Stokowski Conducts Rimsky-Korsakov Russian Easter Festival Overture (2/2)

[jaromx57]

Too much epicness!!! :D

[yn1lea]

Many thanks, Sinfoniette for such a marvelous piece of music. I had a version from an album Hearing is Believing, Mr. Stokowski directing, that I love so much and have not been able to find it, but this one is also very good. Happy and venturous 2012.

[iplaycello1]

my sister played this song in her orchestra she's cello too

[Opoczynski]

The changed ending is inexcusable and anti-climactic. Where are the timpani and bass drum?

[octoberists]

@Opoczynski Also, at the final trombone soli in the ending measures, Stokowski, for some reason, took out the 1st and 2nd trombone parts an octave above the bass trombone + tuba. I actually like his version better than what is written

[wkscrombie]

Vho are you? You, vho deesliked! I vhill KEEEL you! Mwahahahahaha

[xxPatheticEmoxx]

@stealthedscout What about Copland?

[MultiClarinetist]

at 1:22 that trombone solo is so beatiful that it isnt a trombone-- its a french horn. you can tell by the pitch inconsistencies that match those incumbent upon the horn's overtone series... ...for instance the slightly sharp A (E for the hornist) that comes out in a couple places. also the slight edge at each attack at the end of the soli, when all the horns are in unison. I love this piece thanks for posting!

[mrbassooner1]

@stealthedscout I saw the St. Petersburg Philharmonic performing this along with Brahms' 2nd Symphony and Shostakovich's 1st Cello Concerto.

I thought that the trombone was a french horn at first.

[llsds1]

i play bass trombone and this song was soo much fun to play.. i liked it because for once the conductor wanted more trombone.. which we gladly gave :D

[shrinandan]

It gives me goose bumps every time I listen to this piece!

[NightmareGuitarist]

That was awesome!!!



[emilymaybe]

Omg, I get to see the st petersburg philharmonic orchestra play this tonight...so excited!

[Mugicha808]

GIGANTIC tuba sound!!!!! Yeah!!!

[halstarkey]

The tuba player was the great Arnold Jacobs.

[parintelebaiazid]

Trombones Majestically at 6:15!

[parintelebaiazid]

I love the 4:47 moment! It is so Russian in Essence!

[parintelebaiazid]

At 7:32 is the epic moment of inspiration in Ceaikovski's 1812 Ouverture!

[stereoplayers]

I particularly like the Stokowski version of this piece in which he substitutes a solo male voice, singing in Russian, for the trombone solo.

[ajetk]

Seems like this the faster bits have been sped up a bit, slower ones slowed down and loud bits softened compared to the usual version

[SpeedyRoadRunner55]

I made this comment for ''part 1'', but will say it is again: This is an absolutely awesome piece-especially the last two minutes worth. In high school, in orchestra class, we played this piece-which was supposed to be for ''professionals only''. But played this song, and tore our instruments up we did. This is one of my utmost favourite songs, & was out of print some 20 years ago. Thank you to the one that posted this, I can never listen to this song too many times.

[mcettrick]

It's not a trombone - it's being played on euphonium (baritone horn) here. The trombones are then joining in on the third to last bar (the C's).

[shasha1873]

Spectacular!

[TheLasko94]

@eaterofcandy WHat are you trying to say? Trombone is the best instrument ever

[counterpoint35]

@TheLasko94 After the tuba, Base Trombone, and French Horn, of course (but that solo shatters my scale).

[inuyome1008]

@counterpoint35 That violin solo is pretty epic too, man.

[TheLasko94]

@eaterofcandy WHat are you trying to say? Trombone is the best intrument ever

[rvaughanwilliams1988]

is the heavy moment at 7:33 awesome or what? definitely sounds like the conducting of an organist

[rabbileblanc]

This is pure sound!

[volk410]

I've been a musician my whole life long, but this was one of just two pieces -- from a dusty record in my parents' collection -- that, 30 years ago, turned me on to classical music for life. (The other piece was Dvořák's "From the New World" Symphony.) This Russian Easter Overture still amazes me.

