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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Best Christmas
Christmas Music - Released by Ladies Records on 8 Nov 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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A White Christmas Dream
Christmas Music - Released by The Christmas Lovers on 30 Oct 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Easy Listening Lounge Essentials
Jazz - Released by Vintage Masters Inc. on 15 Apr 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Little Plain Gold Ring
Jazz - Released by plain gold ring on 16 Apr 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Just at the Turn of the Tide
Miscellaneous - Released by turn of the tide on 7 Apr 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Best Christmas Songs
Christmas Music - Released by Grammovoce Records on 1 Nov 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Inspired Themes from the Inspired Films
Pop - Released by Music Manager on 1 May 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Greatest Hits Collection
Film Soundtracks - Released by Music Manager on 15 Apr 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Fantastic Percussion
Pop - Released by Music Manager on 1 Jan 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Debussy, C.: Children's Corner (Arr. A. Caplet) / Petite Suite (Arr. H. Busser) (Concert Arts Orchestra, F. Slatkin) (1955)
Concert Arts Orchestra, Felix Slatkin
Classical - Released by Naxos Classical Archives on 1 Jan 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Streets Fantastic
Jazz - Released by Transatlantica on 22 Dec 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ravel: Boléro (Mono Version)
Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra, Felix Slatkin
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1957
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
The Military Band (Stereo Version)
Pop - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1960
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
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Music for Christmas Day (Original Songs)
Christmas Music - Released by Baby One Records on 30 Nov 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Joyful Christmas with Felix Slatkin
Christmas Music - Released by The Christmas Lovers on 15 Nov 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
My Wonderful Christmas Time
Christmas Music - Released by The Christmas Lovers on 20 Nov 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Old Christmas Train
Christmas Music - Released by The Christmas Lovers on 30 Nov 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo