This History compilation from other labels vaults is a follow up to Maestro Celebre Vol 1, now available on Membran as
Leopold Stokowski: Maestro
.
The set features 10 CDs in 5 double CD jewel cases in a slipcase with minimal recording info and short bio's on the composers featured on the CDs.
The recording quality is better than volume 1, but still compressed due to "remastering" to remove surface noise, hiss and unfortunately some of the music. They did do a better job this time on the "remastering" than the first set.
I had been waiting for the Membran discount version to come out, but this is selling out so I grabbed it while I could for a reasonable price. Membran seems to be going with a 1950's compilation based on the EMI Icons set, now that EMI is out of business.
The Magical Conductor
Is it worth $5 a CD for the jewel cases and minimal booklets? Not really, but compared to the Cala versions these seem to be licensed (or pirated as some reviewers think) copies of, it's a bargain and also its available for sale in the US.
Contents with recording year and orchestra,
Mozart - Sinfonia Concertante For Winds 1940 - PhilO
Schubert - Symphony 8 Unfinished 1927 - PhilO
Beethoven - Symphony 6 Op68 Pastorale 1945 - NYCSO
Beethoven - Symphony 7 Op92 1927 - PhilO
Brahms - Symphony 3 Op90 1928 - PhilO
Brahms - Symphony 4 Op98 1933 - PhilO
Franck - Symphony in D minor Op48 1936 - PhilO
Chausson - Poeme For Violin and Orchestra Op25 1945 - HwoodBowlSO
Tchaikovsky - Symphony 6 Op74 Pathetique 1945 - HwoodBowlSO
Tchaikovsky - Capriccio Italien Op45 1929 - PhilO
Tchaikovsky - Slavonic March Op31 1942 - NBCSO
Rimsky-Korsakov - Scheherazade Op35 1934 - PhilO
Stravinsky - Petrushka 1937 - PhilO
Debussy - Nocturnes 1939 - PhilO
Debussy - La Cathedrale engloutie 1930 - PhilO
Ravel - Rapsodie Espagnol 1934 - PhilO
Ravel - Bolero 1940 - AAYO
Grieg - Piano Concerto Op16 1945 - HwoodBowlSO
Sibelius - Symphony 4 Op63 1932 - PhilO
Strauss - Death and Transfiguration Op24 1944 - NYCSO
Bloch - Scheloma Rhapsody For Orchestra 1940 Feuermann - PhilO
McDonald - Concerto For Two Pianos And Orchestra 1937 - PhilO
Rachmaninoff - Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op43 1934 Rachmaninoff - PhilO
Shostakovich - Symphony 05 Op47 1939 - PhilO
If you are into historic recordings and don't mind Depression era sound quality then this set will probably not be a disappointment to you like some of the recent cheaper Stokowski mono box sets.
Top reviews from other countries
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