Leopold Stokowski BiographyA Brief Biography of Leopold StokowskiNavigation: Click here to go to the Home Page of www.stokowski.org Click here to go to the Navigation Table for www.stokowski.org Aller à la Page d'accueil - Héritage de Stokowski Aller au menu de navigation principal Leopold Stokowski Biography -A Brief Biography of Leopold Stokowski
Please have a look at these listings, and in case of any corrections or other information, please contact me, at the link below. Leopold Anthony Stokowski was born April 18, 1882 in Marylebone, London to Kopernick Stokowski and Annie-Marion Moore as shown in the copy of his birth certificate below.
Admitted January 3, 1896 to the Royal College of Music at the age of thirteen, he became one of the youngest person to have been admitted up to that time1. Beginning in about 18971, he sang in the choir of St Marylebone Church, as shown in the photograph, below.
Choir of St. Marylebone Church circa 1898, Stokowski seated front row right In about 1898, Stokowski became Assistant Organist to Sir Henry Walford Davies at The Temple Church, London. In 1900, he formed the choir of St Mary the Virgin Anglican church, Charing Cross Road, and played the organ. Then, from 1902 to 1905, Stokowski was organist and choirmaster at St. James's Anglican Church, Piccadilly, London, whose building had been designed by Sir Christopher Wren. From this position, in 1905, he was recruited to become organist at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in New York City, at Madison Avenue and 44th Street (the previous church to the present one at Park Avenue and 50th Street)10. He developed a musical reputation in New York, and met many leading personalities, including his future wife, Olga Samaroff (born Lucy Mary Olga Agnes Hickenlooper in Texas). He also performed a number of transcriptions of orchestral works from Tchaikovsky symphonies, to portions of opera by Wagner, as shown in the 1907 advertisement, below.
March, 1907 Advertisement for a Leopold Stokowski organ concert at St. Bartholomew's Church But Stokowski was apparently determined to direct an orchestra or a group, and he became restless. In 1908, he resigned his position and in the Spring of that year, he and Olga sailed for Europe, with Stokowski determined to find a new start 2. Stokowski Beginnings as an Orchestra Conductor In spite of Stokowski's lack of experience, never having conducted a professional symphony orchestra, within one year he had been appointed conductor or the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the beginning of his stellar career. How such a remarkable transformation came about is described by Abram Chasins 3 in his biography Leopold Stokowski - A Profile. Chasins states that Olga Samaroff had met by chance Bettie Holmes, president of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Association Board of Directors, who was looking for a conductor to lead the just re-established orchestra. Olga suggested Stokowski, who interviewed with the Board on April 22, 1909. Stokowski's First Orchestral Concert in Paris 1909 His interview in Cincinnati did not result in a decision by the Cincinnati Board, in part, likely because Stokowski had not actually conducted a professional orchestra. Olga again apparently came to the rescue. Chasins says that Olga was scheduled to play a Paris concert with the Colonne Orchestra on May 12, 1909. When the conductor fell ill, Olga arranged for Stokowski to be introduced to the Colonne manager with Olga's recommendation and Stokowski waiving his fee. Stokowski was selected, and made his debut with the Colonne Orchestra on May 12, 1909, with Olga Samaroff as one of two soloists. Also fortunate for Stokowski was that Lucien Wulsin, of the Baldwin Piano Company, and a Cincinnati Board member was on holiday in France, was asked to see Stokowski's performance, and Stokowski was then offered the position, which he accepted. A few days after Paris, on May 18, 1909, Stokowski also made his London with the New Symphony Orchestra at Queens' Hall London. Stokowski Becomes Conductor in Cincinnati - 1909 Stokowski conducted his first concert with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra on November 26, 1909. He was an immediate success, particularly from the impact of the dashing presence he projected and the dynamism he provided to the reconstituted Cincinnati orchestra. During the period in Cincinnati from 1909 to 1912, Stokowski worked assiduously in improving his conducting skills and in building a repertoire of works which he mastered. Although he arrived in Cincinnati with virtually no experience in conducting a symphony orchestra, his deep talent, his showmanship, and natural leadership abilities led to rapid success.
