In welcoming these outstanding examples of Stokowski’s consummate flair in Wagner‚ one wonders why‚ in the late 1960s‚ the BBC’s recordings were still being made in mono. As the closing item shows‚ a superb New Philharmonia account of the Rienzi Overture‚ played with great gusto and exhilarating rhythmic panache‚ Stokowski’s richly volatile interpretations blossom more fully in stereo. However‚ the spacious acoustic of Croydon’s Fairfield Halls allows the opening Meistersinger Overture to expand well enough‚ in spite of the more restricted mono sound‚ especially the central lyrical section‚ phrased so warmly; and the glorious LSO horn and string playing in the Act 3 Prelude is faithfully caught. The apprentices then dance off gaily in spiccato high spirits. But Stokowski has a surprise up his sleeve (unanticipated at the actual concert)‚ for in the closing ‘Entry of the Masters’ the LSO Chorus suddenly leap to their feet and join in enthusiastically‚ to make a grandiloquent finale. The Götterdämmering excerpts are even more vividly projected‚ with the Royal Festival Hall a backcloth for strikingly full­bodied horns and rich string sonorities with a convincing depth of acoustic. Stokowski again sustains consistently high tension‚ and in the Funeral March sequence he generates a compellingly ferocious rhythmic impact from the LSO brass. They are joined by Berit Lindholm‚ making her Festival Hall début‚ in a noble account of Brünnhilde’s Immolation scene‚ movingly rich­toned‚ passionate‚ vocally secure and firm of line. She could not hope for a more responsive accompanist and Stokowski’s final orchestral conflagration caps her climax unforgettably‚ with the LSO strings achieving that radiant ‘Philadelphia­style’ patina that was unique to this maestro – again revealed here as one of the very greatest of 20th­century conductors. Alas‚ for texts and translations one is referred to a website‚ an unsatisfactory alternative to having them in the booklet.