Leopold Stokowski - Walt Disney's Fantasia: Remastered Original Soundtrack Edition
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Free Music Notes for Walt Disney's Fantasia: Remastered Original Soundtrack Edition
Free Music Review: Fantasia: THE ORIGiNAL VERSION!
Hit: 5 Stars
In 1939, Walt Disney colaborated with Leopold Stokowski to create a new marvel of sight and sound. The resulting film Fantasia is for many the zenith of Disney's film output in the early forties. It was also unique in that it was the first film to feature multichannel stereo sound ("Fantasound" for the lack of a better word). The films soundtrack has been released on tape and lp several times before, however this appears to be the only release of Fantasia currently available on cd*.
Technically the cd is very good, representing Stokowski's music to the fullest. The main problem, and reason behind many of the complaints on this site, has more to do with the technical nature of the surviving master. As a fan and longtime viewer of Fantasia, I've noticed that the film never seemed to be fully mixed properly, and was tinny on occasion. The mixing issues are probably from the original experimental multitrack sessions, but the loss in fidelity appears to be the result of the stereo master being a 4-track magnetic element created via transcontinental telephone line in 1956 (I'm not kidding, that's how they did it). Those problems come through warts and all on this cd. That said, this is about as good as it gets for the original recording of Fantasia.
*In the early 80s, CBS Records (distributing the Buena Vista label at that time) issued a somewhat controversial digital rerecording of the entire Fantasia score done by Irwin Kostal for a 1981 reissue of the film on cd. It's long out of print and fairly hard to find on the used market. It also takes some liberties with the film such as shortening The Pastoral Symphony to help accommodate censorship made to the film in the late 60s.
Free Music Review: The classic film aurally preserved in early stereo
Hit: 5 Stars
For most children, FANTASIA is their introduction to classical music. One should have the video and this CD soundtrack in one's family collection. Aside from whether or not you like the pieces, these interpretations by Stokowski and in all but one case, the Philadelphia Orchestra, are still amazing sonically and dramatically. The finest piece is the RITE OF SPRING with intensly dramatic rhythyms and note separation along the stereo spectrum that is an engineering marvel. Likewise the pacing and depth of celli and soaring violins in the TOCCATA AND FUGUE are amazing. The driving pace and swirling music of the NIGHT ON BALD MOUNTAIN are chaotic evil personified - note the descending strings at the end of the revels made louder as they descend by the engineering - an effect that would be just the opposite in the concert hall. The RUSSIAN DANCE from the NUTCRACKER SUITE has never been more dramatically or more swiftly conducted. The bowing on the strings is amazing. Note: there is one less track than recorded above - CD one allows track two to be the NUTCRACKER SUITE, when this should be the SUGAR PLUM FAIRY DANCE. The sound varies as original sources were decomposing. The mixes will confuse traditional stereo listeners. The music moves in groups across the screen depending on the character or event it is representing. Instruments do not stay put. The original FANTASOUND tracks are no longer available as a source and what you have here is an engineering attempt to recreate that experience. Best to listen to this in a dark room with your head directly between the speakers. Then it can be AWESOME!Free Music Review: Fantasia is Still Fantastic
Hit: 5 Stars
Let me say up front that I am not an audiophile. Unless something is really good or really bad, it pretty much all sounds the same to me. Additionally, I bought this recording of Fantasia to play on the little nursery CD player in my toddler's room. It does not have the greatest sound quality to begin with, but it suits my purpose, and my three year old can change her own CDs.
WE LOVE FANTASIA. This is the only CD that my daughter will go to sleep to. She listens to it every night. She tells me the stories of the ice skating fairies, the dancing mushrooms, and the swimming fish. She recognizes excerpts from the Nutcracker Suite where ever she hears them. I hear her humming snatches of the various pieces. She also tells me the story of "Magic Mickey" (i.e., The Sorcerer's Apprentice) every night. She recognizes exactly what is going on by the various movements, and has only seen the Fantasia DVD twice. Clearly, she sees the pictures in her head. This is a very special time for us, courtesy of some very special music.
Fantasia also brings back fond memories for me. I can remember seeing the movie with my parents, and later humming the tunes and watching the pictures in MY head. I think Fantasia gave me my love of classical music. It was one of the first cassette tapes that I kept in my car.
This music nurtures the imagination of young and old alike. The sound quality is good enough for me - it sounds perfect to my ears. I give this CD my highest recommendation. It is a grand tradition that can be passed on to younger generations.
Free Music Review: Powerful as well as Mellow
Hit: 5 Stars
As a kid who grew up with rock and roll as the *only* music out there, a recording like the Fantasia soundtrack would seem old and dated. Certainly not the sort of music a young, supposedly hip kid should be grooving to. But that was then. I'm 25 now, and my musical tastes have expanded so much, if you were to look at my cd collection, you would think I was storing them for my mother, father, sister, and baby brother. No, they're all mine, and now, Fantasia is one of them.Simply put, Fantasia could best be described as Classical Music's Greatest Hits. All the music you remember from cartoons and movies, and other media are here. And they are performed perfectly! The Toccata and Fuge is powerful and lush. It's an excellent piece to absorb when you turn out the lights. Sorcerer's Apprentice is as timely as ever, and The Rite of Spring is just breathtaking. It doesn't really matter what kind of music you were weened on. Fantasia is a masterpiece of classical classics. Get it. Listen to it. Feel it.
Free Music Review: A fantastic collection of music
Hit: 5 Stars
I had been looking for this CD for almost a year. I'm delighted to see that Disney is remastering and rereleasing its classic soundtracks, including this one, on relatively inexpensive CDs.This is an excellect collection of Classical music. It may not please the most serious Classical music aficionado, but it serves as a great introduction to major Classical composers (Bach, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky) as well as a few lesser known pieces (The Socerer's Apprentice) and a joy for the more casual Classical fan, such as myself.
The sound has been cleaned up, though the horns sound a little tinny. That is probably my only complaint about this record, but it is understandable given the age of this recording.
Note that you get both CDs, which are just over 50 minutes each.