Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms; Symphony in Three Movements

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
In a way that oddly prefigures the stance of the "holy minimalists" so currently popular, Stravinsky declared that a motive behind composing his Symphony of Psalms was his "eagerness to counter the many composers who had abused these magisterial verses as pegs for their own lyrico-sentimental 'feelings'." The result issued in one of the 20th century's most perfect choral masterpieces. For all its objective austerity (violins, violas, and clarinets are exiled from the score), the piece is awash in fresh new sound colors and rhythmic vitality (with some family likeness to those Stravinsky explored in Les Noces and Oedipus Rex), ending in a poem of praise (Psalm 150) that radiantly answers the uneasy waiting of the middle movement (Psalm 40). Pierre Boulez maintains the necessary level of diaphanous precision, though he is a measure too sensuous, forceful, and even fast compared with Stravinsky's own visionary account of the work, enveloping the final "Alleluia" in an undeniably beautiful but seductive sheen. Boulez also offers a finely etched, incisive reading of Stravinsky's wartime Symphony in Three Movements that is strong on its astringent ironies. The composer's interests were clearly geared to the symphony more as an exploration of possible sound worlds than to its traditional form, even in his most neoclassical period, as in the ritualistic gestures of the Symphonies of Wind Instuments. It's a nice snapshot of earlier Stravinsky, though this disc would be even more compelling if it had instead included the Symphony in C to make a compendium of his best symphonies such as can be found on Georg Solti's Stravinsky collection. But listeners familiar with only the great Stravinsky ballets have a goldmine left to discover in these works. --Thomas May

Tracks:

Symphony in Three Movements: I - Overture; Allegro
Symphony in Three Movements: II - Andante; Interlude: L'istesso tempo
Symphony in Three Movements: III - Con moto
Symphony In C: I - Moderato alla breve
Symphony In C: II - Larghetto concertante
Symphony In C: III - Allegretto
Symphony In C: IV - Largo; Tempo giusto, alla breve
Symphony Of Psalms: Part I
Symphony Of Psalms: Part II
Symphony Of Psalms: Part III

Amazon.com essential recording

Stravinsky was seldom the best conductor of his own music, but this disc of his three symphonies is an exception. In the first place, none of them are all that difficult to conduct--at least compared to some of his earlier works--and he seems to have been in particularly good form throughout these recording sessions. He gets a particularly enthusiastic response from his Canadian forces in the Symphony of Psalms--one of this century's great choral masterworks, and seems to really enjoy the neo-classical elegance of the Symphony in C. Of all of the individual releases from Sony's complete Stravinsky edition, this one has pride of place. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Emotional Music of Great Composer, Adequate Conductor.......2007-07-21

Stravinksy was certainly passionate about his music and world's happenings, here exhibited by Symphony in Three Movements composed around world events of 40's.

Symphony in C was done during time of great illness for the composer, yet he persevered under commission.

Finally the Symphony of Psalms, based on his coming to faith in latter life, which is based around Psalm 150 and here energetically performed by Canadian choir. His choice of Latin is spot on I believe, giving an aura of poetic movement and grandeur to the piece. The allegro is favorite, with its vision of Elijah's chariot climbing after the swinging low descent.

About as Good as Stravinsky (the composer) gets........2007-01-16

After listening to several of his 'classical period' stuff, especially his operas, I was really pleased to listen to these works which contain elements which made his ballets the great works they are. Being a sucker for choral works, I especially liked the Symphonie of Psalms. Hurray for CD's of classic recordings.

A prized recording.......2004-07-07

Igor Stravinsky conducts three of his own masterpieces in this compilation of recordings from the 1960's. SYMPHONY IN THREE MOVEMENTS was inspired by wartime newsreels. The vitriolic outer movements show definite jazz and big-band influence - which the CBC orchestra glories in - while the second movement is of a classical tranquility and grace. The elegant SYMPHONY IN C was meant as a tribute to Haydn and Bach; but the haunting, unresolved bitonal chord that dissolves into silence in the end makes the work quintessentially modern. And the SYMPHONY OF PSALMS, one of the great religious works of the 20th century, is heavenly music; Stravinsky and his forces give it an austere reading of almost chamber-music clarity. These performances leave nothing to be desired. This CD has become one of my most prized recordings.

Essential.......2004-05-26

Who better to interpret a composer's music than the composer himself? This CD is an excellent introduction to these 20th-century masterworks. THREE MOVEMENTS bristles with explosive energy and PSALMS is austere and perfectly controlled, the lines of polyphony in the second movement coming through with extraordinary clarity. Not only is this a great recording, but it is an important historical document which tells us how Stravinsky intended these works to sound. As such, it could be an important reference to other conductors. I enjoyed this recording very much and I highly recommend it.

History more important than the Sound........2001-01-12

OK, so this recording was made a long time ago, and it shows.

Never mind! You will never hear grander performances of these three works. Who better to interpret Stravinsky's music than the composer himself?

The two orchestral symphonies are wonderful, but the prize on this recording is the Symphony of Psalms. The first time I ever heard the piece was at a San Francisco Symphony concert with Stravinsky conducting-- an electrifying experience. This recording, though it's of a different performance, captures that moment perfectly. I can close my eyes and see Stravinsky's tight, coiled beat-- can watch the concertmaster's eyes as he was transfixed by the composer's every move-- can see the awe-struck chorus members as they nervously blended with the orchestra.

And I can relive that moment when the sound died finally away and the audience leaped as one person to its feet.

Tracks:

Fireworks, Op.4 - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Danse Infernale De Tous Les Sujets De Kastchei - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Berceuse (L'Oiseau De Feu) - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Reveil De Kastchei - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Mort De Kastchei - Profonds Tenebres - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Disparition Du Palais Et Des Sortileges De Kastchei, Animation Des Chevaliers Petrifies Allegresse Generale - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Opening - Philharmonia Orchestra
The Shrove-tide Fair - Philharmonia Orchestra
The Charlatan's Booth - Philharmonia Orchestra
Russian Dance - Philharmonia Orchestra
Petrushka's Room - Philharmonia Orchestra
Introduction - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Les Augures Printanieres (Danse Des Adolescentes) - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Jeu Du Rapt - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Rondes Printanieres - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Jeux Des Cites Rivales - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Cortege Du Sage - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Adoration De La Terre (Le Sage) - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Danse De La Terre - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
I. Andante - Members Of The CBC Symphony Orchestra
II. Napolitana - Members Of The CBC Symphony Orchestra
III. Espanola - Members Of The CBC Symphony Orchestra
IV. Balalaika - Members Of The CBC Symphony Orchestra
Ragtime For 11 Instruments - Toni Koves
Marche Royale - Columbia Chamber Ensemble
Petit Concert - Columbia Chamber Ensemble
Piano Rag Music - Igor Stravinsky
Sinfonia (Ouverture) - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Gavotta Con Due Variazioni - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
I. Sinfonia - London Sinfonietta
III. Allegro - Philippe Entremont

Tracks:

Part I. Exaudi Orationem Meam - London Symphony Chorus
IV. Capriccio - Cho-Liang Lin
Chant Sants Paroles - Israel Baker
Premiere Donne - Cleveland Orchestra
I. Tempo Giusto - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
III. Allegretto - London Symphony Orchestra
The Star-Spangled Banner - The Festival Singers Of Toronto
I. Intrada - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Circus Polka (For A Young Elephant) - CBC Symphony Orchestra
Scherzo A La Russe - Philharmonia Orchestra
III. Con Moto - London Symphony Orchestra
I. Allegro Moderato - Benny Goodman
Good People, Just A Moment - Colin Tilney
Tango - Columbia Jazz Combo
Greeting Prelude (For The Eightieth Birthday Of Pierre Monteux) - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
II. Ma Tu, Cagion Di Quella - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Elegy For J.F.K. - Charles Russo
Fanfare For A New Theatre - Robert Nagel
II. Exaudi - Donald Gramm
III. Dies Irae - Donald Gramm
IV. Tuba Mirum - Donald Gramm
The Owl And The Pussycat - Robert Craft
Stravinsky In His Own Words - John McClure

Customer Reviews:

A Fabulous Introduction to Igor Stravinsky!!.......2004-05-19

Sony Music's "The Essential Igor Stravinsky" truly lives up to its title. This double-CD set includes nearly every important piece of work (either in part or in whole) by the great Russian composer. The set also presents the pieces in chronological order beginning in 1908 with "Fireworks" and ending in 1966 with his final piece, the short but simple "Owl and The Pussycat". In between, there are excerpts from Stravinsky's most famous works including the first part of "The Rite Of Spring" and highlights from the "Firebird" and "Petrushka" ballets. There are also lesser-known works included as well as his harmonically rearranged version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" (a rendition which caused a stir in the early 1940's). The entire collection concludes with a rare recorded interview with Igor Stravinsky himself in which he remembers the infamous premere of "The Rite Of Spring".
The CD booklet includes detailed liner notes as well as a written tribute by Trey Anastasio of the band Phish. The sound quality of the recordings is amazing (even on the historic 1934 recording of "Piano Rag Music"). All in all, this an excellent collection of works by the great Igor Stravinsky. In a sense, this compilation gives the composer the 'rock musician' treatment. It's a 'greatest hits' album and a career-spanning retrospective that serves as an ideal introduction to Igor's music. Even if your not a fan of Classical music, it isn't difficult to listen to the works of Stravinsky and not be stirred.
Definitely The Essential Igor Stravinsky!!!

Average customer rating:

Fantastic compilation
Stravinsky sorprendente
Wonderful - Especially The Violin Concerto!
A Great Compilation for Stravinsky Music!

Stravinsky: Symphonies and Concertos

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000041AF
Release Date: 1995-02-14

Tracks:

Symphony In C: Moderato alla breve - Tempo agitato senza troppo accelerare - Tempo I
Symphony In C: Larghetto concertante
Symphony In C: Allegretto - meno mosso - Tempo I - Piu mosso - Tempo I
Symphony In C: Largo - Tempo giusto, alla breve - Poco meno mosso
Symphony in Three Movements: Allegro
Symphony in Three Movements: Andante - Interlude (L'istesso tempo)
Symphony in Three Movements: Con moto
Symphonies for Wind Instruments

Tracks:

Violin Concerto In D: Toccata
Violin Concerto In D: Aria
Violin Concerto In D: Aria
Violin Concerto In D: Capriccio
Ebony Concerto: Allegro moderato
Ebony Concerto: Andante
Ebony Concerto: Moderato
Symphony Of Psalms: Exaudi orationem mea, Domine
Symphony Of Psalms: Expectans expectavi Dominum
Symphony Of Psalms: Alleluia, laudate Dominum

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic compilation.......2006-04-17

You won't be disappointed in this compilation ....all great
choices in the selection of numbers, although the highlight
does seem to be "Violin Concerto".

In terms of sound, it's also very clear, very well recorded,
and there's a balanced selection of moods on these 2 CD.

Stravinsky sorprendente.......2004-12-03

Que Stravinsky nos sorprenda no es algo nuevo, fue y sera para siempre un compositor innovador y sorprendente, pero al oir estas obras sabra que habia mas sorpresas en la cabeza del compositor ruso.
Comienza la audicion y nos encontramos con una sinfonia postmodernista en la linea clasica, brillante, genial; continua en esta linea la sinfonia en tres movimientos que es una obra extraordinaria, poco compleja para el genio rusa pero encantadora.
Sir Colin Davis se hace cargo de estas obras y al igual que como lo hace con Sibelius nos demuestra su versatilidad y manejo de la obrea sinfonica de cualquier autor.
Edo de Waart junto al conjunto de instrumentos de viento de Holanda se encarga de dos bellezas musicales de estructura casi camaresca son bellisimos, simples y originales.
Aparece ahora una genialidad, un concierto para violin cercano a Bartok si se quiere, solo para aproximarlo, grandioso, innovador, genial en la soberbia interpretacion del afamado Arthur Grumiax. Para este solista nada mejor que la orquesta del concertgebouw (de recio sonido)dirigidos por el prolijo Ernest Bour.
Finalizamos esta sorprendente coleccion con la Sinfonia de los Salmos, que es casi un oratorio,partes que podrian ser los tiempos de una sinfonia pero que, se acercan mas a momentos de una liturgia, son bellos simples, exultantes de luminosidad y reflexion. Igor Markevitch el director ruso de tomo y lomo, se une a la sinfonica de Rusia, a coros masculinos y otros solistas para entregarnos esta version generosa e impactante.

Wonderful - Especially The Violin Concerto!.......2004-05-28

This set is worth its modest price just to have Grumiaux in the Violin Concerto, with Ernest Bour and the Concertgebouw providing a virtual x-ray of this marvelous score. Grumiaux provides an object lesson for other violinists in how to combine extraordinarily crisp rhythm with soaring lyricism. Bour demonstrates once again how he was one of the 20th Century's most eloquent advocates of modern music. This is far and away the finest current reading - it very nearly eclipses my benchmark for this piece: Samuel Dushkin with the composer conducting in a 1935 Paris recording on DG.

A wonderful bonus is Markevitch performing the Symphony of Psalms. What a stunning reading! And such a glorious chorus! I actually prefer this reading to Stravinsky's own stereo account, and it comes close to the sheer ecstacy of the composer's antique 1931 recording.

Colin Davis is not one of my favorites, but I have to say he delivers crisp, no-nonsense accounts in both the Sym. in C and the Sym. in 3 Movements. Here, though, I still prefer the composer's various accounts in each work. Finally, the virtuoso Netherlands Wind Ensemble provides the best played versions of the Symphonies for Wind Instruments and the Ebony concerto I have had the pleasure of hearing. Once again, I marginally prefer the composer's mono accounts here: his version of the former was slower and more mysterious, and in the latter he had Woody Herman & Co. in full swing. But neither was as expertly played as these Dutch readings - and the sound here is simply terrific.

This CD set is a wonderful introduction to the kaleidoscopic variety of Stravinsky's music. Be sure to hear that Violin Concerto - it's one of the great performances of ANY concerto.

A Great Compilation for Stravinsky Music!.......2000-05-18

I have to say that I'm not the biggest Stravinsky fan and in fact I have something of a dislike for a lot of 20th Century music if you even call some of the 20th Century works music. So, why did I buy this CD? I'll get to that in a second. You see, I have only truly cared for one of Stravinsky's masterpieces and that was his Symphony of Psalms.

The Symphony of Psalms has always appealed to me for some reason or another and I can never quite put my finger on exactly what that one thing or another is. Perhaps it's the haunting melody that begins the piece in "Exaudi orationem meam" due to its sort of sensation of being forced along at a tempo that never rests and only builds. Then again, perhaps its the amazing "Expectans expectavi Dominum" with it's constant fading in and out of the main melody and constant evolution on throughout the end. There is also a section in "Laudate Dominum" which sounds as if it belonged in a horror movie scene due to the chant which the choir sings and the pianos accompany. What ever the reason there was something about this piece and this piece alone that I simply clingged on to.

So, why buy this CD? More importantly why even dare buy anything but just that piece of music and that piece of music alone. Well, I thought that I might as well, get this CD even though I knew, I just knew, I would dread all the other pieces on it. I just knew that I'd regret that I couldnt just buy the sections of the 2CD set that contained the Symphony of Psalms tracks. I just knew it.

To my surprise, I was dead wrong about this. I was so wrong in fact that when listening to the music you cant help but to feel as if it's slapping you for even doubting it's ability to entertain you and prove it's worthiness. I actually found myself listening to Stravinsky's Symphony in C and his Symphony in Three Movements along with his Violin Concerto in D and even listened to his Ebony Concerto. More surprising then that is that I actually enjoyed listening to them. I think it almost felt unbelievable even to myself that I was repeating a few of the tracks over and listening to them again and again. My only one that I didnt care for was his Symphonies for Wind Instruments which may simply require a hardcore Stravinsky fan to get into. These Symphonies before the Psalms pieces on the 2CD set were such fulfilling appetizers that when the "main course" so to speak came along I was just so captivated by this CD set that I almost didnt need to hear the choir pieces to know I had struck gold with this Stravinsky compilation. Incredible job by all conductors and their orchestra's from the always magnificent Sir Colin Davis to Igor Markevitch. Great CD that all Stravinsky hard cores simply must buy.

Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms; Symphony in Three Movements
Average customer rating:

Recommended by Penguin Guide and Rough Guide

Bravissimo

Boulez and Stravinsky: Should be Perfect...

THERE WAS ROOM FOR MORE

Herreweghe in Boulez-disguise

Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms; Symphony in Three Movements

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ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000031X7Y
Release Date: 2000-02-08

Tracks:

Symphony Of Wind Instruments
Symphony Of Psalms For Chorus And Orchestra On Texts From Psalms 38, 39 And 150: Exaudi orationem meam, Domine
Symphony Of Psalms For Chorus And Orchestra On Texts From Psalms 38, 39 And 150: Expectans expectavi Dominum
Symphony Of Psalms For Chorus And Orchestra On Texts From Psalms 38, 39 And 150: Alleluia, laudate Dominum
Symphony in Three Movements: I. 160
Symphony in Three Movements: Andante - Interlude (L'istesso tempo)
Symphony in Three Movements: Con moto

Amazon.com

In a way that oddly prefigures the stance of the "holy minimalists" so currently popular, Stravinsky declared that a motive behind composing his Symphony of Psalms was his "eagerness to counter the many composers who had abused these magisterial verses as pegs for their own lyrico-sentimental 'feelings'." The result issued in one of the 20th century's most perfect choral masterpieces. For all its objective austerity (violins, violas, and clarinets are exiled from the score), the piece is awash in fresh new sound colors and rhythmic vitality (with some family likeness to those Stravinsky explored in Les Noces and Oedipus Rex), ending in a poem of praise (Psalm 150) that radiantly answers the uneasy waiting of the middle movement (Psalm 40). Pierre Boulez maintains the necessary level of diaphanous precision, though he is a measure too sensuous, forceful, and even fast compared with Stravinsky's own visionary account of the work, enveloping the final "Alleluia" in an undeniably beautiful but seductive sheen. Boulez also offers a finely etched, incisive reading of Stravinsky's wartime Symphony in Three Movements that is strong on its astringent ironies. The composer's interests were clearly geared to the symphony more as an exploration of possible sound worlds than to its traditional form, even in his most neoclassical period, as in the ritualistic gestures of the Symphonies of Wind Instuments. It's a nice snapshot of earlier Stravinsky, though this disc would be even more compelling if it had instead included the Symphony in C to make a compendium of his best symphonies such as can be found on Georg Solti's Stravinsky collection. But listeners familiar with only the great Stravinsky ballets have a goldmine left to discover in these works. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Recommended by Penguin Guide and Rough Guide.......2007-04-09

Gets **(*) stars in Penguin Guide 2005/6 guide to classical recordings. Also recommended by The Rough Guide to Classical Music as the place to start for these pieces.

Bravissimo.......2006-12-31

All I can say, is that when I listen to this CD - I can't imagine how it could be performed any better.

The only other recording I have of the Psalms and Symphony in 3 Movements is conducted by the composer (including Symp in C). While this is certainly a fine performance, and perhaps more authentic to the composer's intentions, I find this interpretation to be prime.

To me this is like listening to a performance of Bach by a real baroque orchestra (tuning, gut-strings, style and all) - you just get the sense that it's correct.

This is one of Boulez's great gifts to music - his understanding of modern music - and his ability to perform avant-garde in a way that works. Though this music could hardly be concidered avant-garde (even in its day), it is still modern and takes a distinct interpretation to pull it off.

Furthermore, these are quite possibly masterworks of the prolific composer. They usually stand in the shadow of his ballet-trinity (Rite, Petrushka, and Firebird), so this would be a great buy for anyone who would like to become familiar with some of his best music.

Boulez and Stravinsky: Should be Perfect..........2006-10-07

For this listener there still remains to be recorded the totally convincing masterpiece of Stravinsky - the 'Symphony of Psalms'. Somehow in live performances this wondrous piece holds grandeur and both an intellectual appeal as well as one of the more spiritually beautiful works in the 20th century repertoire. Boulez comes close in this performance with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus and yet there is a sense of distance in the tempi that keep the work grounded. It only takes an evening in the perfect acoustic of Disney Hall with Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting the LA Phil and the LA Master Chorale to prove just how magnificent the work can be: the rhythmic propulsions drive the work to the ultimate 'Alleluias' and 'Laudetes' that melt the heart.

But what Boulez misses in the Psalms he clearly owns the Symphony in Three Movements and gives a fine reading of the brilliant Symphonies of Wind Instruments, for 23 wind instruments (1947 version). The Berlin ensemble are responsive to every movement of his ticking mind and the results are performances that rank among the finest.

We will just have to wait for the definitive 'Symphony of Psalms': even Stravinsky's own Toronto ensemble recording doesn't make it sing the way it can....Grady Harp, October 06

THERE WAS ROOM FOR MORE.......2005-05-15

By now we presumably ought to know what to expect from Boulez. His approach does not greatly suit me in Mahler, but in Stravinsky Boulez suits me down to the ground. Stravinsky changed his compositional style at various stages of his long career, but at any stage the quality I look for most in the performance and recording of his work is clarity, and clarity is Boulez's long suit. On this disc you will find complete precision from the instrumentalists, distinctness in the singing, sharply `terraced' dynamic levels and a sergeant-majorish strictness in the rhythm. This is exactly as I like Stravinsky done, and the recording does the effect full justice. I got only one surprise from the tempi chosen, a slowish beat for the Symphonies of Wind Instruments. However I found the effect really very successful, and the other speeds are much as I am used to them and as I like them.

The disc comes with the title `Boulez 2000' and was recorded in 1999, which I suppose is close enough. The liner-note is actually quite thoughtful and helpful provided you can understand it in the first place. The sequence of thought is meandering and the expression is heavy and turgid - I found that after a page and a half of Mr Griffiths' ramblings I had to go back to the start and retrace my steps to be sure of what he was even talking about. However I credit him with one particularly insightful and memorable statement regarding the Symphony of Psalms, that `The prayers are being voiced...by other people while the composer constructs. His is the symphony: theirs are the psalms.'

I had half a mind to deny the disc a fifth star by reason of short measure. The playing time comes to only 52 minutes, and I can see no good justification for not including the Symphony in C along with the other three symphonies. However on the basis that I am reviewing what is there and not what is not there I think five stars fair and just given the quality of both performances and sound. Boulez and Stravinsky go back a long way. On the inside of the front leaf of the booklet there is a picture of the pair of them from 1957, with a thirty-something Boulez showing a startling resemblance to Marlon Brando at the same age.

Herreweghe in Boulez-disguise.......2003-09-07

First of all:
The Berliner philharmoniker play precise and with attack.
Never mind those comments people often make, as if Von Karajan never died.

The symphony in three movements here on disc is next to Stravinsky's own recording probably the best available.
It comes closer to Stravinsky's own view than any other I heard, except the andante is played slower by Boulez and I actualy like it better that way: extremely gentle and refined.

Stravinsky himself didn't care that much for highlighting the gentle sites in his music scores, therefore many recordings of the firebird for instance top his own recording, like (ofcourse) Boulez', Dorati's and Gergiev's.

The symphonies of wind instruments is given a melancholic feel wich I never heard in this work.
Boulez the iceman?
But to be perfectly honest, this work will never become one of my favorites.
Still one of the best performances I heard
Another great recording is from Reinbert de Leeuw

The symphony of psalms is a rather strange work to my ears.
Extremely beautiful passages with some honest devotion are followed by kitschy Carl Orf-like passages which gives me the feeling at times that this work was originally written as a movie score and not the symphony in three movements.
The performance however is great.
If I didn't know Boulez was the conductor I would have thought it was Herreweghe himself, such a warmth and intimacy and that mystique-like quality.

Yes perhaps this performance doesn't come so close to Stravinsky's ideal and perhaps some pinsharp orchestral focussing is traded for smooth and warm legato. But it works very well, as it works perfectly well for Herreweghe in his Bach recordings.

There you have it: a great disc of probably the best conductor alive.

Stravinsky: Ballets; Stage Works; Orchestral Works

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Hours and hours of fun!
Prodigious performances!
Ansermet & Stravinsky - A Perfect Pair

Stravinsky: Ballets; Stage Works; Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: Decca
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Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005ND3M
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The Firebird: Intro
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The Firebird: Tableau 1: Appearance Of The Firebird Pursued By Prince Ivan
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The Firebird: Tableau 1: Sudden Appearance Of Prince Ivan
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The Firebird: Tableau 1: Dance Of Kashcheis Retinue Under The Firebird's Spell
The Firebird: Tableau 1: Infernal Dance Of All Kashchei's Subjects
The Firebird: Tableau 1: Lullaby (The Firebird)/Kashchei Awakes/Death Of Kashchei/Darkness
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The Song Of The Nightingale: Feast In The Emperor's Palace
The Song Of The Nightingale: The Two Nightingales
The Song Of The Nightingale: Illness And Recovery Of The Emperor Of China

Tracks:

Petrouchka: Tableau 1: The Shrovetide Fair
Petrouchka: Tableau 2: In Petrushka's Room
Petrouchka: Tableau 3: In The Moor's Room
Petrouchka: Tableau 4: The Shrovetide Fair, Evening
The Rite Of Spring: The Adoration Of The Earth: Intro
The Rite Of Spring: The Adoration Of The Earth: Augurs Of Spring/Dances Of The Young Girls
The Rite Of Spring: The Adoration Of The Earth: Ritual Of Abduction
The Rite Of Spring: The Adoration Of The Earth: Spring Rounds
The Rite Of Spring: The Adoration Of The Earth: Ritual Of The Rival Tribes
The Rite Of Spring: The Adoration Of The Earth: Procession Of The Sage
The Rite Of Spring: The Adoration Of The Earth: The Sage
The Rite Of Spring: The Adoration Of The Earth: Dance Of The Earth
The Rite Of Spring: The Sacrifice: Intro
The Rite Of Spring: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles Of The Young Girls
The Rite Of Spring: The Sacrifice: Glorification Of The Chosen One
The Rite Of Spring: The Sacrifice: Evocation Of The Ancestors
The Rite Of Spring: The Sacrifice: Ritual Action Of The Ancestors
The Rite Of Spring: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance: The Chosen One

Tracks:

Pulcinella: Ov: Allegro Moderato
Pulcinella: Serenata: Larghetto 'Mentre L'Erbetta' - Carlo Franzini
Pulcinella: Scherzino: Allegro
Pulcinella: Allegro
Pulcinella: Andantino
Pulcinella: Allegro
Pulcinella: Ancora Poco Meno 'Contento Forse Vivere' - Marilyn Tyler
Pulcinella: Allegro Assai
Pulcinella: Allegro - Alla Breve 'Con Queste Paroline' - Boris Carmeli
Pulcinella: Largo 'Sento Dire No'nce Pace' - Marilyn Tyler/Carlo Franzini/Boris Carmeli
Pulcinella: Allegro - Alla Breve
Pulcinella: Tarantella
Pulcinella: Andantino 'Se Tu M'Ami' - Marilyn Tyler
Pulcinella: Allegro
Pulcinella: Allegro
Pulcinella: Gavotta Con Due Vars
Pulcinella: Tempo Di Minuetto 'Pupilette, Fiammette D'Amore' - Marilyn Tyler/Carlo Franzini/Boris Carmeli
Pulcinella: Allegro Assai
Apollo: Prologue: Naissance D'Apollon
Apollo: Var D'Apollon: Apollon Et Les Muses
Apollo: Pas D'Action
Apollo: Var De Calliope
Apollo: Var De Polymnie
Apollo: Var De Terpsichore
Apollo: Var D'Apollon
Apollo: Pas De Deux
Apollo: Coda: Apollon Et Les Muses
Apollo: Apotheose

Tracks:

The Fairy's Kiss: Scene 1: Prologue
The Fairy's Kiss: Scene 2: A Village Fete
The Fairy's Kiss: Scene 3: By The Mill
The Fairy's Kiss: Scene 4. Epilogue: Lullaby Of The Land Beyond Time And Place
Renard (A Burlesque Story To Be Sung And Played) - Gerald English/John Mitchinson/Peter Glossop/Joseph Rouleau/John Leach

Tracks:

The Soldier's Tale: Marche Du Soldat - Michael Schwalbe/Hans Fryba/Leon Hoogstoal/Henri Helaerts/Paolo Longinotti/Pierre Aubapan...
The Soldier's Tale: Musique Pour Scene 1 - Michael Schwalbe/Hans Fryba/Leon Hoogstoal/Henri Helaerts/Paolo Longinotti/Pierre Aubapan...
The Soldier's Tale: Musique Pour Scene 2 - Michael Schwalbe/Hans Fryba/Leon Hoogstoal/Henri Helaerts/Paolo Longinotti/Pierre Aubapan...
The Soldier's Tale: Marche Royale - Michael Schwalbe/Hans Fryba/Leon Hoogstoal/Henri Helaerts/Paolo Longinotti/Pierre Aubapan...
The Soldier's Tale: Petit Conc - Michael Schwalbe/Hans Fryba/Leon Hoogstoal/Henri Helaerts/Paolo Longinotti/Pierre Aubapan...
The Soldier's Tale: Tango - Waltz - Ragtime - Michael Schwalbe/Hans Fryba/Leon Hoogstoal/Henri Helaerts/Paolo Longinotti/Pierre Aubapan...
The Soldier's Tale: Danse Du Diable - Michael Schwalbe/Hans Fryba/Leon Hoogstoal/Henri Helaerts/Paolo Longinotti/Pierre Aubapan...
The Soldier's Tale: Chorale - Michael Schwalbe/Hans Fryba/Leon Hoogstoal/Henri Helaerts/Paolo Longinotti/Pierre Aubapan...
The Soldier's Tale: Marche Triomphale Du Diable - Michael Schwalbe/Hans Fryba/Leon Hoogstoal/Henri Helaerts/Paolo Longinotti/Pierre Aubapan...
Pulcinella: Sinf
Pulcinella: Serenata
Pulcinella: Scherzino
Pulcinella: Allegro
Pulcinella: Andantino
Pulcinella: Tarantella
Pulcinella: Toccata
Pulcinella: Gavotta Con Due Vars
Pulcinella: Vivo
Pulcinella: Minuetto
Pulcinella: Finale

Tracks:

Sym in C: I. Moderato Alla Breve
Sym in C: II. Larghetto Conc
Sym in C: III. Allegretto
Sym in C: IV: Largo - Tempo Giusto Alla Breve
Sym in Three Movts: I. 1/2nt = 160
Sym in Three Movts: II. Andante
Sym in Three Movts: III. Con Moto
Syms Of Wind Instruments

Tracks:

Con: Largo - Allegro - Nikita Magaloff
Con: Largo - Nikita Magaloff
Con: Allegro - Nikita Magaloff
Capriccio: Presto - Nikita Magaloff
Capriccio: Andante Rapsodico - Nikita Magaloff
Capriccio: Allegro Capriccioso Ma Tempo Giusto - Nikita Magaloff
Ste No.1: Andante
Ste No.1: Napolitana - L'Orch De La Suisse Romande/Ernest Ansermet L
Ste No.1: Espanola
Ste No.1: Balalaika
Ste No.2: Marche
Ste No.2: Valse
Ste No.2: Polka
Ste No.2: Galop
4 Etudes: Danse
4 Etudes: Excentrique
4 Etudes: Cantique
4 Etudes: Madrid
Scherzo A La Russe

Tracks:

Sym Of Psalms: I. Psaume XXXIX - Choeur De Radio Lausanne/Andre Charlet
Sym Of Psalms: II. Psaume XL - Choeur De Radio Lausanne/Andre Charlet
Sym Of Psalms: III. Psaume CL - Choeur De Radio Lausanne/Andre Charlet
The Wedding: Tableau 1: At The Bride's - Basia Retchitzka/Lucienne Devallier/Hugues Cuenod/Heinz Rehfuss/Vladimir Diakoff/Motet De Geneve...
The Wedding: Tableau 2: At The Bridegroom's - Basia Retchitzka/Lucienne Devallier/Hugues Cuenod/Heinz Rehfuss/Vladimir Diakoff/Motet De Geneve...
The Wedding: Tableau 3: The Bride's Departure - Basia Retchitzka/Lucienne Devallier/Hugues Cuenod/Heinz Rehfuss/Vladimir Diakoff/Motet De Geneve...
The Wedding: Tableau 4: The Wedding Feast - Basia Retchitzka/Lucienne Devallier/Hugues Cuenod/Heinz Rehfuss/Vladimir Diakoff/Motet De Geneve...
Mavra: Ov
Mavra: Air - Joan Carlyle
Mavra: Gypsy Song - Kenneth Macdonald/Joan Carlyle
Mavra: Dialogue - Helen Watts/Joan Carlyle
Mavra: Air - Helen Watts
Mavra: Dialogue - Helen Watts/Monica Sinclair
Mavra: Duet - Helen Watts/Monica Sinclair
Mavra: Dialogue - Helen Watts/Monica Sinclair/Joan Carlyle/Kenneth Macdonald
Mavra: Qt - Helen Watts/Monica Sinclair/Joan Carlyle/Kenneth Macdonald
Mavra: Dialogue - Helen Watts/Monica Sinclair
Mavra: Duet - Joan Carlyle/Kenneth Macdonald
Mavra: Dialogue - Kenneth Macdonald/Joan Carlyle/Helen Watts
Mavra: Air - Kenneth Macdonald
Mavra: Coda - Kenneth Macdonald/Joan Carlyle/Helen Watts/Monica Sinclair

Customer Reviews:

Hours and hours of fun!.......2007-01-24

Renard alone makes this set worthwhile. No other recorded performance (including Stravinsky's own) brings out the humor and basic "enjoyability" of this piece.

Prodigious performances!.......2006-10-17

Ernest Ansermet' s refined style was always supported by an admirable incisiveness around all what he conducted. And his Stravinsky still stands as one of the most perfect, idiomatic and extraordinary readings ever made; hovered with that deep vision and knower of the Stravinsky' s aesthetic; Ansermet always to blend power, febrile imagination and musculature, among his best achievements I should remark his Fairy' s kiss, The game of cards, Petrouchka, and the thundering Le Sacre are played with the right balance between abstraction and finesse; expression and sumptuous lyricism.

So you should not hesitate just for a second at the moment to decide to go for this special compilation.

Absolutely recommended.

Ansermet & Stravinsky - A Perfect Pair.......2003-05-19

This 8 CD collection of Stravinsky's Ballets, Stage Works and Orchestral Works is nothing short of magical. Conducted in its entirety by Ernest Ansermet leading the orchestra he founded, L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, this box set, while not complete, features all the great Stravinsky compositions -- "Firebird," "Rite of Spring," "Petrouchka," "Pulcinella," and all the Symphonies among others. Unlike most of history's great composers, Stravinsky himself was able to conduct and record his own music in stereo, so why not just get those discs? Well you should, but the Ansermet recordings generally offer superior sound and clarity. In fact, Ansermet was Stravinsky's personal choice to conduct the world premieres of many of his recordings, and Ansermet was selected by the composer to introduce the three famous ballets to U.S. audiences. A mathematician prior to his life as a conductor, Ansermet had his critics as he was virtually self-taught, though he did study music as a youth. But that mathematics background served him well in the studio as his early stereo recordings of everything from Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev to Falla and Chausson are engineered to perfection, and often sound better than the recordings by so-called more famous conductors. But don't take my word for it, buy some Ansermet for yourself and see. If you are not prepared to get this Stravinsky Box right away, then ease in with the new Ernest Ansermet "Great Conductors of the Century" compilation (see my review). You won't be disappointed.