Stokowski also showed from the beginning he quest for the new and innovative. Even from the beginning Cincinnati concerts, he programmed works of living composers, and his programming mix was stimulating. He also sought to continually expand the orchestra's season, and its travel to other cities. Leopold Stokowski and Olga Samaroff Married - 1911 Leopold Stokowski and Olga Samaroff were married at her St. Louis family home on April 24, 1911. Although their marriage became progressively more difficult over the next decade, Olga was a key ingredient in the early success of Stokowski's career, as was recounted above in Stokowski's opportunity for a first concert in Paris, and his appointments in Cincinnati and Philadelphia.
During this pre-war period, Stokowski and Samaroff also would spend summers in Bavaria at their Munich villa, immersed in the active cultural, summer music festivals and social life. Munich in the summers at that time was a musical Mecca in Europe. This was likely Olga and Leopold's happiest time together. Read the superb biography of Olga Samaroff written by Donna Kline: An American Virtuoso on the World Stage: Olga Samaroff Stokowski by Donna Staley Kline. Texas A&M University Press. 1997. ISBN-13 9780890967621.
Meanwhile, back in Cincinnati, Stokowski had a mixture of successes and rebuffs from the orchestra's Board in seeking to expand touring, including New York, and in expanding the season. In March, 1912, after progressively increasing clashes between him and the Board, Stokowski asked to be released from the two years remaining of his Cincinnati contract. At first the Board rejected Stokowski's request, but following acrimonious public debates, including the newspapers, they agreed. So, Stokowski departed Cincinnati on April 12, 1912, bound for Munich via New York. Stokowski Becomes Conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra - 1912 However, on the way to New York, Olga stopped in Philadelphia for negotiations with the Philadelphia Orchestra Board of Directors, and later, she signed the contract with the Philadelphia Orchestra on Stokowski's behalf at the Philadelphia Broad Street train station, on her way back to New York. Later, Stokowski cabled from Munich announcing his acceptance of the post.
June 13, 1912 newspaper account of Stokowski accepting Philadelphia post
On October 8, 1912, Stokowski held his first rehearsal with the Philadelphia Orchestra, followed quickly by the first concert on October 12. for the remainder of the decade, Stokowski sought to upgrade the orchestra players by a number of replacements each year4. One performance aspect that he seems to have pursued from the beginning was a supple, less rigid performance style, of which his "free bowing" preference for string players is one ingredient. This, he applied for the remainder of his career with any orchestra with which he came into contact. Stokowski Becomes Friends with the Boks One important asset for Stokowski during most of his Philadelphia years was not only the band of fervent admirers he attracted by his style, good looks, and good musicianship, but also key backers. First among these was Edward Bok. Bok himself was not initially a great music lover, but his wife, Mary Louise, also heiress to the great Curtis Publishing fortune was. Edward Bok grew to admire and back Stokowski, including the financial support to expand the orchestra, its rehearsals, and its programs. In 1916, Bok proposed to Alexander van Rensselaer, president of the orchestra association and also a financial backer of the orchestra to underwrite the deficit of the orchestra for 5 years, provided that an endowment fund were created large enough that interest from the endowment funded the future annual orchestral deficit. As a result, by the end of 1919, one million dollars was subscribed to the indowment11.
Stokowski with the Mary Louise Bok and Edward Bok before 1920 Olga and Leopold spent the summers of 1912, 1913 and 1914 in a home in the suburbs of Munich, where according to Oliver Daniel, he began his first Bach orchestral transcriptions of the Pastorale from the Christmas Oratorio BWV 248, and of the chorale "Wachet auf", found in several parts of the Cantata no 140, BWV 140. 5 Musicians were everywhere in Bavaria during the summer months in those years. On June 28, 1914, Archduke Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne was assassinated triggering war two weeks after. Olga and Leopold had a harrowing escape, taking only some gold and the score for Mahler's Symphony no 8. Leopold, although having applied for US citizenship, but was still a British subject and risked internment for the war's duration. They were able to gain berths on the SS Noordam which left Rotterdam on August 15 and arrived New York on August 25, 1914 as shown in the immigration record, below 6.
Olga and Leopold Stokowski on SS Noordam from Rotterdam August 25, 1914
In 1914, Stokowski had applied for and in 1915 he became a United States citizen. Stokowski Conducts the US Premiere of Mahler Symphony no 8 - 1916 Stokowski's retention to the score of Mahler's mammoth Symphony no 8 lead to one of his early triumphs. This was both a personal and artistic triumph, and a triumph over the Board of the Philadelphia Orchestra (one of many), which was daunted by the cost and risk of such a large undertaking. Mahler himself had conducted the first performance on September 12, 1910 in Munich 7.
