Mitropoulos Conducts Milhaud - "Le boeuf sur le toit" and Stravinsky "L'histoire

Mitropoulos Conducts Milhaud and Stravinsky

(1) Darius Milhaud: Le boeuf sur le toit
Mitropoulos - Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra - March 2, 1945
Columbia 12932/3-First recording of the orchestral version

Igor Stravinsky: L'histoire du soldat in English
Text by C.F. Ramuz - English version by Rosa Newarch
Part One
(2) Soldier's March
(3) Scene 1
(4) Soldier's March
(5) Scene 2
(6) Scene 2 Finale - I
(7) Scene 2 Finale - II
(8) Scene 3

Part Two
(9) Soldier's March
(10) Royal March
(11) Small Concert
(12) Three dances: Tango - Waltz - Ragtime
(13) Dance of the Devil
(14) Small Chorale
(15) The Devil's Couplet
(16) Grand Chorale
(17) The Devil's Triumphant March
Narrator: Adolph Anderson
The Devil: Jack Bittner
The Soldier: Herbert Voland
The Princess: Atty van den Berg
Violin: Isadore Cohen
Double Bass: Stuart Sankey
Clarinet: Cloyde Williams
Bassoon: Raymond Ojeda
Trumpet: Robert Landhold
Trombone: Murray Blumenthal
Percussion: Richard Koff
Mitropoulos Ц Julliard Chamber Ensemble - May 21, 1948
From a private recording on acetate discs
The Stravinsky is a very rare recording documenting the second of two
fully staged performances that Mitropoulos conducted in 1946 and
1948. This one was at Julliard, and like its predecessor, the
musicians and conductor were in costume and entered fully into the
story telling. Reviews indicated that Mitropoulos was an
accomplished actor in addition to conducting a performance full of
drama and humor. The sound, given the circumstances, is adequate.
The transfers are loving, and much is made of somewhat technically-
challenged material. It is quite listenable and well worth
experiencing for the performance.