Search - Stravinsky, Goosens, London Symphony Orchestra :: Petrouchka / Symphony in 3 Movements

Excellent recordings restored by CD

Dr. Paul R. Terry | Bedworth, Warwickshire United Kingdom | 05/16/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had the original Everest LP of the Symphony in Three Movements, and was always impressed by its range and power, but the transfer to CD opens the sound out to an astonishing degree. The bass drum 'thwacks' in the first movement are really great, and the performance of Petrushka in equally interesting : Goossens never lets us forget that this is a serious story, with a tragic outcome, reflected in his weighty and dramatic reading of the score. A Philips re-issue a few years back also included a stereo re-make of 'Ebony Concerto' with Woody Herman's band, and I hope that gets a re-issue (if it hasn't already happened). Even so, this is a reminder of Goosens' abilities as a conductor, and of Everest's marvellous recording style."

Ocd igor

Darryl K. Clark | springfield, missouri | 05/10/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"when i get hooked on a piece of classical music, i tend to listen to every recording i can find until i find one i like.



this is the one. and what do i like so much? the last measure of the 'symphony in three movements'. not movement, measure. that's a story in and of itself. the piece itself is stravinsky's farewell, in a way, to what made him so notorious as a composer. wonderfully bitter harmonies, trademark mixes of accents and meters, arresting orchestrations and a general sense of the panoramic in size and tone. this is a big work--almost like a movie score.



rumor has it that some of it was written for a movie. much of the second movement's theme and orchestration was intended as underscoring to 'the song of bernadette'. now whether or not that's true, it may be impossible for some people to watch that film the same way again."