Mahler Symphony no 8 premier in Munich September 12, 1910
Stokowski convinced the Board during early 1915 to pledge $17,000 (equivalent to about $360,000 today ) toward the US premier of the Mahler Symphony no 8, and Stokowski prepared to perform it during the 1915 - 1916 season. Stokowski's skill at both organization, and publicity were key contributors to the success. The public's interest became so enflamed that scalpers were able to obtain $100 for opening tickets, equivalent to about $2,100 in today's values8.
Performers and program for Mahler Symphony no 8 in the Academy of Music, March, 2 1916
So great was the demand to hear the Mahler 8 that additional performances were added. On April 9, 1916, two private trains took 1,200 performers from Philadelphia to New York for a Metropolitan Opera House performance9. These New York performances helped establish the renewed reputation of the Philadelphia Orchestra under Stokowski. As mentioned above, during the season of 1916-1917, the beginning of a long and beneficial relationship for Stokowski began with Edward W. Bok and his wife Mary Louise Curtis, heir to the Curtis publishing fortune. Bok committed to meet the Philadelphia Orchestra deficit for five years through the 1920-1921 season. This was further extended and by 1923, the Orchestra's endowment had reached $788,400 12. This is equivalent to approximately $10 million in 2009 purchasing power.
Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra make their First Recordings - 1917 Then, in 1917 was to occur and event seminal in both the career of Leopold Stokowski, and in recording history. On Wednesday, October 24, 1917, Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra took the ferry across the Delaware River to Camden, NJ where they made their first phonograph recordings. These were of the Brahms Hungarian Dances number 5 and 6, as orchestrated by Albert Parlow. These were the first of more than 450 78 RPM sides Stokowski and the Orchestra made for Victor with the acoustic recording process, of which only 67 were released commercially from 1917 to 1925. You can read more of these early recordings by clicking on: 1917 - 1924 Victor Acoustic Recordings of Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
The recordings of Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra and, during the same month, by Karl Muck and the Boston Symphony were the first recordings by Victor of a full symphony orchestra (see Victor Efforts to Record a Large Symphony Orchestra ). This was the case also with other U.S. and European phonograph and gramophone recording companies. The famous 1913 Nikisch - Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra recordings were likely done with about 30 musicians. The early Beecham and Odeon orchestra recordings were of similar numbers. Partially, this was because of the physical difficulty of putting more musicians physically close to a recording horn. However, 1917 Victor the Boston and Philadelphia recordings were made with full symphony orchestras. This was the first of many Stokowski firsts in the next 60 years of recording. In the Summer of 1921, the Stokowski's were in Europe, from which Stokowski returned in September, 1921, while Olga remained in London, giving birth on December 24, 1921 to their daughter Sonya Maria Noel Stokowski. Stokowski Divorced form Olga Samaroff 1923 and Marries Evangeline Brewster Johnson 1926 In January, 1923, Leopold Stokowski and Olga Samaroff separated and by June 30, 1923, divorced. During this period, Stokowski conducted a full program of concerts until the season end in May, 1923. In those years, the principal conductor of orchestras performed a large portion of the concerts each season, with few guest conductors.
Stokowski was soon remarried, this time to Evangeline Brewster Johnson, heiress to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical fortune. They were married with minimum publicity on January 12, 1926. Evangeline was age 28, and Stokowski gave his age as 38 (he was actually 44). Stokowski Travels to Europe and Asia 1927-1928 Stokowski conducted his last concerts with the Philadelphia Orchestra in April, 1927 at the end of the 1926 - 1927 season. By this time, he had conducted the Philadelphians for 15 years, and he seems to have wished for a break.
He had long planned to take a vacation, but during 1926, following his marriage to Evangeline Johnson, whom Leopold had married in January, 1926, this planned vacation developed into a prolonged " leave of absence" from Philadelphia.
The reasons Stokowski gave for this leave were various, including discomfort in holding the baton (or baguette, the French term, as he preferred to call it). He also mentioned later a 1927 taxicab accident in New York City, which Stokowski said had injured him.
