Thursday, October 30, 2014

UNDERAPPRECIATED MUSIC: ARTHUR FIEDLER AND THE BOSTON POPS

One of the great things about growing up in Massachusetts was the availibilty of world-class entertainment and culture.  Back then, everybody knew the name Arthur Fiedler, you could just as easily catch him having lunch at Durgin Park or chasing fire engines through the Boston streets as you could watch him conducting at Symphony Hall.  Under Fielder's long-term leadership, The Boston Pops turned out more records than any other orchestra.  Originally designed to showcase light classical works, the Pops branched out to include popular works.  Bringing great music for almost fifty years with the Pops, Fiedler was one of the most recognizable faces in New England.  The Boston Pops post-Fiedler continue on under the direction of  first John Williams and then Keith Lockhart.

Relax and go to your happy place with Fiedler and the Pops.

With Earl Wild on piano, Gershwin's "Variations on I Got Rhythm." 

https://archive.org/details/GershwinVariationsOniGotRhythm

From 1937, Walter Piston's "The Incredible Flutist," a work commissioned by the Pops.

https://archive.org/details/PistonTheIncredibleFlutist

From 1957, Borodin's "In the Steppes of Central Asia."

https://archive.org/details/InTheSteppesOfCentralAsiafiedler

From 1957, "In the Hall of the Mountain King" from Grieg's Peer Gynt.

https://archive.org/details/GriegPeerGyntInTheHallOfTheMountainKingfiedler

Here he is with the Boston Promenade orchestra conducting Ravel, Bizet, and de Falla.

https://archive.org/details/ArthurFiedlerConductsTheBostonPromenadeOrchestra

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