These recordings, originally made by EMI, were previously released in different compilations on CDs that have since gone out of print. (Now that the copyright has expired, don’t be surprised to see future incarnations on various labels.)
Holst’s The Planets is the main item of interest here. EMI’s remastering for CD greatly improved the anemic sound quality of the original LP. Stokowski’s interpretation includes some of his signature “enhancements”, such as the tam-tam crescendo at the conclusion of Mars. The overall performance, bright and energized, impresses greatly, even if it’s let down by the too-brisk tempo for Neptune. The Los Angeles Philharmonic musicians play enthusiastically for their conductor.
The Leopold Stokowski Stadium Symphony Orchestra performs the remainder of the program, which features a surprisingly drab (especially for this conductor) rendition of Bartók’s Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta. The first movement fails to build any real tension, while the plodding finale is devoid of the rhythmic energy so vital in this music. The Turina and Loeffler works offer the famed Stokowski energy and vivid orchestral color. The same goes for Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht, with the conductor and his Stadium Symphony strings offering a passionate performance.
You can still get some of the original EMI CDs from third parties via Amazon, though it might be a challenge to find every item in this collection. Urania makes it easy to acquire them all in one purchase.
