grainger had specially orchestrated his most popular titles at Stokowski's request.
Sibelius 1 and 2
His Symphony Orchestra, NBC Symphony Orchestra
Code: CACD0541
Stokowski championed Sibelius's music over six decades. This 1950 recording of the First Symphony was hailed as “superman music... the utterance of Nordic heroes,” whilst his 1954 recording of the Second was described as “musical fire-and-ice of the very first order.”
Samson and Delilah—Highlights
NBC Symphony Orchestra, His Symphony Orchestra
Code: CACD0540
These spectacular 1950s recordings feature four great stars of the New York Metropolitan Opera. Stokowski's conducting was praised for its “astounding virtuosity” in Samson and Delilah and as “characteristically sensuous” in the Tchaikovsky aria.
Vaughan Williams 9, Hovhaness Mysterious Mountain
Code: CACD0539
This public concert included the US Premiere of Vaughan Williams's last symphony. Percy Grainger wrote of Stokowski's performance: “the exquisite beauty and cosmic quality of this immortal work struck me as being ideally realised.”
The Four Seasons, Messiah (Phase 4 Stereo)
New Philharmonia Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
Code: CACD0538
Hugh Bean violin Sheila Armstrong soprano Norma Proctor contralto Kenneth Bowen tenor John Cameron bass 2 CDs for the price of 1 These sumptuous 1966 'Phase 4 Stereo' recordings are here newly re-mastered. Records and Recording described the Messiah highlights as “perfectly straightforward, beautifully sung and played,” while The Four Seasons was hailed by Gramophone as “a dramatic performance of magnificently rich quality.”
The 1947-9 Columbia Recordings, Volume 3
New York Philharmonic
Code: CACD0537
The Vaughan Williams and Tchaikovsky recordings are newly re-mastered from original lacquer sources. The remaining works derive from live broadcasts, with Scott's From the Sacred Harp taken from a rare 'V-Disc' issued to US forces overseas in 1949.
Scheherazade, Marche Slave (Phase 4 Stereo)
London Symphony Orchestra
Code: CACD0536
This 1964 recording of Scheherazade - Stokowski's first in 'Phase 4 Stereo' - is newly re-mastered at 24 bit / 96kHz, while Marche Slave, an encore at his 90th Birthday Concert in 1972, now makes its CD debut. To conclude, we hear the Maestro rehearsing the LSO during the Scheherazade sessions.
Boris Godunov, Parsifal—Highlights
San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, His Symphony Orchestra
Code: CACD0535
The Cala Records Stokowski Series introduces the Maestro as an operatic conductor with his 1952 recordings of highlights from Boris Godunov and Parsifal. The bass Nicola Rossi-Lemeni was described at the time as “the greatest Boris since Chaliapin.”
The 1947-9 Columbia Recordings, Volume 2
Code: CACD0534
These dramatic and colourful recordings were made when Stokowski was a Guest Conductor with the New York Philharmonic. The original lacquer sources used for this CD reveal a wider dynamic range than was evident on the commercially issued LPs and 78s.
The 1947-9 Columbia Recordings, Volume 1
Code: CACD0533
Schumann 2, Haydn 53
Code: CACD0532
This “Austro-German” programme includes Stokowski's only recordings of any of Haydn's or Schumann's symphonies. The 1950 perfomance of Schumann's Symphony No. 2 heard here was described by Fanfare critic Mortimer Frank as “one of the great recordings of the score... one that does composer and conductor proud.”
Brahms 2, Mendelssohn 4 (Stereo)
National Philharmonic Orchestra
Code: CACD0531
These Columbia Masterworks stereo recordings were made in 1977, just a few months before Stokowski's death at the age of 95. Reviewing the original LPs, Edward Greenfield wrote in Gramophone that the Italian Symphony was given "an exhilarating performance," whilst Mortimer Frank in Fanfare declared that “this is a great Brahms Second, one of the best in the catalogue.”
