{"product_id":"stokowski-bach-stokowski-symphonic-transcriptions-1941-44-pasc629","title":"STOKOWSKI Bach-Stokowski Symphonic Transcriptions (1941-44) - PASC629","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBACH-STOKOWSKI\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e Symphonic Transcriptions\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eLive studio broadcasts, 1941-44\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 77:11\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eCollegiate Chorale\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eNBC Symphony Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econducted by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLeopold Stokowski\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC629.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\nIn his 1947 collection of essays entitled \u003cem\u003eMi Contra Fa\u003c\/em\u003e, the\nself-styled 'Machiavellian Musician' Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji had this to\nsay about 'The Art of the Arranger': \"The great transcriber expounds,\nenlarges and amplifies matter and thought inherent in the original text and\nmakes the original a \u003cem\u003epoint de départ\u003c\/em\u003e for a great new creation.\"\nSorabji went on to discuss the great piano transcriptions of such masters\nas Godowsky, Liszt and Busoni but his words could equally apply to many of\nthe orchestral arrangements which have stood the test of time, headed\nnaturally enough by Ravel's orchestration of Mussorgsky's \u003cem\u003ePictures at an\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eExhibition \u003c\/em\u003efor solo piano but also\nincluding many of Leopold Stokowski's famous \"Symphonic Transcriptions.\"\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nIn considering the Bach arrangements heard here, we should not forget that\nJSB was himself the foremost borrower of many of his contemporaries' works.\nIndeed, his reworkings of the music of Buxtehude, Telemann, Corelli,\nCouperin, Albinoni, Marcello and others were often very free adaptations,\nrather than straightforward arrangements. A classic example is Bach's\nConcerto for Four Harpsichords and Orchestra in A minor, a technical tour\nde force based on Vivaldi's Concerto for Four Violins in B minor.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nStokowski was of course familiar with Bach's keyboard works from his early\ndays as a church organist, both in London and New York. His recitals were\nsaid to have dazzled listeners, not only with his playing of Bach but also\nassorted orchestral pieces arranged for the organ. Indeed, on one occasion,\nat the end of a St. Bartholomew's recital, he let rip with \u003cem\u003eThe Ride of\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003ethe Valkyries\u003c\/em\u003e, only to be sternly admonished\nby a local critic for playing music of such \"unchurchliness\"!\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nHowever, Stokowski soon moved with alacrity from the organ console to the\nconductor's podium, learning the basic repertoire during his three years\nwith the Cincinnati Orchestra. A few of Bach's instrumental works found\ntheir way into his concerts there but with his move to Philadelphia in\n1912, his repertoire became much more extensive and widespread.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nWith much nostalgia, he looked back to his church organist days,\nrecollected the Bach works he played in his youth and decided to transcribe\nthem for his new Philadelphia audience. The most popular orchestration of\nany of Bach's organ works is undoubtedly Stokowski's transcription of the \u003cem\u003eToccata and Fugue in D minor\u003c\/em\u003e. This received its premiere on 8\nFebruary 1926, its first recording being made the following year. That\n78rpm shellac disc was a phenomenal best seller and was hailed in the \u003cem\u003eGramophone\u003c\/em\u003e as \"one of the most exciting achievements of the\nAmerican orchestra ... the only word is 'magnificent.' Every organist has\nhis ideal conception of how he would like this arranged for orchestra but I\ndo not think any will withhold very high praise indeed to the transcriber\nand the players.\"\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nStokowski's transcription was to find even larger world-wide fame when it\nwas featured in Walt Disney's \u003cem\u003eFantasia\u003c\/em\u003e. As a result, many\nconductors have included it their concert repertoire and it has been\ncommercially recorded by Wolfgang Sawallisch and Yannick Nézet-Séguin,\nformer and present conductors of the Philadelphia Orchestra, as well as\nJosé Serebrier and Matthias Bamert, Stokowski's associates during his time\nwith the American Symphony Orchestra.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nLess well known perhaps is the \u003cem\u003ePrelude in Eb minor\u003c\/em\u003e from Book 1 of\nthe Well-Tempered Clavier. This arrangement was given its first performance\nas well as its first recording in 1927. It was also the opening item on\nStokowski's debut concert with the NBC Symphony in 1941 and is one of his\nmost solemn and reflective Bach transcriptions.