Role

:

Composer Conductor Performer

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

April 18, 1882 in London, England

Death

:

September 13, 1977 in Nether Wallop, Hampshire, England

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Orchestral

 

Leopold Stokowski was a renowned classical music conductor who was born on April 18, 1882, in London, England. He was the eldest of five children born to a Polish father and an Irish mother. Stokowski's father was a cabinetmaker who had emigrated to England from Poland, while his mother was a talented pianist who had studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Stokowski showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of four. He later studied at the Royal College of Music in London, where he excelled in both piano and composition. After completing his studies, Stokowski worked as an organist and choirmaster at various churches in England. In 1905, Stokowski moved to the United States to become the organist and choirmaster at St. Bartholomew's Church in New York City. He quickly gained a reputation as a talented conductor and was appointed the conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in 1909. Stokowski's innovative approach to conducting, which included using a baton made of white wood and wearing a white tie and tails, made him a popular figure in the classical music world. Stokowski's career reached new heights in 1917 when he was appointed the conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra. During his tenure with the orchestra, Stokowski introduced a number of innovations, including the use of a curved podium that allowed him to face the orchestra and the audience simultaneously. He also experimented with new sound technologies, such as the use of multiple microphones to capture the sound of the orchestra. Stokowski's most famous performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra was his 1940 recording of Walt Disney's "Fantasia." The film, which featured animated sequences set to classical music, was a groundbreaking achievement in both animation and music. Stokowski conducted the orchestra for the film's soundtrack, which included works by Bach, Tchaikovsky, and Stravinsky. Stokowski's career was marked by numerous awards and honors. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1936 and was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1941. He also received honorary degrees from a number of universities, including Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. Stokowski continued to conduct well into his 90s, and his influence on the classical music world can still be felt today. He died on September 13, 1977, at the age of 95.

More....