Aurora's Wedding and Encores (Stereo)
Code: CACD0529
These colourful and dramatic Columbia Masterworks stereo recordings date from 1976, when Leopold Stokowski was 94. The original LP of Aurora's Wedding was hailed by Ivan March in Gramophone for its “vitality and splendidly lively playing.“ The Encores LP was also described by the same critic as “exciting and gripping... a very entertaining concert, offering music-making of outstanding personality.“
Vaughan Williams 4, Antheil 4
Code: CACD0528
Stokowski performed each of the three works on this CD only once in his career - for the 1943-44 live broadcasts from which these recordings are taken. Some sonic imperfections could not be fully corrected, but Stokowski's unique interpretations are significant for their musical and historic interest.
his Bach Transcriptions
All-American Youth Orchestra
Code: CACD0527
Stokowski's 1940-41 Bach recordings with the All-American Youth Orchestra (the players' ages ranged from 14-25) appear on CD in the first complete world-wide release of these 78s in any format.
The Planets, Afternoon of a Faun
Code: CACD0526
These remarkable performances were broadcast in 1943 and 1944 when Stokowski was co-conductor of the NBC Symphony with Toscanini. Some imperfections on the original acetate discs could not be fully corrected; however, the unique musical interest outweighs any technical limitations.
A French Concert (Phase 4 Stereo)
Hilversum Radio Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra
Code: CACD0525
These colourful recordings were originally made in sumptuous Phase 4 Stereo in 1970 and 1972. They show Stokowski to have been as much a master of the French repertoire as of the Slavic music for which he was justly famous.
Elgar Enigma, Brahms 1 (Phase 4 Stereo)
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra
Code: CACD0524
This CD features two 1972 “live” recordings in sumptuous Phase 4 Stereo. Unusually, Stokowski's only recording of any of Elgar's music is performed by a non-British orchestra. The Brahms comes from an Anniversary Concert celebrating Stokowski's 60-year association with the LSO as well as his own 90th birthday.
Mozart Sinfonia Concertante, Beethoven 6
Philadelphia Orchestra, New York City Symphony Orchestra
Code: CACD0523
This CD features the first American recording, made in 1940, of Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante, and was Stokowski's only electrical Philadelphia recording of any of Mozart's music. The Beethoven Pastoral dates from 1945 and here receives its first-ever worldwide release. Transfers by Mark Obert-Thorn.
Sleeping Beauty—Highlights
Code: CACD0522
The recordings on this CD were made in December 1947 and derive from vinyl 78rpm pressings. Noise reduction techniques have not proved necessary due to to the generally excellent quality of the available source material
A Russian Concert
Philadelphia Orchestra
Code: CACD0521
The 78rpm recordings on this CD were made in 1934, apart from the Glazunov, which was made in 1927. The present transfers, by Mark Obert-Thorn, derive from original mint shellacs. Undubbed 'First Edition' pressings were used for Danse Orientale and the final side of Scheherazade. The minimum of noise reduction techniques have been appliied so as not to affect the musical performances.
Schubert 8, Wagner, Brahms
All-American Youth Orchestra, Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra
Code: CACD0520
The recordings on this disc were made in 1941, 1945 and 1946. The present transfers, by Mark Obert-Thorn, derive from mint shellacs, vinyl pressings and 33.1/3rpm lacquers which feature a wider dynamic range and lesser surface noise than is evident on the original 78rpm discs.
Tchaikovsky 6, Strauss Death and Transfiguration
Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra, New York City Symphony Orchestra
Code: CACD0506
The recordings on this disc were made in 1944 and 1945. On these transfers from previously released 78rpm records, Cala has sought to capture the essence and energy of the artists' performances while lessening the effects of the surface noise inherent in the earlier technology.
Russian Masterworks
Code: CACD0505
The recordings on this disc were made in 1941 and 1942. On these transfers from previously released 78rpm records, Cala has sought to capture the essence and energy of the artists' performances while lessening the effects of the surface noise inherent in the earlier technology.
First Releases
Philadelphia Orchestra, NBC Symphony Orchestra, New York City Symphony Orchestra
Code: CACD0502
The recordings on this disc were made in 1927 and 1944. On these transfers from previously unreleased 78rpm records, Cala has sought to capture the essence and energy of the artists' performances while lessening the effects of the surface noise inherent in the earlier technology.
Philadelphia Rarities
Code: CACD0501
The recordings on this disc were made in 1929 and 1940. On these transfers from 78rpm sources, Cala has endeavoured to capture the essence and energy of the artists' performances while lessening the effects of the surface noise inherent in the early shellac pressings.