Pierre Boulez Edition - Stravinsky: Rite Of Spring, Petrouchka / New York PO, Cleveland Orchestra

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
With the New York Philharmonic on its best behavior, Pierre Boulez uncorks a reading of Petrushka that is vibrant, energetic, and full-voiced, with razor-sharp rhythm and ensemble. The solos, played by the likes of Julius Baker (flute) and Paul Jacobs (piano), have never been more effectively done. The recording, with the sizzling sonics typical of CBS's multitrack heyday, offers an X-ray of the score; the remastering is excellent. Pierre Boulez's interpretation of The Rite of Spring is perhaps more French than Russian, but it's impressive nonetheless. While it emphasizes structure, clarity, and texture over raw energy and visceral excitement, and always keeps something in reserve, it is tellingly potent in the "Glorification of the Chosen One" and the "Sacrificial Dance." In this account Boulez and the Cleveland Orchestra established a new standard for ensemble, virtuosity, and idiomatic execution of the music, and their recording remains one of the great achievements of the stereo era. --Ted Libbey

Tracks:

Petrushka: Bulesque In Four Scenes: Fete populaire de la Semaine Grasse - The Shrove-Tide Fair - Jahrmarkt in der Fastnachtswoche
Petrushka: Bulesque In Four Scenes: La Baraque du Charlaten - The Charlatan's Booth - Die Bude des Gauklers
Petrushka: Bulesque In Four Scenes: Dance russe - Russian Dance - Russischer Tanz
Petrushka: Bulesque In Four Scenes: Petrushka's Room - Chez Petrouchka - Petrushka's Room - Bei Petruschka
Petrushka: Bulesque In Four Scenes: Chez le Maure - The Moor's Room - Bei dem Mohren
Petrushka: Bulesque In Four Scenes: Dance de la Ballerine - Dance Of The Ballerina - Tanz der Ballerina
Petrushka: Bulesque In Four Scenes: Valse - La Ballerine et le Maure - Waltz - The Ballerina And The Moor - Walzer - Die Ballerina und der Mohr
Petrushka: Bulesque In Four Scenes: Fete populaire de la Semaine Grasse (vers le soir ) - Dance des Nounous - The Shrove - tide Fair (towards evening) - Dance Of The Wet-Nurses - Jahrmarkt in der Fastnachtswoche (gegen Abend) - Tanz der Ammen
Petrushka: Bulesque In Four Scenes: L' Ours et un paysan - The Bear And The Peasant - Der Bar und ein Bauer
Petrushka: Bulesque In Four Scenes: Un Marchand fetard avec deux Tziganes - The Jovial Merhant With Two Gypsy Girls - Der genubsuchtige Kaufmann mit zwei Zigeunerinnen
Petrushka: Bulesque In Four Scenes: Dance des cochers et des palefreniers - Dance Of The Coachmen And Grooms - Tanz der Kutscher und Stallknechte
Petrushka: Bulesque In Four Scenes: Les Deguises - The Masqueraders - Die Maskierten
Petrushka: Bulesque In Four Scenes: La Rixe: Le Maure et Petrouchka - The Fight: The Moor And Petrushka - Der Kampf : Der Mohr und Petruschka
Petrushka: Bulesque In Four Scenes: Mort de Petrouchka - Death Of Petrushka - Petruschkas Tod
Petrushka: Bulesque In Four Scenes: La Police et le Charlaten - Apparition du double de Petrouchka - The Police And The Charlaten - Apparition Of Petrushka's Double - Die Polizei und der Gaukler - Erscheinung von Petrushkas Geist
The Rite Of Spring: Scenes Of Pagan Russia In Two Parts: Introduction - Lento
The Rite Of Spring: Scenes Of Pagan Russia In Two Parts: Les Augures printaniers (Danses des adolescentes) - The Augurs Of Spring (Dance Of The Young Girls) - Vorboten des Fruhlings (Tanze der jungen Madchen)
The Rite Of Spring: Scenes Of Pagan Russia In Two Parts: Jeu du rapt - Mock Abduction - Spiel der Entfuhrung
The Rite Of Spring: Scenes Of Pagan Russia In Two Parts: Rondes printanieres - Spring Round Dances - Fruhlingsreigen
The Rite Of Spring: Scenes Of Pagan Russia In Two Parts: Jeux des cites rivales - Games Of The Rival Tribes - Spiel der feindlichen Stamme
The Rite Of Spring: Scenes Of Pagan Russia In Two Parts: Cortege du Sage - Procession Of The Wise Elder - Prozession des weisen Alten
The Rite Of Spring: Scenes Of Pagan Russia In Two Parts: Adoration de la terre (Le Sage) - Adoration Of The Earth (The Wise Elder) - Anbetung der Erde (Der wiese Alte)
The Rite Of Spring: Scenes Of Pagan Russia In Two Parts: Dance de la terre - Dance Of The Earth -Tanz der Erde
The Rite Of Spring: Scenes Of Pagan Russia In Two Parts: Introduction - Largo
The Rite Of Spring: Scenes Of Pagan Russia In Two Parts: Cercles mysterieux des adolescentes - Mystical Circles Of The Young Girls - Geheimnisvolle Krise der jungen Madchen
The Rite Of Spring: Scenes Of Pagan Russia In Two Parts: Glorification de l' Elue - Glorification Of The Chosen Victim - Verherrlichung der Auserwahlten
The Rite Of Spring: Scenes Of Pagan Russia In Two Parts: Evocation des ancetres - Summoning Of The Ancestors - Anrufung der Ahnen
The Rite Of Spring: Scenes Of Pagan Russia In Two Parts: Action rituelle des ancetres - Ritual Of The Ancestors - Weihevolle Handlung der Ahnen
The Rite Of Spring: Scenes Of Pagan Russia In Two Parts: Dance sacrale (L' Elue ) - Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen Victim) - Opfertanz (Die Auserwahlte)