Regarding the baton, Oliver Daniel states "...During the year Stoki complained frequently of neuritis. He was still using a baton and during concerts it was noticed that he often shifted it from one hand to the other. It will always remain a mystery whether the problems of neuritis were as serious as they seemed or whether it was a partial excuse to obtain a year's leave..."1 [page 205 op. cit.]. Perhaps Stokowski simply needed a prolonged rest from the Philadelphia Orchestra. In any case, from November, 1927 until early September, 1928, Leopold Stokowski and Evangeline Johnson Stokowski traveled to Europe and Asia1.
Stokowski Reorganizes the Philadelphia Orchestra
Stokowski Resigns as Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra
On January 2, 1936, after two years of indicating that he would leave the Philadelphia Orchestra, Stokowski announced he would no longer be Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra 2. The Association Board had yielded to all his demands, but it seems that Stokowski had had enough 3.
The furor that announcement this might otherwise have caused was lessened by the previous two years of conflict between Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra Association Board, reported in detail in the press for many months, blow by blow. It would seem that most of the emotion related to Stokowski's decision, after more than 23 years as head of the Philadelphia Orchestra had become exhausted. The announcement that Eugene Ormandy would be released from this Minneapolis Orchestra contract, and would become the new Music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra seems to have been met more with curiosity 3. However, Stokowski did receive one of the objectives which he had been seeking for at least a decade. The Orchestra Association Board agreed to a transcontinental tour by the Philadelphia Orchestra. This would be financed by RCA Victor records, and would include 33 concerts in 27 cities over 35 days.
The Philadelphia Orchestra in its tour from Boston to Toronto to Holdredge, Nebraska, and back from San Francisco on to New York was the first U.S. orchestra to make a transcontinental tour 4. Stokowski Goes to Hollywood
From December, 1937 until March, 1939, Stokowski did not conduct the Philadelphia Orchestra either in concert, or in Victor recordings. However, Stokowski was active in Hollywood during this period, which led to involvement of the Philadelphia Orchestra in the historic Walt Disney film 'Fantasia'.
The Birth of 'Fantasia'
In 1937, Walt Disney was searching for a new starring role for Mickey Mouse, in part because Donald Duck had become so popular, and Mickey was becoming 'second banana'. In 1938, Walt Disney selected the story of 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' as a new starring role for Mickey 4. Walt Disney met Leopold Stokowski in Chasen's Restaurant in Hollywood in 1938, and Stokowski offered to conduct the music for The Sorcerer's Apprentice free of charge, because of his interest in the project 3 (note: when the Fantasia project expanded, Stokowski did receive a fee). In July, 1937, Disney had already secured the rights to Dukas' music 'L'Apprentie sorcière' 4. Stokowski arrived in Los Angeles January 2, 1938 to record this music with a hand-picked orchestra of 85 Hollywood session musicians3. These recordings had some technical difficulties as to synchronization, but Stokowski approved them and they were used in the final film. However, Walt Disney had decided that The Sorcerer's Apprentice short film needed to be expanded to a full-length movie, in order to be financially viable. After discussing added musical selections with Stokowski, Disney secured the rights to Le Sacre du Printemps in April, 1938 5. In December, 1939, Stravinsky visited the Disney studios, and although in later years he was critical of 'Fantasia', Stravinsky at the time seemed supportive. There was later further criticism of Stokowski and Disney's music choices, particularly in editing the music. For example, the Beethoven Pastoral Symphony was cut in half to 22 minutes.
Stokowski and Disney listened to dozens of different musical possibilities, including Rachmaninoff and Wagner 3, and in the end added the Bach-Stokowski Toccata and Fugue in d minor, music from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, Ponchielli's 'Dance of the Hours', and Mussorgsky's 'Night on Bare Mountain' to join the already selected 'L'Apprentie sorcière', the Pastorale symphony, and Le Sacre du Printemps.
Stokowski also convinced Disney to record in Philadelphia with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and recording took place in the Academy of Music in April 3-7, 1939 3,6,7. It is beyond the scope of this web site to describe in any detail the resulting masterpiece film, but as well as Mickey as the Sorcerer's Apprentice, the many memorable scenes include the hippos as ballet dancers in Ponchielli's Dance of the Hours, and the Tyrannosaurus rex in the primeval world of Le Sacre du Printemps.
