{"product_id":"stokowski-prokofiev-symphonies-5-and-6-194958-pasc161","title":"STOKOWSKI Prokofiev: Symphonies 5 and 6 (1949\/58) - PASC161","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003ePROKOFIEV \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphony No. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e5\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003ePROKOFIEV \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphony No. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e6\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded 1958 \u0026amp; 1949\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 78:51 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eUSSR Radio Symphony Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eNew York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econducted by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLeopold Stokowski\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fStokowski’s performance captures that anguish better than any modern recording I know578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eHere are two fascinating Stokowski rarities, two\ngreat 20th-century symphonies that were exactly his kind of music, and\nof which he made no other recordings. His 1958 Prokofiev Fifth with the\nUSSR Radio Symphony sounds so like Rodziński’s 1946 Columbia recording\nwith the New York Philharmonic that for almost two minutes I could not\nbelieve it was anything else. Finally a few clipped phrases and some\nRussian brass convinced me otherwise. I say this as a compliment;\nRodziński’s was the finest early recording, a performance superior to\nKoussevitzky’s better-known version and to many that followed it. This\nRussian recording better captures the low brass, in particular a\nsuperbly played tuba, and has a stronger top end than the Columbia. I\nnever heard the original Melodiya LP from which it was transferred;\nlocally available LPs on the Bruno and MK labels were too dreadful to\ncontemplate, the former murky, the latter as grainy and noisy as poor 78\nshellac. This transfer is entirely successful, making what was\nobviously a so-so monaural recording eminently listenable. The digital\nera finally delivered two stunning Prokofiev Fifths: the Decca recording\nby Ashkenazy and the Concertgebouw, and—even better—DG’s Chicago\nSymphony under Levine. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe 20th century saw a number of cases where a\npremiere performance nailed a work to an extent that might never be\nmatched; the 1939 Székely\/Mengelberg Bartók Violin Concerto comes to\nmind. Who wouldn’t like to hear Monteux’s 1913 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eLe sacre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e,\nor any of Mahler’s own premieres of his symphonies? The enormous effort\nrequired to learn, prepare, and play a new work often leads to sincere,\ndevoted, intense performances. Stokowski’s Prokofiev Sixth was such an\noccasion; he gave the first U.S. performance of the Sixth two weeks\nprior to this, its radio premiere. The 1945 symphony was expected to\ncelebrate Russia’s victory in World War II, but its dissonance and\nemotional anguish led to its banishment from the Soviet Union for the\ncomposer’s lifetime, and for Stalin’s—they died on the same day.\nProkofiev is reported to have said of his symphony, “Now we are\nrejoicing in our great victory, but each of us has wounds that cannot be\nhealed” (from Philip Ramey’s notes to a 1982 New York Philharmonic\nissue of this performance). Stokowski’s performance captures that\nanguish better than any modern recording I know. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe qualifier is because another premiere, the\nfirst commercial recording, made by Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia\nOrchestra just six weeks later, nearly equals Stokowski in potency and\nsurpasses it in execution—this live performance suffers from a couple of\nexposed horn clams. Although I do not have it on hand, I remember\nOrmandy’s stereo remake to have had a lesser impact. The differences\nbetween the pair of early performances are those one would expect from\nthe two orchestras in that era: The Philadelphia strings are smooth,\nlush, and deep, at the expense of its fine winds; New York’s thinner,\nharsher strings not only let its distinctive winds come through but seem\nmore suitable for this austere music. Ormandy’s slow Largo lacks the\nbite Stokowski achieves at quicker pace. Any preference between these\ntwo superb performances must be a personal one, but the Omandy has never\nappeared on CD, to my knowledge. The Stokowski has been available only\non a rare two-LP set, a 1982 promotional issue by the New York\nPhilharmonic. Pristine’s transfer was made directly from privately held\nacetates; as fine as Steven Smolian’s transfers for the LPs were,\nadvances in technology and Andrew Rose’s skill have opened up the top\nend without increasing the noise, producing a more vital sound that\nenlivens the whole symphony. Its apparently greater harshness is merely\ncapturing the essence of the performance and of the music. Neeme Järvi\non Chandos and Theodore Kuchar on Naxos—both gloriously recorded—are my\npreferred modern recordings of the Sixth. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThis is another necessary historical issue for which we must thank Andrew Rose’s taste and judgment as well as his skill. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eJames H. North \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 33:6 (July\/Aug 2010) of Fanfare Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC161.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 24px;\"\u003eTwo rare and electrifying performances from Stokowski\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"bodybig\" align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cem class=\"bodymid\"\u003e \u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eAmong the finest Prokofiev performances ever recorded\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\" align=\"left\"\u003eThese rare recordings came up for review as part of a look at the world of \"Private CDs\" by Robert Stumpf II at Classical Net Review a few years ago, and in reading them one is immediately struck by his enthusiasm for both recordings:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e...but the whole thing is worth it just\nfor the Prokofieff. This was recorded whilst the Maestro was on tour in\nthe USSR and is one of the most intense recordings ever. It is my\nfavorite and I am glad to have it on CD...\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e (On the 5th Symphony)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e...Again, the Prokofieff makes this a\nmust have disc. Taken from the LP issued several years ago by the NYPO\nthis is the finest performance there is. The orchestra is inspired and\nthe sound is excellent...\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e (On the 6th Symphony)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\" align=\"left\"\u003eWhilst I would dispute the sound quality of\nthe 6th Symphony, at least in its original incarnation (we were sent\n1\/4\" tape transcriptions of the acetates from the archives of the\nStokowski Society which are surely as good as anyone else is likely to\nget), it's certainly hard to argue against the general thrust of\nStumpf's enthusiasm for both of these, and it's a mystery as to why\nStokowski did not programme them more often.