These six short films were commissioned by St. Bartholomew’s Conservancy as part of its celebration of the artistic legacy of Leopold Stokowski. The Philadelphia Orchestra’s legendary Music Director and Conductor began his American career as Organist and Choirmaster at St. Bartholomew’s Church and concluded it with a final choral concert there on April 16, 1972.

The films explore and illuminate the historical context in which Stokowski’s extraordinary career unfolded. When he arrived in 1905, what was Gilded Age New York really like? How did the massive size of the St. Bartholomew's pipe organ influence Stokowski's musical ambitions? When he left St. Bartholomew’s, why did he go first to Paris? How did Paris figure in the imagination of early 20th Century New York? And what roles did St. Bartholomew’s play in fostering that imagination?

The six films, each of which is introduced by Philippe de Montebello, the longest-serving head of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, contain compelling stories that answer those kinds of questions. We hope you will watch and enjoy them all.

EPISODE ONE The Spirit of Leopold Stokowski Returns to New York Presented by Leon Botstein, Bard College President and Music Director of the American Symphony Orchestra, which Stokowski founded. A survey of Stokowski's career as a performing artist, whose embrace of audio-visual technology transformed the audience for classical music in the United States.		EPISODE TWO The Monumental St. Bartholomew’s Pipe Organ Presented by Paolo Bordignon, St. Bartholomew's Organist and Choirmaster. An introduction to the largest pipe organ in New York City created by a succession of great American organ builders. Its 12,422 pipes are uniquely installed in the walls and Great Dome of St. Bartholomew’s Church, to maximize the outstanding acoustics.
EPISODE THREE The Parisian Belle Epoque and Gilded Age New York Presented by Bénédicte de Montlaur, President and CEO of the World Monuments Fund. An exploration of French cultural influences on New York City in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries that inspired the development of Park Avenue and the architectural styles of Grand Central Station and St. Bartholomew's Church.		EPISODE FOUR Composer Amy Beach Presented by Angel Blue, Grammy Award-winning soprano and a star of the Metropolitan Opera. A focus on the life and genius of Amy Marcy Cheney Beach, a friend of Leopold Stokowski and the first American woman to join the ranks of celebrated orchestral composers. Today her work is being rediscovered by orchestras across the country.
EPISODE FIVE Muralist Hildreth Meière Presented by Kathleen Murphy Skolnik, co-author of The Art Deco Murals of Hildreth Meière. Highlights of the brilliant work of 20th Century American Muralist Hildreth Meière. A colleague of architect Bertram Goodhue, Meière’s commissions included Radio City Music Hall, the National Academy of Sciences, and St. Bartholomew’s Church for which she designed mosaics and stained glass windows.		EPISODE SIX St. Bartholomew’s Church in New York City Presented by Paul Goldberger, Pulitzer Prize-winning architectural historian and critic. A focus on the historic church's coinciding commitments to great architecture and robust social service and the significance of both for New York City. For almost two hundred years, St. Bartholomew's has had an impact on the City's growth and development.