Fantasia was issued in 1940, and was released again many times, and continues even today in some theaters. It has been widely sold in DVD, in several restored versions. The music sound track of Fantasia by Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra has never been out of the recoding catalogues, since it was first issued by Disney Studios in the 1950s, first in monaural and then in 1957 in stereo. The original sound track was recorded optically on film, in a system called 'Fantasound', which was shown only in a limited number of select theaters with special equipment. Unfortunately, the original film masters seem to be either lost, or deteriorated beyond reproduction. What is remaining of the Stokowski recording either on DVD or CD is a remix of some of the surviving materials. Stokowski Creates the All-American Youth Orchestra
Peter Gutmann in an essay on Stokowski in 1999 wrote: '...he [Stokowski] seized the opportunity to vent his frustration with RCA, his record company, which had refused to sponsor a Stokowski tour but then launched one with Toscanini, its other star conductor. While his Philadelphia Orchestra remained under exclusive contract to RCA, Stokowski would face no such constraints with an entirely new ensemble. And so he created one, arranged a contract with rival Columbia and then proceeded to cut with his new orchestra many of the works that RCA had wanted him to record...' 15.
Stokowski's contract with the Philadelphia Orchestra had also lapsed in 1940 16. So, during April, May, and early June 1940, Stokowski auditioned perhaps 1000 young musicians from a much larger pre-screed group from across the United States, selecting 90 players 16. To these young players, Stokowski added a number of key 'ringers' - experienced Philadelphia Orchestra musicians - to form his All-American Youth Orchestra.
Sol Schoenbach, Principal bassoon, Philadelphia Orchestra joined the 1940 All-American Youth Orchestra Latin American tour
After two weeks of rehearsal in Atlantic City, New Jersey in later June and early July, the All-American Youth Orchestra in August, 1940 toured Brazil (Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo), Argentina (Buenos Aires), and Uruguay (Montevideo). Stokowski also arrange a summer tour for the Orchestra in April, May and June, 1941 16. Stokowski himself financed the second tour, since Columbia Records decided against financing a second year 16. The Orchestra disbanded in California at the end of this 1941 tour, and it also made a series of recordings in Hollywood for the original sponsor, Columbia Records. However, technically, these recordings were not up to the standards of recordings in Philadelphia by the Victor engineers. However, they did introduce many listeners to the short-lived All-American Youth Orchestra made up of many musicians who would go on to orchestra careers. The Houston Symphony Orchestra 1955-1960
Stokowski accepted the Music Director position of the Houston Symphony Orchestra for the 1955-1956 season.
The American Symphony Orchestra
The American Symphony Orchestra was founded in New York by Stokowski on 26 April 1962. Stokowski continued as Music Director of the American Symphony until his move to the U.K. in May, 1972. New Activities in the United Kingdom
Stokowski's focus on recording as a key activity was a central part of his activities since his first recordings in 1917. His relocation back to England, the country of his birth reflects this focus. by the early 1970s, recording in London, with its five great orchestras was easier, and much cheaper than recording with any of the leading U.S. orchestras (an cheaper even than regional orchestras). This seems to have been a strong motivating factor in Stokowski's decision to relocate to England in 1972.
Stokowski died on September 13, 1977 at his home in Nether Wallop, Hampshire, UK, aged 95.
If you have any comments or questions about this Leopold Stokowski site, please e-mail me (Larry Huffman) at e-mail address: leopold.stokowski@gmail.com
1 page 13, 14. Daniel, Oliver Stokowski A Counterpoint
of View Dodd, Mead & Company New York 1982 ISBN 0-396-07936-9
3 pages 58 - 60. Chasins, Abraham. Leopold Stokowski - A
Profile. Hawthorn Books. New York. 1979. ISBN 0-8015-4480-7
6 August 25, 1914 from New York Passenger Lists, Passenger
and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957.
Immigration and Naturalization Service.
8 Measuring Worth; Institute for Measurement of Worth.
http://www.measuringworth.com
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10 page 21. Smith, Rollin. Stokowski And
The Organ. Pendragon Press. 2004. ISBN 157647103-9
12 page 113, 114
Wister, Frances Anne Twenty-five years of the Philadelphia orchestra
(1900-25) Edward Stern & Co, Philadelphia. 1925.
14 Robinson, Paul.
Stokowski, with Discography by Bruce Surtees. Macdonald and Jane's.
London. 1977. ISBN 0-354-04232-7
16 page 181-184. Smith, William Ander. The Mystery of Leopold Stokowski Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. New Jersey 1990. ISBN-13: 978-0838633625 |
1936 Philadelphia Orchestra Tour Map
Stokowski with Walt Disney in California, 1939 (great shoes !)
