Search - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky :: Tchaikovsky: Francesca da Rimini; Hamlet (stokowski)

A classic revinvented

Larry VanDeSande | Mason, Michigan United States | 02/19/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here are British remakes of 1950s recordings by Leopold Stokowksi and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra members masquerading under another name (to avoid union issues) performing Tchaikovksy's swashbuckler tone poems Francesca da Rimini and Hamlet. The Stokowski Web site pegs this recording to the 1959 release on Everest 9037 Tchaikovsky: Francesca Da Rimini & Hamlet that originally included a third piece, Scriabin's Poeme D'Extase. This recording was also available on the DelArte label and is still available for a price Tchaikovsky: Francesca da Rimini/ Hamlet as well as the recording that existed for a time on the Priceless label. Who knows how many other lives this has had?



If you've never heard it, it's worth your time and money regardless of the number of competing recordings you may own. Stokowski (1882-1937) was an eccentric genius and conductor born in England or Polish parents. He made his reputation in the Philadelphia Orchestra where he debuted 1912 and served through the 1930s, creating what critics called the "Philadelphia sound" of sweeping, majestic strings and juicy brass and woodwinds. Eugene Ormandy kept this cliche alive during his years with the orchestra.



Stokowski came to international fame beyond the orchestra pit when he starred in and conducted the score for Disney's animated 1940 film Fantasia Fantasia (Special 60th Anniversary Edition), where he made mushrooms dance to Tchaikovsky's music from the Nutcracker ballet.



In this recording, Stoki whips up fury in Francesca, the character from Dante's Divine Comedy Divine Comedy and does similarly with Tchaikovsky's tone poem based on Shakespeare's tragic hero Hamlet (The New Folger Library Shakespeare). This recording has been famous for 50 years and it sounds better here than it has in other reincarnations. Pity it does not include the original Everest pairing but you can buy that elsewhere on Amazon if you like. Most people rank this with the classic recordings of all time because of Francesca da Rimini.



If this is your first exposure to the magic wand of Stokowski, it's a good place to begin. This recording shows his expertise in romantic music and showpieces. He has marvelous recordings spread all over the universe of classics famous and unknown. If you like this one you should try a few of his easily recommendable recordings that include Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Russian Easter Overture and his own scoring of the Pictures At An Exhibition Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Stravinsky: The Firebird Suite; Skryabin: Le Poème de l'extase. To hear Stokowski in classic form starting in Philadelphia (audiophiles need not apply), check out this collection of his specialties from the era Leopold Stokowski, Conductor. For more recommendations, see my listmania list "My favorite Stokowski CDs" http://www.amazon.com/My-favorite-Stokowski-CDs/lm/R1LEUKFDZ3WONE/ref=cm_lm_byauthor_title_full



"

Thrilling Francesca and Hamlet

C. David Claris | Chapel Hill, NC | 09/30/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the 2nd reissue of these classic Stokowski performances, the most exhilarating performances of these 2 warhorse tone poems ever, recorded in in-your-face fabulous late'50s-audiophile scintillating stereo. The only other versions of these 2 pieces that come close are those of Igor Markevitch on Philips (Tchaikovsky: Complete Tone Poems). See other reviews of these performances at now-OOP prior Everest release (coupled with Scriabin Poem of Ecstasy, Tchaikovsky: Francesca da Rimini/ Hamlet)."