Further Material about Leopold Stokowski and His Recorded Legacy
Further Material about Leopold Stokowski
Leopold Stokowski in about 1929 - sketch by Oscar Berger
Further Information about Stokowski and about the Philadelphia Orchestra
This Leopold Stokowski site is devoted to the legacy of Leopold Stokowski, his legacy of recordings, including with the Philadelphia Orchestra. However, in this section, added material about both Stokowski from a broader period is included.
Victor Talking Machine Company and RCA Victor Record Sales by Year
Allen Sutton at his wonderful Mainspring Press web site provides a history of the Victor Talking Machine Company and RCA Victor record sales by year from October, 1901 through 1941. Link is mainspringpress.com. This information comes from discovery evidence during litigation of 1943 of the Radio Corporation of American versus Decca Records and Columbia Records.
These data cover sales of all Victor Talking Machine disk, both Red Seal and Black Seal, as well as the other speciality labels.
Several sales trends seem particularly noteworthy:
- The constant growth of record sales during the 1910s demonstrates how the Victor Talking Machine Company grew from a "start-up" (to use today's high-tech term) to a rich cash-generating corporation. This resembles the boom in technology companies fifty years later, long before Silicon Valley.
- Already by 1916, Victor was enjoying sales of a level similar to the (economically) "roaring twenties"
- the growth of radio broadcasting 1921-1925 flattened the growth rate of phonograph record sales which was only partially recovered with the introduction of electrical recordings of the gramophone in 1925-1926.
- The size of the impact of the Great Depression is clear in the collapse of Victor sales during most of the 1930s. It is fortunate for Victor that it had a rich parent: the Radio Corporation of America which was profitable during this period and could partially shield Victor from the economic downturn.
- The effect of World War 2 in re-invigorating employment and economic activity is particularly clear in the case of gramophone record sales - a product that could be forsaken, if necessary when economic times were tough.
| Year | Number of records sold | Year | Number of records sold |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1903 | 1,966,036 | 1923 | 40,542,480 |
| 1904 | 2,595,011 | 1924 | 32,822,873 |
| 1905 | 3,565,679 | 1925 | 25,171,604 |
| 1906 | 7,051,775 | 1926 | 31,873,620 |
| 1907 | 7,686,709 | 1927 | 37,625,429 |
| 1908 | 5,248,147 | 1928 | 37,764,906 |
| 1909 | 4,639,463 | 1929 | 34,493,447 |
| 1910 | 5,988,004 | 1930 | 17,710,520 |
| 1911 | 6,205,929 | 1931 | 7,093,917 |
| 1912 | 9,150,374 | 1932 | 3,119,049 |
| 1913 | 11,086,489 | 1933 | 3,635,713 |
| 1914 | 13,564,985 | 1934 | 4,439,235 |
| 1915 | 18,649,029 | 1935 | 4,751,219 |
| 1916 | 25,963,272 | 1936 | 7,676,526 |
| 1917 | 27,751,354 | 1937 | 10,494,610 |
| 1918 | 21,547,047 | 1938 | 13,205,366 |
| 1919 | 30,851,527 | 1939 | 24,248,789 |
| 1920 | 33,426,575 | 1940 | 35,558,487 |
| 1921 | 54,920,855 | 1941 | 56,268,433 |
| 1922 | 37,162,717 |
Stokowski and Soloists
It is striking that during the period of Stokowski's recordings from 1917 to 1940 he recorded almost no works with instrumental soloist. Paul Robinson in his Stokowski biography said "...the combination of a drive to dominate and a skill capable of achieving domination helps to account for his success." 1This commentary might be considered to be characteristic of nearly all of the successful great conductors. Those great conductors who may have had less drive to control and dominate seem to have suffered as a result. Dimitri Mitropoulos comes to mind.