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\" align=\"left\"\u003eAs the Society's Edward Johnson pointed out to me in his letter accompanying the masters, \"\u003cem\u003eStokowski\ngave the US Première of the Prokofiev 6th in 1949, and conducted it\nfour time altogether - on 24, 25 and 26 November and again of 4\nDecember. This last performance was broadcast \u003c\/em\u003e[the recording now issued]\u003cem\u003e.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eIt\nwas also the last time he conducted it! He only conducted No. 5 again\none more time - in 1967 with the American Symphony Orchestra.\u003c\/em\u003e\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\" align=\"left\"\u003eMr. Johnson also enclosed notes by Stokowski on the 6th Symphony, written for the Philharmonic program:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodybigblue\" style=\"margin-left: 25px;\" align=\"left\"\u003eProkofiev's SIXTH SYMPHONY is a\nnatural development of his immense musical gifts. It is in three parts -\nthe first moderately quick, the second slow, the third very animated.\nThe first part has two themes - the first in a rather fast dance rhythm,\nthe second a slower song-like melody, a little modal in character,\nrecalling the old Russian and Byzantine scales. Later this music becomes\ngradually more animated as the themes are developed, and after the\nclimax of this development there is a slower transition to the second\npart. I think this second part will need several hearings to be fully\nunderstood. The harmonies and texture of the music are extremely\ncomplex. Later there is a theme for horns which is simpler and sounds\nlike voices singing. This leads to a warm \u003cem\u003ecantilena\u003c\/em\u003e of the\nviolins and a slower transition to the third part, which is rhythmic and\nfull of humor, verging on the satyrical. The rhythms are clear-cut, and\nwhile the thematic lines are simple, they are accompanied by most\noriginal harmonic sequences, alert and rapid. Near the end a remembrance\nsounds like an echo of the pensive melancholy of the first part of the\nsymphony, followed by a rushing tumultuous end.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"bodybigblue\" style=\"margin-left: 25px;\" align=\"left\"\u003eI knew Prokofiev well in Paris and\nin Russia, and feel that this symphony is an eloquent expression of the\nfull range of his personality. It is a creation of a master-artist\nserene in the use and control of his medium.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\" align=\"left\"\u003e From a technical perspective both\nrecordings have responded very well to XR remastering and restoration.\nThe 1958 Russian 'studio' recording is clearly more advanced than the\nearlier radio broadcast, captured original on disc rather than tape and\ntaken from the radio feed (we've retained a very brief introduction and\npay-off from the announcer). Saying that, the older recording has\ncleaned up remarkably well, and one quickly adapts to the slightly\nreduced sonic resolution presented here. There were a couple of very\nshort drop-outs during the second movement of the 6th which have been\npatched using surrounding material, and I've been able to tackle a good\nbit of the typical higher-frequency surface noise found on acetate disc\nrecordings of this era to the extent that it's rarely apparent to any\nnoticeable degree.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\" align=\"left\"\u003eWhat was most unusual was the clear use of\nsome kind of primitive artificial reverberation at the end of the 5th\nSymphony recording, heard during the decay of the final chord, which was\nitself 'chopped' off early. I've removed this and attempted to\nsynthesize something a little more credible with what was left - it's\ncertainly a lot less of a jolt than the original!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\" align=\"left\"\u003eOverall this recording presents two rare\nrecordings by Stokowski that have the added benefits of being both in\nexcellent sonic order, and of the very highest performance standards!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\" style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003ePROKOFIEV \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\" style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eSymphony No. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e5 in B flat, Op. 100\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUSSR Radio Symphony Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e conducted by Leopold Stokowski \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003eTchaikovsky Hall, Moscow, 15th June 1958, issused as Melodya MK 1551\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarialblue\" style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded\nby Melodya during Stokowski's 1958 Russian tour, early summer, 1958,\nthis was his only recording for the label and his only studio recording\nof any symphony by Prokofiev. Following this tour he was to conduct this\nsymphony one more time only, in a 1967 concert with the American\nSymphony Orchestra.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e Transfer of original LP disc from the collection of Edward Johnson.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\" style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003ePROKOFIEV \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\" style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eSymphony No. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e6 in E flat minor, Op. 111\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNew York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e conducted by Leopold Stokowski \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003eCarnegie Hall, New York, 4th December, 1949\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarialblue\" style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eFirst\nUS broadcast of this work, its fourth performance in the US - Stokowski\nhad conducted its US première on 24th November 1949, and programmed it\nagain on 25th and 26th November. There are no other recordings of\nStokowski conducting this piece - this was his final performance of it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e Reel-to-reel tape copy of original acetates from the collection of Edward Johnson, transfer by Andrew Rose\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003eXR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, May 2009\u003cbr\u003e Cover artwork based on a photograph of Leopold Stokowski\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Total duration: 78:51 \u003cbr\u003e ©2009 Pristine Audio.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PASC161.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC161.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Mono 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":54932176568659,"sku":"tnb1789301071925","price":14.85,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":54932176601427,"sku":"qya1789301071926","price":9.57,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":54932176634195,"sku":"rrj1789301071927","price":8.8,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":54932176666963,"sku":"flw1789301071928","price":6.26,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1068\/1833\/9155\/files\/stokowski-prokofiev-symphonies-5-and-6-194958---pasc161_1.jpg?v=1789301080","url":"https:\/\/lovevividclad.shop\/products\/stokowski-prokofiev-symphonies-5-and-6-194958-pasc161","provider":"luckagni","version":"1.0","type":"link"}