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Stokowski '"Symphony" - Roberto Minczuk conducts its First Broadcast

1,735 views · Published 29 June 2013 · 13:22 · Indexed 29 October 2026

Channel: adam28xx · 2013 · Music

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Here is a real rarity! In his youthful years, Leopold Stokowski composed several pieces of music, including a 'Symphony.' Unfortunately, the full score of this work went missing or was stolen from his library many years ago. However, a set of orchestral parts for Movements I and II survived and it was from these that a new full score was reconstructed after his death.

There is no extant documentation about this work, so it is only speculation as to how, when or where it came about. For example, it could have been a student exercise in orchestration dating from his time at London's Royal College of Music. However, it is more likely that it was composed after he'd arrived in America in 1905 to become organist and choirmaster at St. Bartholomew's Church in New York City prior to taking over the Cincinnati Orchestra in 1909.

It is also not clear without the original full score if there were to be more movements, nor indeed if Stokowski ever gave Movements I and II a 'read-through' once he'd become an orchestral conductor. Still, what remains is a very interesting work of about 15 minutes which, although not deserving the word 'Symphony,' shows that Stokowski, even at the start of his career, had a sure command of large instrumental forces. It is a kind of mini-tone poem with many evocative orchestral effects and when it had its first public performance in 2009, given by the Royal College of Music Sinfonietta under Robin O'Neill, critic Colin Anderson wrote that it was "an atmospheric piece, suggesting Debussy and Chausson, with an ear to Wagner, a nod to Impressionism, and ideas suggesting Stravinsky and Rachmaninov." 

Lewis Foreman also commented on its "wonderful, brooding atmosphere," adding that "if it was written after the outbreak of the First World War it would have to count as one of the great war works with all those muted trumpets (bugles?) and tolling bells sounding over desolate landscapes."

Here then is Stokowski's 'Symphony' in its first professional performance and first radio broadcast, given by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conductor Roberto Minczuk, on 18 June 2013. It should be noted that due to their brevity there is no pause between the two movements, so that it effectively emerges as a continuous piece. The 2nd movement starts at 8:30 with trilling woodwinds. (Uploaded with all due acknowledgements.)

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