Andre Kostelanetz Show – An Orchestral Treat from a Master of Easy Listening Music
Before easy listening music had a name, Russian émigré Andre Kostelanetz was already crafting the sound that would define the genre. From his childhood in the Petrograd choir to his flight from the Russian Revolution and arrival in the United States in 1922, Kostelanetz brought a unique, warm orchestral style to radio audiences. This digital collection of 25 broadcasts, spanning over 12 hours, captures the golden years of his popular series and showcases his remarkable talent for arranging show tunes and classical pieces for mass appeal. With record sales exceeding 52 million, Kostelanetz was not only a master conductor but also an early champion of recording technology and the value of recording engineers.
Collection Highlights
- Star-Studded Guest Roster: Features performances alongside legendary vocalists and musicians including Lily Pons, Perry Como, Oscar Levant, Jane Froman, Eleanor Steber, and Gladys Swarthout, offering a rare glimpse into mid-century radio's finest collaborations.
- Broadcast Chronology (1943–1946): Enjoy 25 carefully preserved episodes from the height of Kostelanetz's career, including broadcasts from May 1943 to April 1946 — a period when his 65-piece orchestra was the largest in radio.
- Pioneering Orchestral Innovation: Hear Kostelanetz’s signature easy listening arrangements that bridged classical music and popular show tunes, making sophisticated music accessible to millions of listeners across America.
- Historic Final Performance Context: This collection represents the enduring legacy of a conductor who performed until his final concert, "A Night in Old Vienna," with the San Francisco Symphony on New Year's Eve 1979, just weeks before his passing.
Track Listing
Show all 50 tracks (12 hours, 16 min)
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 430501 00 Dorothy Kirsten
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 430508 00 Oscar Levant
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 430718 00 Nadine Connor
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 430823 00 Robert Weede
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 430920 00 Irma Gonzalez
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 431025 00 Rose Brampton
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 440000 34 Jane Froman
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 440000 35 Kenny Baker
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 440521 00 Eleanor Steber
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 440813 00 Eleanor Steber
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 441008 82 Dorothy Maynor
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 441105 00 Nikolai Alexander
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 441112 00 Earl Wrightson
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 441203 00 Frank Parker
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460110 00 Ginny Simms
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460117 00 Guest Lily Pons
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460124 00 Ginny Simms
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460131 00 Lily Pons
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460214 00 Gladys Swarthout
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460221 00 Perry Como
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460307 00 Kenny Baker
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460314 00 Lily Pons
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460328 00 Lanny Ross
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460411 00 Ethel Smith
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460425 00 Lily Pons
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 430501 00 Dorothy Kirsten
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 430508 00 Oscar Levant
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 430718 00 Nadine Connor
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 430823 00 Robert Weede
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 430920 00 Irma Gonzalez
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 431025 00 Rose Brampton
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 440000 34 Jane Froman
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 440000 35 Kenny Baker
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 440521 00 Eleanor Steber
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 440813 00 Eleanor Steber
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 441008 82 Dorothy Maynor
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 441105 00 Nikolai Alexander
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 441112 00 Earl Wrightson
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 441203 00 Frank Parker
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460110 00 Ginny Simms
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460117 00 Guest Lily Pons
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460124 00 Ginny Simms
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460131 00 Lily Pons
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460214 00 Gladys Swarthout
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460221 00 Perry Como
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460307 00 Kenny Baker
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460314 00 Lily Pons
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460328 00 Lanny Ross
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460411 00 Ethel Smith
- Andre Kostelanetz Show 460425 00 Lily Pons
