Period

:

Romantic

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Concerto

 

 

Orchestral

 

Symphony of the Air is a classical music ensemble that was founded in 1954 in New York City. The ensemble was created by the legendary conductor Leopold Stokowski, who had previously been the conductor of the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Stokowski wanted to create a new ensemble that would be able to perform a wide range of classical music, from the Baroque era to contemporary works. The founding members of Symphony of the Air were some of the most talented musicians in New York City at the time. They included members of the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and other top orchestras in the city. The ensemble quickly gained a reputation for its high level of musicianship and its ability to perform a wide range of repertoire. One of the highlights of Symphony of the Air's early years was its performance at the 1958 Brussels World's Fair. The ensemble was invited to represent the United States at the fair, and it performed a series of concerts that were widely praised by audiences and critics alike. The ensemble's performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony was particularly well-received, and it helped to establish Symphony of the Air as one of the premier classical music ensembles in the world. Over the years, Symphony of the Air continued to perform at major venues around the world, including Carnegie Hall, the Royal Albert Hall in London, and the Sydney Opera House. The ensemble also recorded extensively, releasing albums on a variety of labels, including RCA Victor, Columbia Records, and Deutsche Grammophon. One of Symphony of the Air's most famous recordings is its performance of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, which was conducted by Stokowski and released on RCA Victor in 1957. The recording is notable for its use of a large orchestra, which includes a wide range of percussion instruments, as well as for Stokowski's innovative approach to the score. The recording has been praised for its clarity and its ability to capture the full range of colors and textures in Mussorgsky's music. Another highlight of Symphony of the Air's career was its performance at the 1964 New York World's Fair. The ensemble was invited to perform at the fair's opening ceremony, and it played a program of American music that included works by Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, and Leonard Bernstein. The performance was broadcast live on television, and it helped to introduce classical music to a wider audience. Symphony of the Air also collaborated with a number of famous soloists over the years, including pianist Vladimir Horowitz, violinist Isaac Stern, and cellist Mstislav Rostropovich. The ensemble's recordings with these soloists are still highly regarded today, and they are considered to be some of the finest examples of classical music performance on record. Despite its many successes, Symphony of the Air faced a number of challenges over the years. One of the biggest challenges was the death of Stokowski in 1977. Stokowski had been the driving force behind the ensemble, and his loss was deeply felt by the musicians and the music world as a whole. In the years that followed, Symphony of the Air struggled to find a new direction, and it eventually disbanded in the early 1980s. Despite its relatively short lifespan, Symphony of the Air remains an important part of classical music history.

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