Arranger(s): Stokowski, Leopold
Conductor(s): Serebrier, José
Label: Naxos
Genre: Orchestral
Period: 20th Century; Romantic
Catalogue No: 6.110101
Barcode: 747313110162
Release Date: 09/2005

MUSSORGSKY: Pictures at an Exhibition / Boris Godunov (Stokowski Transcriptions)

Leopold Stokowski was not only one of the twentieth century’s greatest conductors, he was also an inveterate transcriber of music for the symphony orchestra, making some two hundred orchestral arrangements of works which had started life in other forms. During Stokowski’s lifetime, his orchestral transcriptions were, for the most part, only heard when he himself conducted them. In the years following his death, however, other conductors have increasingly taken an interest in performing his colourful arrangements. When the Leopold Stokowski Society was formed in 1979, one of its chief aims was to encourage performances of the Maestro’s transcriptions. In 2003 its Committee decided to approach José Serebrier with the suggestion that he too should take them into his repertoire, and record them. At the start of the sessions, which we attended, Serebrier told the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra that he was not intent on copying Stokowski’s own recordings of these pieces but instead wished to approach them from a fresh perspective.

Tracklist

Mussorgsky, Modest Petrovich
Stokowski, Leopold - Arranger
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
1 St. John's Night on Bald Mountain, “A Night on the Bare Mountain” (arr. L. Stokowski) 09:17
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
2 Khovanshchina, Act IV: Entr'acte (arr. L. Stokowski) 05:25
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
3 Boris Godunov: A Symphonic Synthesis (arr. L. Stokowski) 24:21
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
4 Promenade 02:04
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
5 I. Gnomus 02:21
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
6 Promenade 01:10
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
7 II. Il vecchio castello 03:39
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
8 IV. Bydlo 02:40
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
9 Promenade 01:03
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
10 V. Ballet of the Chickens in their Shells 01:16
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
11 VI. Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle 02:40
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
12 VIII. Catacombae - Cum mortuis in Lingua mortua 03:44
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
13 IX. The Hut on Fowls' Legs, "Baba Yaga" 02:58
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
14 X. The Great Gate of Kie 05:15
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Il'yich
Stokowski, Leopold - Arranger
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
15 Humoresque, Op. 10, No. 2 (trans. L. Stokowski) 02:11
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
16 Solitude [Again, as before, alone], Op. 73, No. 6 (trans. L. Stokowski) 03:26
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
Stokowski, Leopold
Serebrier, José (Conductor)
17 Traditional Slavic Christmas Music 03:18
Serebrier, José (Conductor)

Total Playing Time: 01:16:48