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nAs is well-known, Bach himself often re-used his own music in different\nworks and we have an example in the \u003cem\u003eArioso\u003c\/em\u003e heard next. It is the\nslow movement from his Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F minor as well as the\nopening \"Sinfonia\" to the Cantata No. 156 \u003cem\u003eIch steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe. \u003c\/em\u003eIn the \"Sinfonia,\" Bach gives the\nmelody to the solo oboe throughout but in Stokowski's version, it is played\nby the massed strings.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nBach used the Lutheran chorale \u003cem\u003eEin Feste Burg \u003c\/em\u003eon a number of\noccasions and Stokowski made three versions of it himself. The first one -\na \"short\" version - was recorded on a 10\" Philadelphia Orchestra disc in\n1933. It was this arrangement that he used to mark his movie debut in \u003cem\u003eThe Big Broadcast of 1937\u003c\/em\u003e. He then expanded it to a longer version\nand this had its first recording in 1939. Two years later, in a New York\nPhilharmonic concert, he introduced a third version which he played again\nwith the NBC Symphony in 1942. It's a real curiosity, in which the Lutheran\nchorale is interspersed with an assortment of woodwind cadenzas. Evidently\nStokowski decided that the second \"long\" version was the best of the three\nand it was that which he re-recorded on two further occasions. The NBC\nperformance of the third version is presented here in its only extant\nrecording.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nWhen Stokowski was invited onto the BBC's long-running radio programme\n\"Desert Island Discs\" in 1957, the first of the eight records he chose to\nbe marooned with was a Bach Chorale Prelude. He transcribed several of\nthese and of \u003cem\u003eWir glauben all' an einen Gott\u003c\/em\u003e, he wrote: \"In giving\nthis music orchestral expression, I have tried to imagine what Bach would\ndo if he had the vast resources of the modern orchestra as his instrument,\ninstead of the more limited instrumental means of his time.\" Stokowski\nadded that the music is an organ fugue and that the pedal theme \"has the\nsound of giant-like strides up and down the octave - from which comes the\nfamiliar name of the 'Giant Fugue'.\" This performance began the NBC\nbroadcast of 6 December 1942 and was immediately followed by the next piece\nwithout a pause.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nIt is the middle movement of the organ \u003cem\u003eToccata, Adagio and Fugue in C major\u003c\/em\u003e and features what Stokowski\ndescribed as \"the balance between the intellectual and emotional sides of\nBach's personality. It has the improvisational freedom of so much of Bach's\nmusic. Possibly the germ of its themes and the mood of its feeling stem\nfrom an occasion when Bach was improvising on the organ.\" Stokowski and his\nPhiladelphians made the first recording of the piece in 1933 but he never\nre-recorded it commercially, thus making his NBC performance something of a\nrarity.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eEs is vollbracht \u003c\/em\u003e\ncomes from the second part of the St. John Passion where it is a solo aria\nfor alto. The opening words translate as \"It is accomplished; what comfort\nfor suffering human souls. I can see the end of the night of sorrow.\" With\nthe words \"The hero from Judah ends his victorious fight!\" the music\nbrightens up and a solo trumpet emulates the alto part, the music then\nreverting to the grave solemnity with which the piece began.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eChrist lag in Todesbanden\u003c\/em\u003e\nis another of the organ Chorale Preludes which Stokowski transcribed for\norchestra. Bach based it on an Easter Hymn by Martin Luther which itself\nwas derived from earlier examples of the melody. Stokowski's arrangement is\nsombrely scored and was another of the Bach transcriptions which he\nrecorded commercially only once, on a Philadelphia 78 in 1931.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nTo complete the entire selection of Bach arrangements which Stokowski\nperformed, and in some cases introduced, during his three seasons as the\nNBC Symphony's chief conductor, we hear the mighty \u003cem\u003ePassacaglia and Fugue in C minor. \u003c\/em\u003eBy a remarkable coincidence this\nwas the very last work that he played on his final NBC Symphony programme\nand - rather like a pair of bookends - it mirrored the \u003cem\u003ePrelude in Eb minor\u003c\/em\u003e with which he opened his first NBC concert\nthree years earlier!\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nThis was in fact one of Stokowski's earliest Bach transcriptions and it had\nits premiere on 10 February 1922. As with the \u003cem\u003eToccata and Fugue in D minor\u003c\/em\u003e, he recorded it several times over\nthe years, the first occasion with the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1929 and\nthe last with the Czech Philharmonic shortly after his 90th birthday in\n1972. In his published score he wrote: \"Bach's Passacaglia is in music what\na great Gothic cathedral is in architecture - the same vast conception -\nthe same soaring mysticism given eternal form. Whether played on the organ,\nor by the greatest of all instruments - the orchestra - it is one of the\nmost divinely inspired creations ever conceived.\"\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nTo conclude, we turn from arranged Bach to an appropriate non-transcribed\nfinale - the closing chorus from the St Matthew Passion, sung in an English\nedition: \"Here yet awhile, Lord, Thou art sleeping, Hearts turn to Thee, O\nSaviour blest; rest Thou calmly, Thou calmly, calmly rest.