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product details and reviews (5.70 seconds for ASIN B0000026GJ)
Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky: Petrushka / Le Sacre du Printempsproduct pricing List Price: Price: $10.99 You Save: $-2.00 (-22%) ![]() Publisher: SonyRelease Date: October 25, 1990Media: Audio CDRelated ProductsView some of the @count@ related items available from eBay. Related Items Available from eBayProduct DescriptionWhatever the limitations of Stravinsky's baton technique, no one else on disc conjures the same bustling excitement at the outset of Petrouchka. Overlapping, polyrhythmic textures in Petrouchka and in Le Sacre du Printemps come off with Mozartian lucidity, Mendelssonian lightness, and, well, Stravinsky-esque rhythmic exactitude (notwithstanding a few hesitant entrances). The clarity partly stems from the composer's use of his leaner revised scores, helped by close-up, analytical mike work by CBS. There are, of course, slicker, more sonically opulent versions of these 20th century landmarks. And then there are Stravinsky's. --Jed Distler Average Rating: 4.5 Product ReviewsHoly Moly It's insane that I am only hearing this recording now. I have several recordings of Petrouchka and the Rite of Spring, favorites of mine since I first heard them when I was young. Somewhere along the line I had been told that Stravinsky was not the best interpreter of his own works. Even here the Amazon blurb mentions his 'limitations with a baton' or something to that effect in its opening sentence. So, wanting to avoid that letdown and also knowing that I have grown accustomed to a recording I especially love (Bernard Haitink 1973), I never looked into these "old" recordings.
Incredible! Fire and energy and control. Refreshing. Energizing. In this case, it is true that the master knows best. Won't need that coffee in the morning - this will do just fine! Stravinsky Delivers His Compositions His Way It's very special experience to hear a composer conduct his own compositions. Sometimes it works and other times it doesn't. Igor Stravinsky proved to be one of the best "composer conductors" yet. The main reason I can think this works so well is because his music was so unique. It's certainly hard to describe his music to people and put it on paper, but his style was centered around a very "up front" instrumentation and almost jagged or cut up rhythmic movements that took his pieces to very unusual places sonically.
The great thing here is the stark, frightening, powerful 'Le sacre' Both of these recordings date from 1960 when the composer was 77, young enough so that there is no falling off in energy and propulsion. Le sacre was recorded first, in January, with a New York-based Columbia Sym. Orchestra. Petrushka was recorded the following month in Los Angeles with a different Columbia Sym. Orchestra -- this name always signifies a pickup group of freelancers and symhony musicians. Listening to this original Sony CD and the later remastering for their "Original Jacket" series, I hear little difference, except that Petrushka sounds brighter on top (too bright if you turn the volume up), so there's no great urgency to throw away the older version.
A Must-have recording I never understood why conductors have to make such a complicated hash of these pieces.
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