However, Robinson also speaks of Stokowski's life-long preference for self-sufficiency. In Robinson's view, Stokowski tried systematically to avoid dependency on others, whether orchestral boards, wives, agents, or friends 2. This observation may seem too harsh or perhaps too categorical, but is reflected in the biographies (such as Oliver Daniel) and reminiscences (such as Abram Chasins) about this great conductor. So, at the risk of simplistic characterization, might this quest for control and self-sufficiency extend to an avoidance of sharing the interpretation and performance of great works with the leading soloists?
Consider the many concerti that would seem logically to have been at the core of a Stokowski -
Philadelphia repertoire. The two Brahms Piano Concerti, the Brahms Violin Concerto,
the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto, just to name a few. These would likely also be among the
favorite concerti of the Philadelphia audience. The Tchaikovsky was in fact
a featured work for Stokowski's very first concert as a
conductor, with the Paris Colonne Orchestra, May 12, 1909, with
his wife Olga Samaroff as piano soloist. The Tchaikovsky
concerto was also part of the first
Philadelphia Orchestra concert of November 16, 1900 8. None of these did he record
with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Further, looking at
Stokowski's Discography, we see that Stokowski did not record the Brahms and
Tchaikovsky piano concerti commercially. There exist a non-commercial release
of a live recording of each of these from the 1960s. And the Brahms
Violin Concerto seems not to exist in any recording. This is striking, given that
these concerti would seem to be in the heart of the repertoire favored by Stokowski.
Judging by the number of his performances and recording, Brahms and Tchaikovsky would
seem to be among his favored composers. Yet the concerti, which are among the
most popular with the public are not a feature of his performances or recordings
over his sixty year career.
The examples of recordings of concerted works with soloist which are exceptions to
this pattern of seeming to avoid concerti are each interesting.
First is the series of wonderful and famous recordings of Rachmaninoff concerted piano works: the
1924 recording and the
1929 recording of the Second Piano Concerto and the
1934 recording of the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.
These are recordings not only with a soloist, but with the composer, who also was
also one of the great pianists of the twentieth century. It would seem that
Stokowski could feel open to share the interpretation with the composer of the work.
Rachmaninoff in the 1920s
Rachmaninoff and Stokowski Disagree on Interpretation
However, even in the case of Rachmaninoff, Stokowski sometimes resisted the
composers suggestions regarding performance. They had disagreements about
the 1924 recording of the Second Piano concerto. Also, in 1930, Time
Magazine reported:
" ... In the 18 years he has been in
Philadelphia, Stokowski has stayed just that - young, energetic,
pliable. There have been changes in the man himself ... From a
simple, naive person he has changed to one who is autocratic,
imperiously sure of his countless opinions on acoustics,
lighting, radio, printing, painting, the habit of applause. At a
recent rehearsal he and Pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff almost came
to blows over the tempo of a Rachmaninoff concerto concerning
which Stokowski felt he knew better than the composer.
Indicative, too, is the feeling of his men, changed now from one
of adoration to respect ... Stokowski has permitted himself to
develop prima donna tendencies but the public at large continues
to encourage them ... ". 3
Listening to the 1929 performance, I would speculate, without any source, that
Stokowski was more inclined to savor the opulence of the music,
while Rachmaninoff inclined to a more rapid pace. Although this Time Magazine
account may well be exaggerated, it does reflect that even with
Rachmaninoff as soloist, Stokowski may have felt that he "knew
best".
In fact, during his career, Stokowski, whenever a composer might be present during
his rehearsals, and perhaps suggest a change, Stokowski would say "oh! the composer
is here and wants a change; let him conduct!". Stokowski would then hand
the baton to the flustered composer.
Heifetz and Stokowski Disagree on Interpretation
Another famous concerto soloist example is
the Christmas eve December 24, 1934 recording of the Sibelius
Violin Concerto with Jascha Heifetz. This recording,
although a fiery performance by both Heifetz and Stokowski, was
never released commercially until a single copy (Heifetz's copy)
was restored in the 1999 Philadelphia Orchestra, The Centennial Collection
CD release, overseen by Mark Obert-Thorn, with musical restoration
by Ward Marston.
In his program notes to this recording, Barrymore Laurence Scherer said "...According to Ward
Marston, who learned of this from a member of the Orchestra who played in the session, Heifetz at one
point asked Stokowski to have the violins play more softly in a particular passage in order to lend greater
definition to the solo line. Stokowski - who loved manipulating the knops of a recording console almost
as much as conducting itself - felt this request an intrusion upon his prerogative to balance the sound.
Therefore, in a gesture rather foreign to the Christmas spirit, he addressed the Orchestra saying
'Everyone else, play louder. Violins, you stay the same.' Understandably, Heifetz was not amused,
and he subsequently refused to approve the finished recording for release." 4
Is this a further example of Stokowski's desire to control without regard even to so eminent a
colleague?
Jascha Heifetz in a well known 1935 Alfred Eisenstaedt photograph
A third example of a concerted work recorded by Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra
is the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante recording of 1940. Of course,
this recording was by the first chair soloists of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
It also broke Stokowski's twenty year haiatis of a recording of a work by Mozart
(following Stokowski's May 9, 1919 acoustic recording of the third movement
Minuetto of Mozart's Symphony no 40 K550).
Beyond few recordins with instrumental soloists, there were many recordings with
vocal soloists. However, looking at the soloists Stokowski used, such as
Agnes Davis, Ruth Cathcart, Robert Betts, and Eugene Loewenthal in the Beethoven
Ninth, or Jeanette Vreeland, Rose Bampton, Paul Althouse, Robert Bette,
and Abrasha Robofsky in the case of Gerre-Lieder, these were not famous, independent
singers. It was a practice of Stokowski to personally coach the singer
in advance, as did other conductors. Rose Bampton was at that time a
Curtis Institute student that Stokowski included in several recordings.
Also listen to the
interview with Jennie Tourel as to her work with Stokowski.
In such cases, perhaps the vocal soloist was more
in the category of the first chair instrumentalists in the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante
under Stokowski's direction, rather than a strong, independent artist such as Heifetz,
seeking to share the interpretive decisions with Stokowski.
In any case, the results of Stokowski's quest to control of all the diverse elements of a recorded performance,
including the orchestra seating, and even the recording techniques employed must be a key ingredient
in the hundreds of great recorded performances of the "fabulous Philadelphians". Also,
without this single minded determination, it may be unlikely that Stokowski would have personally succeeded
as he did, nor perhaps could he have molded the Philadelphia Orchestra into the leading orchestra it became
under his direction.
Leopold Stokowski in a Studio publicity portrait
Full Navigation Menu of www.stokowski.org site (click any button below):
Rosters of Musicians of some Great Orchestras:
Leopold Stokowski - Philadelphia Orchestra Acoustic Recordings 1917-1924:
Leopold Stokowski - Philadelphia Orchestra Electrical Recordings 1925-1940:
Leopold Stokowski Recording Discographies and Listing of Concerts:
Other Information about Leopold Stokowski:
Leopold Stokowski and Development of Recording:
Fritz Reiner:
>
1 page 5. Robinson, Paul Stokowski.
Macdonald and Jane's. London 1977 ISBN 0-354-04232-7
2
pages 4 - 7. Robinson, Paul op. cit.
3
Spring Rite Time Magazine Monday, Apr. 28,
1930
4 Notes: Instrumentalists. Scherer,
Barrymore Laurence. Program Notes to The
Philadelphia Orchestra, The Centennial Collection.
Philadelphia Orchestra Association. Philadelphia,
1999.
5 Appendix I. Ardoin, John, editor. The Philadelphia
Orchestra, A Century of Music. Temple University
Press. Philadelphia. 1999
6 page 395. Heiles, Anne Mischakoff.
America's Concertmasters. Harmonie Park Press.
Sterling Heights, MI. 2007. ISBN-13 978-0-89990-139-8
7 page 6. Champouillon, David. International
Trumpet Guild Journal. May 1999.
8. page 234. Wister, Frances Anne.
Twenty-five years of the Philadelphia orchestra (1900-25).
Edward Stern & Co, Philadelphia 1925
