Leopold Anthony Stokowski (18 April 188213 September 1977) was a British
conductor of
Polish and
Irish descent. One of the leading conductors of the early and mid-20th Century, he is best known for his long association with the
Philadelphia Orchestra and for appearing in the film
Fantasia. He was especially noted for his free-hand conducting style that spurned the traditional
baton and for obtaining a characteristically sumptuous sound from the orchestras he directed.