Walt Disney's Fantasia [Original Soundtrack]

Walt Disney's Fantasia [Original Soundtrack]

by Leopold StokowskiLeopold Stokowski

Overview

Leopold Strokowski's 1940 recordings with the Philadelphia Orchestra for the movie Fantasia were landmarks on several counts. Apart from attempting to bring classical music to the masses in the theater, the soundtrack album -- which came out on LP in the 1950s -- was one of the earliest stereo recordings, featuring some of the most enjoyable high-fidelity sound of the period and boasting impeccable performances (even if the pieces were mostly re-edited and shortened). Apart from his reputation as a fiercely independent musical personality, Stokowski was also a showman with very few peers, and his careful yet extroverted performances of these pieces (including Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" and the summary of Beethoven's "Pastorale Symphony") introduced many listeners not blessed with classical music educations to these pieces for the first time. (As the film wasn't a success on its initial release, there weren't millions of such listeners, but at least many tens of thousands.) The performances on Fantasia retain their luster in the modern era, with sound clean enough that they do not need to be considered "historical" recordings. The recordings are also infinitely preferable to the mid-'80s attempt to re-score Fantasia with a modern orchestra and modern sound -- not only did the latter fall considerably short of what people expected, but the interpretations were flaccid and dull by comparison with the originals.

Product Details

Release Date: 07/31/2001
Label: Walt Disney Records
UPC: 0050086000777
catalogNumber: 860007
Rank: 287

Tracks

Disc 1

  1. Toccata and Fugue, for organ in D minor, BWV 565 (BC J37)
  2. Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
  3. Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a: Chinese Dance
  4. Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a: Dance of the Reed Flutes
  5. Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a: Arabian Dance
  6. Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a: Russian Dance
  7. Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a: Waltz of the Flowers
  8. The Sorcerer's Apprentice (L'apprenti sorcier), symphonic scherzo for orche
  9. Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestr

Disc 2

  1. Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral) Op. 68: I Allegro Ma Non Troppo
  2. Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral) Op. 68: II Andante Molto Mosso
  3. Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral) Op. 68: III Allegro/IV Allegro/V Allegretto
  4. Dance of the Hours (from La Gioconda)
  5. Night on Bald Mountain (Noch' na Lïsoy gore), symphonic poem, edited by
  6. Ellens Gesang III ("Ave Maria"), song for voice & piano, D. 839 (Op. 52

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