Amazon.com essential recording

With the New York Philharmonic on its best behavior, Pierre Boulez uncorks a reading of Petrushka that is vibrant, energetic, and full-voiced, with razor-sharp rhythm and ensemble. The solos, played by the likes of Julius Baker (flute) and Paul Jacobs (piano), have never been more effectively done. The recording, with the sizzling sonics typical of CBS's multitrack heyday, offers an X-ray of the score; the remastering is excellent. Pierre Boulez's interpretation of The Rite of Spring is perhaps more French than Russian, but it's impressive nonetheless. While it emphasizes structure, clarity, and texture over raw energy and visceral excitement, and always keeps something in reserve, it is tellingly potent in the "Glorification of the Chosen One" and the "Sacrificial Dance." In this account Boulez and the Cleveland Orchestra established a new standard for ensemble, virtuosity, and idiomatic execution of the music, and their recording remains one of the great achievements of the stereo era. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Great sound and performances from a 20th-21st century conductor/composer of another 20th century composer.......2005-09-19

Pierre Boulez leads brilliant, blistering performances of 2 of Stravinsky's famous ballets, "Petrouchka" (1911) and "The Rite of Spring" (1913). The New York Philharmonic recording of "Petrouchka" (recorded in 1971) has moderate tempos in many places, and Boulez is nicely nuanced where needed. Stravinsky's colorful orchestration is always apparent, and Boulez lets the music speak for itself: the elements of cruelty and grotesquery are always obvious in Stravinsky's score of a somewhat disturbed plot, written just a few years prior to World War I, a time of political and social upheaval and instability. This is a fascinating recording, and I've heard many: Ormandy (Sony), Bernstein/New York (CBS), Dutoit/London Symphony (DG), Ansermet (Decca), Rahbari (Naxos), Craft (Naxos), Monteux/Paris Conservatoire (London LP), and Stravinsky/Columbia Symphony (CBS). Boulez tends to be clinical in parts of the score, and Stravinsky can take it. Very fine recording.

"Le Sacre du Printemps" (the rite of spring) recorded in 1969 with the Cleveland Orchestra, is also excellent. Boulez keeps the motion and momentum going throughout the Part I and II, up to the "sacrificial dance" (final movement) - where he takes a tempo which is slower than usual. Boulez's tempo is not too slow, nor does it drag, but it is slower than Bernstein/New York (Columbia LP), Ancerl (Supraphon), Abbado/London (DG), or Mehta/New York (Sony).

Sound in both recordings is excellent, better than many DDD recordings made in the past 15 years. Highly recommended, as a souvenir of one great conductor/composer interpreting another.

Exceptional Performances.......2005-08-06

Pierre Boulez, according to some, is known for being too analytical and quite dry in just about everything he does. The recordings come out as meticulously well-played and quite clear, but atmospherically and musically bland. However, I believe there are exceptions: this recording of two of Stravinsky's warhorses is one of them.

Beginning with Petrouchka, Boulez's reputation for making an ensemble play virtuosically and with great clarity is proven. Even while someone may have complained about there not being equal treatment in recording balance, I got the feeling that it sounded more like sitting in an orchestra hall. The soloists play their hearts out (as does the rest of the orchestra) and I have not found anything to complain about.

The excitement of Petrouchka ends and I feel myself begging for more excellent music, and to my relief, Rite of Spring begins with that eerie bassoon solo. I got to thinking that if the beginning solo was any indication of what was to come from the rest of the orchestra on this masterpiece, I was in for a ride I didn't want to get off. The colors and timbre the orchestra put forth and the blend just blew me away. I could feel the terror of this music and it was ingratiating.

Sonics on this recording are top notch and have been since its 'silver disc' debut 11 years ago. So with the quality of sound and quality of performance adding up to top notch, my conclusion is get it and don't regret it. At the price Amazon offers it for, it's a STEAL.

So you want to start listening to classical music...........2004-07-19

This is a pretty good place to start for neophytes. Stravinsky was ahead of much of the pack and at the same time never really dove completely into 12-tone, and these two are his definitive works. Plus, you can always count on Boulez to give a straightforward reading of anything he's involved with.

Unbeatable value, but only one of many.......2003-12-05

The Rite of Spring is easily one of the most significant pieces of music ever written. Every time I hear a radio station having a listeners' poll of "best pieces of classical music," the Rite is always among the top 5. Though the piece can be challenging for those who have never heard Stravinsky, it's a profound piece that yields more enjoyment with each listen (so the first hundred listens are certainly in the "learning" stage).

Among the recordings out there, each accentuates different aspects of the complexity of Stravinsky's score, and a good handful are worth having. Some are noteworthy for their sheer force, while others for their clarity and refinement. This one, an earlier recording of Cleveland under Boulez, is a nice balance of precision and force. Compared to others, it can seem uninteresting, though. At a budget price, however, it certainly provides return for the dollar. Boston under Ozawa (Reference) is a much more forceful and exact performance, and is also sold at a budget price.

Most of the best recordings are still at full price. Boulez has changed drastically in the last 2 decades--now he is less dogmatic, more flexible, and better liked by orchestra players. Since recording quality has also made great strides, the recent recording of Petrouchka and the Rite with Cleveland under Boulez is hard to pass up. The Petrouchka is especially charming. It is only about $3 more, and every bit worth it.

For sheer force, I have always preferred Saint Louis under Leonard Slatkin, though this may be out of print. For precision, the recent recording of San Francisco under Tilson Thomas cannot be beat.

Comparable to the 1969 Boulez/Cleveland, Karajan's with the Berlin Philharmonic is also a classic, notable for its consistency and depth of musicianship, though Karajan audibly struggles with his orchestra at times (I always found this to add "drama" to the work). For recording quality, perhaps the best is Minnesota under Oue, which is also an amazingly clear and exact reading, but perhaps reserved.

In sum, the 1969 Boulez recording is a classic recording for a budget price, but I'd probably go for the Ozawa for the same price. In any event, Tilson Thomas's is amazing and worth every dollar at full price, and Boulez's more recent one is also good.

Get this! :).......2003-08-17

This album is great... excellent performances and really, really great music.... and it's cheap, too!

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