A case of gold, and ten hours required!

The collection is enriched by Sony Masters a nice pad, and more convenient format reissue a box published under the same title ("The Stereo Collection") by the RCA label, now taken over by Sony. The complete Stokowski recordings for RCA stereo is understood and summarize its contents can not hurt until maybe the plug be enriched:

CD 1
Beethoven: Symphony No. 3; Coriolan Ouverture
Brahms: Academic Festival Overture

CD 2
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 6; Golden age
Khachaturian: Symphony No. 3

CD 3
Menotti: Sebastian (ballet on)
Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet (selection)

CD 4
Wagner: Die Walküre extracts, Tristan and Isolde, Rheingold, Tannhäuser, Rienzi

CD 5
Wagner: extracts Mastersingers of Nuremberg, Tristan and Isolde, Twilight of the Gods

CD 6
Beethoven; Handel; Humperdinck; Bach; Rachmaninoff; Wagner; Tchaikovsky; Gluck; Traditional tunes

CD 7
Canteloube: Chants d'Auvergne (selection) Anna Moffo, soprano
Villa-Lobos: Bachianas No. 5 Brasilerias
Rachmaninoff: Vocalise

CD 8
Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 "From the New World"
Smetana: The Moldau; Opening of the Bartered Bride

CD 9
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 "Pathétique"
Enescu: Romanian Rhapsody No. 1
Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2

CD 10
Rimsky-Korskakov: Scheherazade; The great Russian Easter

CD 11
Bach: Chaconne; Burg ist unser Ein feste Gott; Air; etc.
Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks

CD 12
Brahms: Symphony No. 4

CD 12-13
Mahler: Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection"

CD14
Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor
Excerpts from Bach repeats (Toccata & Fugue); Wagner (Rienzi Open); Beethoven (Symphony No. 6); Mahler (Symphony No. 2)

Inevitably, in such an assembly, by a chef as uneven-original, there are good and less good. But at this price, this reissue is not found for a long time anyway a matter as to which he should not hesitate, and one of the most exciting editions of the year.
Let's go back a little in detail.
- Regarding the excellent and even the inevitable, in my view it represents about 50% of coffet. It should perhaps start with the twentieth century repertoire, Shostakovich, Katchatourian (CD 2), but also a rabid Prokofiev (CD 3), a Canteloube defended the passionate zeal of Anna Moffo (CD 7). We must add partitions great show in which Stokowski excels: Scheherazade (CD 10), the Wagnerian extracts (CD 5 and 6) or the Enesco rhapsodies and Liszt (CD 9) and the Moldau by Smetana (CD 8 ). I add a Symphony No. 4 by Brahms that has something transfiguring vision of this work, as opposed to formal perfection proposed by Kleiber or Giulini, here we have indeed a wild vision, violent, extreme an orchestra pushed into a corner, a moment of madness we believe booked the concert: only those moments worth buying the whole set!
- In terms of good and sometimes very good, the symphonic repertoire a little more classic is excellently served, although the personality of Stokowski it sometimes shows too, and the very stiff competition discography leaves little room these records to be considered as references. Thus the 3rd Beethoven (CD 1) Is superseded by many competitors, the 9th Dvorak (CD 8) is at least Reiner, the 6th by Tchaikovsky Mravinsky and Monteux (CD 9). But let us be clear, it is still very worthwhile.
Still very good, and sometimes choral orchestral arrangements made usually by Stokowski himself, gathered on CD 6, 11 and 14. These vertices of a very kitsch stereo marked an era and a personality geared towards the show and popularizing a demanding repertoire is served by a wonderful achievement that makes small objects to be known, a certain charm, quaint and inimitable (though a sometimes questionable taste, a little too dripping perhaps, but do not have to listen at once).
- Finally, in the superfluous, there is not much. I mention still the symphony "Resurrection" by Mahler recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra, Margaret Price and Brigitte Fassbaender. Because the contribution of these two excellent singers do not really saves a performance-oriented purpose, artifice, and are missing essential aim the bow taut drama of Mahler, mastery of form, and in the end the 'all spiritual expressiveness that Walter Klemperer or are in the same partition. If one wants to hear Stokowski in this symphony BBC Legends live seems better (despite the cough competition in the audience). But this is only my opinion, and I know that some are literally captivated by the studio version, and see it as an absolute reference, I invite everyone to do his opinion ...
Finally, repeat extracts are not very interesting, it is not true connections orchestral background work and we hardly hear Stokowski intervene, except for some setting items that do not carry in itself the mark of a leader: CD14 is largely superfluous asez part.

So on 14 CDs, 7 essential (about 10 hours of treasure!), 5 good to very good, and 2 I think a little forgettable. An excellent ratio for such a case, and moreover to a gift prices given that all that had become untraceable!