\" This was a work\nStokowski conducted several times over the years, starting in 1907 when he\nwas organist and choirmaster at New York's St Bartholomew's Church. His\nbiographer Oliver Daniel was to remark that \"it was surely one of the\nearliest American performances of the complete work.\" Stokowski also\nfeatured it in his very last concerts with the Philadelphia Orchestra in\n1941, following his resignation from an ensemble he had built into one of\nthe world's finest. This NBC performance of the final chorus is again\nsomething of a rarity, insofar as Stokowski's discography is concerned, but\nit makes a suitable conclusion to a compendium of music by the maestro's\ndeclared favourite composer.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eEdward Johnson\n\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_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\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 24px;\"\u003eBACH-STOKOWSKI\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 24px;\"\u003e Symphonic Transcriptions\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e1. \u003cb\u003eToccata and Fugue in D minor\u003c\/b\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e(9:57)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eBroadcast of 12 December 1943  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e2.\u003cb\u003e Prelude in E flat minor\u003c\/b\u003e (from \u003ci\u003eThe Well-Tempered Clavier,\u003c\/i\u003e Book 1)  \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e(7:02)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eBroadcast of 4 November 1941\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e3. \u003cb\u003eArioso \u003c\/b\u003e(Largo from \u003ci\u003eHarpsichord Concerto No. 5\u003c\/i\u003e in F minor)  \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e(8:35)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eBroadcast of 25 November 1941\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e4. \u003cb\u003ePrelude on Ein Feste Burg\u003c\/b\u003e  (6:54)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eBroadcast of 7 April 1942\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e5. \u003cb\u003eWir Glauben all' an Einen Gott\u003c\/b\u003e (Chorale-Prelude '\u003ci\u003eGiant Fugue\u003c\/i\u003e')  \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e(3:09)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e6. \u003cb\u003eAdagio \u003c\/b\u003e(from \u003ci\u003eToccata, Adagio and Fugue in C minor\u003c\/i\u003e)  \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e(5:32)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eBroadcast of 6 December 1942\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e7. \u003cb\u003eEs ist Vollbracht\u003c\/b\u003e (from the \u003ci\u003eSt. John Passion\u003c\/i\u003e)  \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e(9:23)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eBroadcast of 28 March 1943\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e8. \u003cb\u003eChrist lag in Todesbanden\u003c\/b\u003e (\u003ci\u003eChorale-Prelude\u003c\/i\u003e)  \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e(3:57)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eBroadcast of 12 December 1943\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e9. \u003cb\u003ePassacaglia and Fugue in C minor\u003c\/b\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e(13:50)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eBroadcast of 27 February 1944\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBonus track:\u003cbr\u003e10. \u003cb\u003eSt. Matthew Passion\u003c\/b\u003e - Final Chorus  \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e(8:52)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eHere yet awhile, Lord, Thou art sleeping, Hearts turn to Thee, O Saviour blest\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCollegiate Chorale\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eBroadcast of 31 March 1942\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNBC Symphony Orchestra  \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003econducted by \u003cb\u003eLeopold Stokowski\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eXR Remastered by \u003cb\u003eAndrew Rose\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCover artwork based on a photograph of \u003cb\u003eLeopold Stokowski\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eSpecial thanks to \u003cb\u003eEdward Johnson\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTotal duration:  77:11 \u003cbr\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\/PASC629.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC629.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":44064689946714,"sku":"qag1789303213028","price":14.11,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":44064689979482,"sku":"dbn1789303213029","price":9.57,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":44064690012250,"sku":"qxy1789303213030","price":8.35,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0726\/3807\/0874\/files\/stokowski-bach-stokowski-symphonic-transcriptions-1941-44---pasc629_1.jpg?v=1789303242","url":"https:\/\/vestorawear.shop\/products\/stokowski-bach-stokowski-symphonic-transcriptions-1941-44-pasc629","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}