Posted by Richard on September 16, 2000 at 18:28:05:
Just when you thought you had all the Arnold Jacobs there ever was, along comes a CD of the complete Bach Transcription recordings from 1940 and 1941 by Leopold Stokowski and the All-American Youth Orchestra. Mr. Jacobs did the '41 season, but only one of the selections was recorded in '40, and I believe it's tacit anyway. Stokowski was conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra while Jacobs was a student at Curtis, and conducted the school orchestra frequently. He was a formative influence on Jacobs as well as that entire generation of budding orchestral musicians who would ultimately take their places in the top orchestras and influence subsequent generations unto now and beyond.
Some listeners find Stoky's approach to Bach distasteful and cloying, but the playing is stupendous. As an added bonus, the centerfold of the liner note is a photo of the orchestra on a rather makeshift looking stage in Atlantic City. The 20-something Jake can be clearly seen alongside his colleagues. See the appendix on orchestra personnel in Song & Wind for a rundown on the who's who in the brass. Issued by the Leopold Stokowski Society on CALA - CACD527.
While you're at it, check out the latest remastering of the Reiner/CSO Alexander Nevsky on RCA Living Stereo. This is the one where Mr. Jacobs was picked up by a chorus mike. This is the way we heard it from the Gallery. And if there's any of the Reiner series you haven't gotten around to, now is the time. BMG is cutting its classical catalog to the bone. The Strauss Sinfonia Domestica is on the block, and while it's not a big tuba piece, when Jake did it with Fritz, he made the most of it, and it's one of the GREAT Herseth recordings. And just a GREAT recording. Get it and others of the series while you can.
Wherever fine recordings are sold.