From Stock to Reiner
Chicago Symphony Orchestra performs to a packed house at Symphony Center. By Jordan Fischer from Chicago - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, featuring the Marcus Roberts Trio, CC BY 2.0
The 1940s were a tough decade for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. After Frederick Stock, who had led the orchestra for 37 years, came a procession of conductors who did not succeed in pleasing the critics, the audience, or the management, singly or all together. And these conductors included such illustrious names as Arthur Rodzinski and Raphael Kubelik. Peace of a sort came with Fritz Reiner in 1953.
On this week's Classics of the Phonograph, Saturday at 11 am on WILL-FM, we will hear from all of them.