Cowell: Persian Set/Goeb: Symphony No.3/Weber: Blake Symphony

1. Persian Set for chamber ensemble
Composed by Henry Cowell
Conducted by Leopold Stokowski

2. Symphony No. 3
Composed by Roger Goeb
Conducted by Leopold Stokowski

3. Symphony, Op 33 ("On Poems of William Blake")
Composed by Ben Weber
with Warren Galjour
Conducted by Leopold Stokowski

Product Description

Amazon.com
This is a gorgeous reissue of recordings from the Fifties done by Leopold Stokowski of American composers who were then more popular than they are today. Henry Cowell's atmospheric Persian Set, of 1957, perfectly suited Cowell, who was known for experimenting with unusual modalites, in this case Iranian ones. More recommended here is the music of Roger Goeb and Ben Weber. Goeb's nostalgic Symphony No. 3 (1952) belongs to the Roy Harris/Howard Hanson/Aaron Copland school of midwestern American music that emerged during the Thirties and Forties. Weber's Symphony on Poems of William Blake is the more discordant and modern piece here. Highly recommended. --Paul Cook

Tracks:

Persian Set: Moderato - Leopold Stowkowski
Persian Set: Allegretto - Leopold Stowkowski
Persian Set: Lento - Leopold Stowkowski
Persian Set: Rondo - Leopold Stowkowski
Sym No.3: Allegro Moderato - Leopold Stowkowski
Sym No.3: Andante - Leopold Stowkowski
Sym No.3: Vivace - Leopold Stowkowski
Sym On Poems Of William Blake: 'To Autumn': Moderato Assai - Warren Galjour
Sym On Poems Of William Blake: 'Never Seek To Tell Thy Love': Lento Assai - Warren Galjour
Sym On Poems Of William Blake: 'Mad Song': Largo Misterioso - Warren Galjour
Sym On Poems Of William Blake: 'To Spring': Allego Moderato - Warren Galjour

Amazon.com

This is a gorgeous reissue of recordings from the Fifties done by Leopold Stokowski of American composers who were then more popular than they are today. Henry Cowell's atmospheric Persian Set, of 1957, perfectly suited Cowell, who was known for experimenting with unusual modalites, in this case Iranian ones. More recommended here is the music of Roger Goeb and Ben Weber. Goeb's nostalgic Symphony No. 3 (1952) belongs to the Roy Harris/Howard Hanson/Aaron Copland school of midwestern American music that emerged during the Thirties and Forties. Weber's Symphony on Poems of William Blake is the more discordant and modern piece here. Highly recommended. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

Now, this is the REAL Stoky heritage.......2000-07-12

Along with Howard Hanson, Koussevitzky, and Mitropoulos, Stokowski contributed immeasurably to the propogation and performance of American music. Despite all the other things he's known for, this service to native music is his most treasurable heritage.

Assembled here are remarkable works by remarkable composers in remarkable performances. Stoky DID keep his hands off composers quite a bit, especially living composers, and that's what's happening here. The Cowell is an entrancing work by a unique composer who, like the late Hovhaness, experimented in Eastern modalities and came up with highly original works that in no way sound contrived or derivative. The Goeb is a great big, rangey, propulsive, masculine work brimming with optimism and accomplishment, snappy, forceful, and entrancing. The Weber is one of the composer's best works: tightly made, colorful, rapid-fire and even slick in places. As a collection, the works seem to "feed" off each other, and the result is a fine 75 or so minutes of absorbing listening.

The sound is remarkably good, and Stoky makes these recordings all about the music and not about Stoky...which is something that happened more often than you think.

Buy this very good-sounding disc and get to know Stokowski at his best and the great heritage that is his greatest gift to us.

Track Listings: