Search - Igor Stravinsky, Robert Craft, Philharmonia Orchestra of London :: Stravinsky: The Firebird; Petrushka [Hybrid SACD]

Stupendous Performances in Brilliant SACD Sound

J Scott Morrison | Middlebury VT, USA | 03/25/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There have, of course, been many recordings of these two early Stravinsky ballets, and you probably have your favorites. Among mine are the classic Bernstein, and the more recent Nagano/London Symphony and Tilson Thomas/San Francisco Symphony. But this one, partly because of the incredible sound reproduction via the SACD process, trumps those. Of course I wouldn't say that if the Philharmonia under Robert Craft didn't play spectacularly, but they do. In 'Firebird,' for instance, the 'Infernal Dance of Kastchei and his subjects' actually made the hair on the back of my neck stand up it was so vividly done. And that is followed by a tender 'Firebird's Lullaby' that brings a lump to the throat. One must comment about the striking playing of winds and brass (particularly the solo horn in 'Kastchei's spell is broken').



'Petrushka' is played in the 1947 revision of the 1911 score. Craft manages to underline the connection between the two ballets, musically, while not stinting in the much more advanced idiom of 'Petrushka.' The accordion push-pull harmonies are given their full due. The various solo turns (flute in 'Mountebank,' cornet in 'The Ballerina,' tuba in 'Peasant and Bear') are marvelously played, as is the extremely important orchestral piano part. Craft in both ballets takes slightly faster tempi in the more active tableaux than we may be used to, but this lends a breathless élan to those fast sections, and then in the lyrical sections he coaxes a legato sweetness from the orchestra that is sometimes missing. He recognizes that Stravinsky did not write sentimental music, but that it is nonetheless full of feeling.



This is, as far as I'm concerned, a completely successful set of performances given spectacular sound. I have not heard the plain vanilla CD and cannot comment on any differences there may be in the older format, but the plain CD layer of this disc is almost the equal sonically of the SACD layer; I can only assume the same is true for the CD-only release is similar.



TT=78:53



Scott Morrison"

Marvelous Firebird but the Petrushka?

DeLayland | Alexandria, VA United States | 06/29/2006

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I agree entirely with the other reviewers about the Firebird. It's difficult to imagine anyone besting this stunning performance by the London Philharmonia Orchestra or the sitting right there feel captured in this recording at Abbey Road Studios in November 1996. And that's just the CD layer. Simply phenomenal.



So why on the Petrushka does a recording of the same orchestra under the same conductor at the same studio 2 months later sound so completely and overwhelmingly lacking? Just to be sure I didn't have cotton in my ears, I pulled out the 1969 recording I have on vinyl of the Boston Symphony Orchestra directed by Seiji Ozawa on the RCA Red Seal label (VCS-7099). I had not listened to it in years but except for the occasional pop, it was every bit as spectacular as I remembered and sounded truly wonderful.



When I finally purchase an SACD player worthy of the format, I hope I will hear what the others reviewer's are talking about but given Mr Morrison's comment about the similarity of the two layers, I have my doubts.



So how do you rate 5 stars for the Firebird and 0 stars for the Petrushka? It really is that bad."