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Not so happy ending (c. 1940): Why Stokowski left the Orchestra
Why Stokowski left the Orchestra
Steve Cohen
This year marks the Philadelphia centennial of Leopold Stokowski, the tempestuous young conductor who lifted the Philadelphia Orchestra into the ranks of the world's greatest ensembles while browbeating his Main Line audiences into respecting great music as something more than sonic wallpaper for their social gatherings.
On this much all observers are agreed: Stokie became the Orchestra's music director in 1912. But precisely when did he step down? Some accounts say he departed in favor of Eugene Ormandy in 1936. Others note that Stokowski remained the Orchestra's conductor of record when it famously recorded the music for Walt Disney's Fantasia in 1940.
So who's right?
The facts, you will not be surprised to learn, are a bit complicated. This centennial year is a good time to set the record straight.
Careful advance planning (not)
In 1936, when he was 53, Stokowski quit the Philadelphia Orchestra after the directors vetoed his plan to take the Orchestra on a tour of Russia and also asked him to reduce his programming of modern music. As his parting shot, Stokowski expressed a wish to make movies and travel the world.
The Orchestra's management announced that Stokowski and Eugene Ormandy (then 36) would share the podium as co-conductors for at least two years. The public presumed that this transition had been carefully planned in advance.
Not so, as I can attest. The truth didn't come out until 1968, when I interviewed the key players for a WHYY documentary.
Ormandy's visit
"Stokowski quit and we accepted his resignation," recalled board officer Samuel Rosenbaum. "He was out. We hired Ormandy as his replacement, but Ormandy asked that Stokowski stay on part-time. It was he who came up with that co-conductor idea."
Ormandy: "I felt that such a great conductor as Stokowski shouldn't just leave the Orchestra. Besides, he wasn't very friendly with our board at the time... So I signed my contract and went to his home and officially invited him. This touched him so very much that he accepted... and for three years"— actually four years— "we worked very closely together. I told him to pick his own programs."
Thus from 1936 through 1940 the two men served as "co-conductors."
Why, then, did Stokowski leave? "Well, later he had another one of those unfortunate misunderstandings with the board," Ormandy told me.
Competing orchestra
Specifically, Stokowski miffed the Orchestra's board by making recordings with the All-American Youth Orchestra for the Columbia label, the hated rival of RCA Victor, which had recorded the same works by the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Was this display of independence an act of treason, arrogance or just artistic right-brain refusal to be tied down by bean counters? Whatever the reason, the board perceived Stokowski as a loose cannon who could potentially undermine the Orchestra's financial bottom line. He was fired at the end of 1940.
Ormandy remained at the Philadelphia orchestra's helm until 1980, a remarkable run of 44 years. Stokowski subsequently toured the U.S. with his All-American Youth Orchestra in the summer of 1941 while making more records with them. But America's entry into World War II and the draft of 18-year-olds forced that orchestra to disband. As anyone familiar with the Philadelphia Orchestra's recent bankruptcy can attest, an orchestra's survival isn't something to be taken for granted.♦
To read a response, click here.
On this much all observers are agreed: Stokie became the Orchestra's music director in 1912. But precisely when did he step down? Some accounts say he departed in favor of Eugene Ormandy in 1936. Others note that Stokowski remained the Orchestra's conductor of record when it famously recorded the music for Walt Disney's Fantasia in 1940.
So who's right?
The facts, you will not be surprised to learn, are a bit complicated. This centennial year is a good time to set the record straight.
Careful advance planning (not)
In 1936, when he was 53, Stokowski quit the Philadelphia Orchestra after the directors vetoed his plan to take the Orchestra on a tour of Russia and also asked him to reduce his programming of modern music. As his parting shot, Stokowski expressed a wish to make movies and travel the world.
The Orchestra's management announced that Stokowski and Eugene Ormandy (then 36) would share the podium as co-conductors for at least two years. The public presumed that this transition had been carefully planned in advance.
Not so, as I can attest. The truth didn't come out until 1968, when I interviewed the key players for a WHYY documentary.
Ormandy's visit
"Stokowski quit and we accepted his resignation," recalled board officer Samuel Rosenbaum. "He was out. We hired Ormandy as his replacement, but Ormandy asked that Stokowski stay on part-time. It was he who came up with that co-conductor idea."
Ormandy: "I felt that such a great conductor as Stokowski shouldn't just leave the Orchestra. Besides, he wasn't very friendly with our board at the time... So I signed my contract and went to his home and officially invited him. This touched him so very much that he accepted... and for three years"— actually four years— "we worked very closely together. I told him to pick his own programs."
Thus from 1936 through 1940 the two men served as "co-conductors."
Why, then, did Stokowski leave? "Well, later he had another one of those unfortunate misunderstandings with the board," Ormandy told me.
Competing orchestra
Specifically, Stokowski miffed the Orchestra's board by making recordings with the All-American Youth Orchestra for the Columbia label, the hated rival of RCA Victor, which had recorded the same works by the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Was this display of independence an act of treason, arrogance or just artistic right-brain refusal to be tied down by bean counters? Whatever the reason, the board perceived Stokowski as a loose cannon who could potentially undermine the Orchestra's financial bottom line. He was fired at the end of 1940.
Ormandy remained at the Philadelphia orchestra's helm until 1980, a remarkable run of 44 years. Stokowski subsequently toured the U.S. with his All-American Youth Orchestra in the summer of 1941 while making more records with them. But America's entry into World War II and the draft of 18-year-olds forced that orchestra to disband. As anyone familiar with the Philadelphia Orchestra's recent bankruptcy can attest, an orchestra's survival isn't something to be taken for granted.♦
To read a response, click here.
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