THE FELIX
SLATKIN WEBSITE
FELIX SLATKIN (1915 - 1963) was an
arranger,
conductor and violinist. He was active in Hollywood during the
40's,
50's and early 60's. During his career he won wide acclaim and
respect
for his innovative and inspired contributions to many recordings.
In the 40's, Slatkin was the concertmaster of the 20th Century Fox studio orchestra. He later conducted the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra and also formed the Concert Arts Orchestra, recording with both ensembles. He was Frank Sinatra's concertmaster and conductor of choice during the Capitol years of the 50's. Also during the 50's, Slatkin produced and conducted two outstanding albums of military music on the Capitol label. He later recorded several albums for Liberty leading the "Fantastic Strings" at the height of the "Stereo Action" period. Like many studio musicians, he was also virtuoso performer in his own right. He recorded as a classical violinist, and he and his wife, cellist Eleanor Aller -- also a studio regular for whom John Williams wrote a prominent part in the score of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"-- founded a legendary American classical group, the Hollywood String Quartet.
Felix Slatkin and Eleanor Aller had two sons.
Leonard Slatkin is Music Director Laureate of the Detroit
Symphony Orchestra (DSO) and Directeur Musical Honoraire of the
Orchestre National de Lyon (ONL). He maintains a rigorous schedule of
guest conducting throughout the world and is active as a composer,
author, and educator. He has also served as Music Director (2008)
of the Detroit
Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the National Symphony
Orchestra, and is Conductor Laureate of the St.Louis
Symphony
Orchestra.
Frederick Zlotkin (Fred uses the original Russian spelling of
the family name) is a well-known cellist, who has served as Principal
Cellist for the New York City Ballet, and has also performed regularly
with the New York Philharmonic and the Lyric Piano
Quartet.
LINKS:
INTERVIEW WITH FRED
ZLOTKIN (with reminiscences of life in the Felix Slatkin household)
FELIX SLATKIN AND FRANK SINATRA
"Uncle Frank: Sinatra and the
Slatkins" - reminiscences by Leonard Slatkin
THE HOLLYWOOD STRING QUARTET (Felix Slatkin,
violin)
BBC TV program (58:50)
which focuses on Korngold's score for the film "DECEPTION" and the
Cello Concerto that figures in the film. Rare film
clips and home movies of Korngold are included. There
is also substantial material on Felix Slatkin, Eleanor Slatkin and the
Hollywood String Quartet. The Cello Concerto is performed
by Frederick Zlotkin with the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by
Leonard Slatkin.
FELIX
SLATKIN
ON
SPOTIFY
(several
complete
albums
are
included)
Screen shots from Felix Slatkin songs broadcast on SiriusXM Radio
"Escape" Channel:
Night Theme 1
Night Theme 2
Green
Leaves of Summer
Golden Earrings
Screen shot from Felix Slatkin song broadcast on Music Choice "Easy
Listening" Cable TV Channel:
Lonesome
Road (NOTE: For songs not available on CD, Music Choice
shows the album title as "Spotlight on Felix Slatkin")
"Army Fiddlers" - Taken
when
Felix
served
in
the
Army
Air
Force
Tactical
Command,
c.
1944-5,
in
a
musical
capacity.
From
left
to
right:
Bronislaw
Caper,
Felix,
Marshall
Sosson
and
Ruggiero
Ricci (a battalion of fiddle
players for sure!). (Courtesy Fred Zlotkin)
With Irma Neumann - Taken on the
recording stage of 20th Century Fox (year unknown). Left to
right: Violinist Irma Neumann, flutist Louella Howard and Felix.
(Courtesy Fred Zlotkin)
Felix Slatkin conducting an orchestral
recording session
Felix
Slatkin conducting (portrait)
Capitol Records ad congratulating Felix for
1958 Grammy Award
Ad congratulating
all Capitol Records 1958 Grammy winners, including both Felix Slatkin
and the Hollywood String Quartet
Closeup of Felix
Closeup
of HSQ
Billboard Magazine items:
Obituary in
Billboard Magazine (Feb. 23, 1963)
Leonard Slatkin and Frederick Zlotkin performed the Korngold Cello
Concerto at Kennedy Center on February 8, 2002.
The brothers' recording of the Concerto was released on BBC
Music
Magazine
CD
Vol
12
No
2.
Other links of interest:
NY Times article about Fred and
Leonard
EasyListeningHQ.com
(excellent
resource page - now offline)
Salli Terri - unofficial home
page (Slatkin recorded with this vocalist on several occasions)
Bob
Thompson (Atomic Magazine page) (Bob collaborated with Slatkin on
various projects)
Space Age Pop: Leo
Arnaud (collaborated with Slatkin on "CHARGE!")
Space Age Pop: String
Groups (includes entry for Fantastic Strings of Felix Slatkin)
Both Sides Now Album
Discographies
Main Page (excellent resource for Liberty discography info)
The
Hollywood String Quartet, Classical Notes, Peter Gutmann
Felix Slatkin recordings on SoundCloud
Felix
Slatkin
recordings
on Spotify
Find-a-Grave
page
for
Felix
Slatkin (You can leave a memorial tribute
here)