Felix Slatkin
Among the most consummate of studio musicians, Felix Slatkin achieved fame for his violin performance, directing recordings of both standard symphonic fare and appealing arrangements of light music, and for being the leader of a string quartet fondly remembered as one of the finest of its time. Through his affiliation with Capitol Records, he and his wife, Eleanor Aller (cellist with Slatkin's Hollywood String Quartet), were afforded the economic base to pursue performance in areas notoriously unprofitable. Slatkin's death from a heart attack in 1963 caused genuine upset in the Hollywood/Los Angeles studio music world: by that time, he had become all but irreplaceable.
Slatkin began his music studies when he was six years old in St. Louis with Sylvan Noack. Later, he worked for a year with violinist Isadore Grossman before winning a scholarship to the Curtis Institute of Music at age ten, where he studied violin with Efrem Zimbalist and took conducting classes with Fritz Reiner. Although he began to acquire a positive reputation as a soloist with major orchestras, he elected to join the St. Louis Symphony when he was 17, soon becoming assistant principal and forming a chamber ensemble of young musicians. In 1935, he won a competition whose first prize included a guest performance with the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra. During this period, he met his future wife. After his Hollywood appearance, Slatkin decided to move to Los Angeles and take up the role of studio musician. He was hired as principal violinist of the 20th Century Fox Orchestra, beginning an involvement with the Southern California music milieu that would last the rest of his life (by that time, many prominent composers and solo artists had made their home in the area). In 1939, Slatkin and Eleanor Aller married. She had just become first cellist at the Warner Brothers Studios and soon thereafter, the couple formed the Hollywood String Quartet, drawing in two other studio musicians, violinist Joachim Chassman and violist Paul Robyn. Beginning in 1941, Slatkin served as conductor of the Army Airforce Tactical Command Orchestra stationed at the Santa Ana Air Force Base and, as Aller later commented, "There went the quartet!" When Slatkin was released from service in 1945, he resumed his position as concertmaster at Fox Studios and the quartet regrouped. Paul C. Shure, assistant Fox concertmaster, replaced Chassman, and in the ensuing years, the members worked tirelessly to become America's premier string quartet, and were the first to see their reputation made by recordings. These recordings, including works from Beethoven to Schoenberg, have been made available again on the Testament label and confirm every aspect the quartet's stature. The quartet's luxuriant sound attracted listeners beyond the classical audience; Frank Sinatra chose to record with the group, also relying on Slatkin for musical direction. For Capitol Records, Slatkin made more than two-dozen recordings with the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra and his own Concert Arts Orchestra, including a Grammy-winning disc devoted to Offenbach's Gaîte Parisienne. For Liberty Records, he contributed a dozen-plus discs in the "Fantastic" series (Fantastic Strings, Fantastic Brass, Fantastic Percussion of Felix Slatkin, and more). Slatkin's sons have also achieved renown: Leonard Slatkin as a world-class conductor and Fred Zlotkin (using the original spelling of the family name) as a cellist.
© Erik Eriksson /TiVo
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Offenbach: Gaîté Parisienne & Symphonic Dances by Felix Slatkin (2022 Remastered, Hollywood 1956)
Felix Slatkin, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
Clásica - Editado por Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording el 17-10-2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: String Quartets Nos 12-16 e Grosse Fugue
Felix Slatkin, Paul Shure, Alvin Dinkin, Eleanor Aller, Hollywood String Quartet
Música de cámara - Editado por Infinity el 20-08-2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue, Etc
Clásica - Editado por EMI Classics el 25-10-1990
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Suite, Etc.
Clásica - Editado por ANGEL RECORDS el 01-01-1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Great American Grofe / Grand Canyon Suite Etc.
Clásica - Editado por Angel Records el 01-01-1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Favorite Waltzes (1995 Digital Remaster)
Felix Slatkin, The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra
Clásica - Editado por ANGEL RECORDS el 01-01-1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Military Band: Salute To The Services (1998 Digital Remaster)
Felix Slatkin, Concert Arts Symphonic Band
Clásica - Editado por ANGEL RECORDS el 01-01-1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Gaîté parisienne & symphonic dances
Felix Slatkin, Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra
Clásica - Editado por G.O.P. el 10-02-2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Strings by Starlight
The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra, Felix Slatkin
Clásica - Editado por Radio Tower Records el 05-01-2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Seasons Greetings: The Fantastic Strings Of Felix Slatkin
Lounge - Editado por CAPITOL CATALOG MKT (C92) el 01-12-1961
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Percussion! Milhaud: Concerto for Percussion and Small Orchestra - Chavez: Toccata for Percussion - Bartok: Music for String Instruments, Percussion and Celesta (Album of 1955)
Concert Arts Orchestra, Felix Slatkin, Concert Arts Percussionists, Los Angeles Chamber Symphony
Clásica - Editado por Firebird el 30-09-2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gould: Latin-American Symphonette
The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra, Felix Slatkin
Clásica - Editado por OBX Records el 19-01-2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Villa-Lobos & Grofé: Concert for the Americas
Felix Slatkin, Concert Arts Cello Ensemble, Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra
Clásica - Editado por Jube Classic el 18-01-2024
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Dohnányi, Khachaturian & Britten: Variations on a Nursery Theme - Piano Concerto - Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
Victor Aller, Felix Slatkin, The Concert Arts Symphony Orchestra
Clásica - Editado por Infinity el 01-02-2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Streets Fantastic
Jazz - Editado por Transatlantica el 22-12-2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
World's Greatest Ballet Hits, Vol. 7
Ernest Ansermet, Felix Slatkin, Boris Khaikin
Ballets - Editado por Documents 2 el 13-12-2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Easy Listening Lounge Essentials
Jazz - Editado por Vintage Masters Inc. el 15-04-2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Debussy, C.: Children's Corner (Arr. A. Caplet) / Petite Suite (Arr. H. Busser) (Concert Arts Orchestra, F. Slatkin) (1955)
Concert Arts Orchestra, Felix Slatkin
Clásica - Editado por Naxos Classical Archives el 01-01-2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Military Band Music
Jazz - Editado por Music Today Records el 04-02-2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Joy to the World
Músicas navideñas - Editado por Christmas Evening Records el 14-11-2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo