George Gershwin’s An American in Paris. Recordings conducted by Felix Slatkin and by Leonard Slatkin.

In the ‘Building a Library’ section of Record Review (BBC Radio 3; November 8, 2025), conductor Ben Gernon nominated Felix Slatkin’s mid-1950s’ Capitol recording of Gershwin’s masterpiece as top recommendation, and he and presenter Andrew McGregor suggested the used-here French transfer as the one to go for: Un Américain à Paris, Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra/Felix Slatkin (Les indispensables de Diapason). In addition, Gernon praised Leonard Slatkin’s “terrific” St. Louis Symphony taping (presume it’s the one for Vox?), all three below…

Recorded February 6, 1956.

CMO GREAT MAESTROS: LEONARD SLATKIN GERSHWIN MASTERCLASS – AN AMERICAN IN PARIS.

Leonard Slatkin’s St. Louis An American in Paris recorded September 1974 and recently remastered for Vox Audiophile, a piece that Leonard conducts regularly. Also included in the above post is his illuminating masterclass on the music and his conducting of the score’s relatively new Critical Edition with Detroit SO. Plus the 1929 premiere recording of AiP.

1987…

https://www.discogs.com/master/1683757-Gershwin-Saint-Louis-Symphony-Orchestra-Leonard-Slatkin-Catfish-Row-An-American-In-Paris-Cuban-Overt?srsltid=AfmBOoqJ4bzNbKI-rfo_Izm91amvYTEzWPDuPCFybTANts2uu6Bw4J1U

Record Review Nov.8 – https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002lnk2 – ‘Building a Library’ starts an hour in.

Editorial postscript…

1957 – Felix Slatkin records Benjamin Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra/Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell, and, with Victor Aller, Ernst (Ernö) von Dohnányi’s Variations on a Nursery Tune. Concert Arts Symphony Orchestra; Capitol.

1958 – Capitol Records releases Gaîté Parisienne (Offenbach/Rosenthal) with Felix Slatkin conducting the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra.

September & October 1956 – Felix Slatkin & the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra record “Symphonic Dances” for Capitol.