[counterpoint35]

@volk410 When I first heard this overture in its entirety one fateful Sunday, I fought back tears and realized that N.AR.-K. was in the top 5 of the greatest composers of all time.

[xo8jumbalaya8ox]

No Progression fits a climax as well as i-VII-III (7:32) and I love how the this version exaggerates that

[lisztnet]

Absolutely, the most beautiful music ever and the absolute recording of this, 1000 times better as i could ever imagine... !

[Opoczynski]

Is it Rimsky or Stokowski? He alters the ending robbing the music of its power and climax.

[Caocao8888]

What I like best about this interpretation is its clarity. The Overture has some very tricky rhythm patterns which would be difficult even for a soloist, let alone a symphony orchestra.

As to the tempo, I do not feel that it is too fast at all, because it is handled with such facility, thanks to the great technical playing from the CSO. And Stokowski makes it very clear to the listener where he is headed with the phrasing and the high points.

[LuigiScattagomazza]

He came from 19thc musical training -when it wasn't all about technique but mostly about the depth and quality of expression.

[DaftRaptor]

Stokowski took out the last B-chord of the song, which takes away from it all, but it still sounds great nonetheless!!!

[BareGod]

Oh my God...

That was absolutely incredible.

[inuyome1008]

@BareGod Didn't your face just melt off during the performance?

[brastoki]

As always, a surprising, amazing, superb, unique Sotkowski !!!!

And Chicago Symphony, great !

[aparoulek]

This is definitely the way this piece is supposed to be played...fast tempo, light, passionate. I love it!!!

[drummerboy1138]

First of all, that trombone has AMAZING tone!

Secondly, the tempos are all weird. But I like it!

[Sinfoniette]

Stokowski was a very, very "weird conductor", as a lot of people would put it. He had different views on music, and while others say its destroying the orchestra, I would say that its an expression of freedom in music. The orchestral positions we use today was created by Stokowski (from left to right: violin-violin 2-viola-cello).

I haven't listened to the R. overture a hundred times, so I'm not sure if its supposed to be like this or a bit altered. Might as well listen to other renditions.

[thegoodgeneral]

@Sinfoniette This is a pretty great performance, but I'd suggest giving Jarvi's interpretation a listen. It's a little more straightforward, but it flows nicely.

[alternatehistories]

@Sinfoniette I have yet to hear a Stokowski-conducted performance which is NOT top-notch. After listening to various pieces conducted by Stokowski, I am often disappointed when I hear the same symphonies by other conductors. Stokowski was slandered in his time - only because he had the audacity to speak out against race and sex discrimination by the archaic, male dominated music community of the times. Re-examination is now leading to a better understanding of just how great "Stoky" really was.

[Sinfoniette]

@alternatehistories I love Stokowski but only on specific repertoire. I have his Beethoven 9 on LP and while his coloring is glorious, it feels like it has too much sugar in it. I adore most of his recordings of Russian music.

[chaomei412]

Actually, in typically eccentric Stokowskian style, he asked my teacher, Frank Crisafulli, (then 2nd trombone - as those R-K solos were always written for) to play this on the Baritone Horn.

[PENNSY671E]

Wow ! Frank Crisafulli of the legendary CSO Brass & Fritz Reiner era ! I'm awed ! Did he ever talk about what it was like performing under the "precision-minded" Hungarian conductor ?

[chaomei412]

Crisafulli was certainly not a big fan. Reiner was a taskmaster to put it kindly. When Mr. C was going through a difficult time with his embouchure, Reiner demoted him from principal. Ironically, this may have led to his having such a lengthy carrer with over 50 years in the CSO!

[rachmaniralf]

@drummerboy1138 Having performed the peice and knowing it inside and out....yes thiKorsakov must have been smoking but these tempos are more or less correct.

[ynnor2z]

Overvelming, a masterpiece off all time.

[ihvamullet]

why cant u get it on one vid can youtube not handle clips over 13 minutes?

[Sinfoniette]

Sadly, youtube doesn't allow it.

[imusiciki]

Thanks for this set!