Stravinsky: Symphony in Three Movements; Symphony in C; Symphony of Psalms

Average customer rating:

Gielen's Stravinsky: 3 Symphonies: Rhythmic, Insightful, Tuneful, Yes

Stravinsky: Symphony in Three Movements; Symphony in C; Symphony of Psalms

Manufacturer: Hanssler Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000IMVNDI
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Tracks:

I. Viertel=160
II. Andante-Interlude, Attacca
III. Con Moto
I. Moderato Alla Breve
II. Larghetto Concertante
III. Allegretto
IV. Largo-Tempo Giusto, Alla Breve
I. Exaudi Orationem Meam, Domine (Psalm 39, 12-13)
II. Expectans Expectavi Dominum (Psalm 40, 1-3)
III. Alleluia. Laudate Dominum (Psalm 150)

Album Description

The Symphony in Three Movements was composed during the height of WWII (1942-45), and reflects the composer's impressions, mostly gained through cinematic representations, of the ongoing war. The Symphony in C was composed during one of the darkest periods in Stravinsky's life--years marked by illness and the death of his mother, his wife, and a daughter. However, in trying to focus on formal concerns in the music, Stravinsky tried to keep his personal feelings out of the symphony. The first two movements were composed in Europe and reflect more of a traditional style. The third and fourth movements were composed after Stravinsky moved to America and herald his growing experiments with rhythmic meter change. The final composition on this CD, Symphony of Psalms, is based on various Psalms from the Bible and consists of three parts. The score's inscription Ã la gloire de Dieu, "to the glory of God," reveals Stravinsky's purpose for the work. Born in Dresden in 1927 but reared in Argentina, in the 1950s Michael Gielen began to gain a reputation as a conductor of both the Viennese classics and contemporary music, of which he is now an acknowledged master. His mastery of twentieth century idioms is unquestioned.

Customer Reviews:

Gielen's Stravinsky: 3 Symphonies: Rhythmic, Insightful, Tuneful, Yes.......2006-12-17

Gee this one is fine.

SWR Baden-Baden & Freiburg have built up quite a sterling reputation over the years since their founding, for tackling the gnarliest modern scores and having a good go at music often declared uninteresting or unplayable almost before its ink has dried on its pages. Thanks yet again to Ernest Bour and Hans Rosbaud who laid foundations, strong foundations.

Michael Gielen, now a leader of equal interest, has been engaging with the music for a bit more than a decade, between 1986, and 1999. Like Pierre Boulez, Gielen plays Stravinsky as a classic, treasured legacy. He is as interested in the deep openings, structural or harmonic or rhythmic, in Stravinsky's music, not just the surface drama or shock values.

The three Stravinsky symphonies on this regular, red book CD are all different neo-classical forays by the past century's master. The music is lean, fleet, muscular, and always evolving in kaleidoscopic explorations with a constant search to discover formal balances as core essentials, refreshed, revealed in the shifting lights of the musical moment. Suddenly the young composer (Russian student of a Russian Rimsky-Korsakov) who caused a real audience riot in Paris with the ballet music for Le Sacre du Printemps is all polyphony, intellect, and poise. Here the composer pays obeisance to the god Apollo instead of the god Pan or the god Dionysius.

We can still hear plenty of signature Stravinsky ostinato, but not by pounding the earth till it splits open to erupt with volcanic lava. Instead, the ostinato underpins all the old harmonies, now freshly rehearsed, pitching a new balance between dissonance and consonance while always, dancing, dancing, dancing.

Under Gielen and his band, there is not an ounce of extra fat in these works; but you never for a passing moment think of them as too thin, too wispy, or too banal and insubstantial to continue holding your listener's interest. Some passages are light as a feather and just as mysteriously air-born aloft. Whence these breezes you didn't suspect were blowing? Other passages are strong and sure-footed. Padding as completely intent and purposeful as any panther ever stalked it prey in any jungle. All the kill moments in this music, and there are plenty of them, are not the fanged instrumental moments of vicious attack, but rather viewed from a greater and more Socratic distance. The eating and being eaten of primal folklores is artfully revealed as part of the larger scheme of things, ecological.

Gielen and band do not wash out the colors or the rhythms. There is as much tonal interplay in these scores as there ever was in Firebird, Petrushka, or Le Sacre. But the point is a further and deeper internalization of what Rimsky-Korsakov taught and exemplified in his approaches to Late Romantic Era orchestration. One is not so much painting vivid pictures, full of folklore and genius. One is mining the allegedly harmonic slag of western concert music, and finding plenty of gold still that melts down into gleaming treasure where more than a whole lot can be made of the vaults Wagner supposedly raided, once and for all, and left empty.

What is post-Gotterdammerung? Stravinsky, undoubtedly.

The third item on this disc is the fully mature Symphony of Psalms. (1930) As the composer himself intended and realized, now the earlier polyphony comes full circle, and the shifting balances between dissonance and consonance are not so experimental as wise and enduringly gestural. By this time, the composer has found a neo-classical path forward for himself, and he can set the chorus singing Latinized psalms in worship of God as he walks it. These sung psalms are hybrid, as so much of what we consider most modern is hybrid - as the composer himself was hybrid: Russian in heritage, gifted in legal studies and mathematics, and an adult later life convert to Catholicism.

Both the Symphony in Three Movements (1945) and the Symphony in C (1940) are farther experimental forays, each distinctive. Gielen catches the fervency as well as the renewed and renewing polyphony of these efforts. In his hands, the players just reach out, and keep reaching, high and wide and low. Listening again, one grows along with the composer, beyond youthful Sturm und Drang - towards peace, towards reflection, towards ineffable openness, all still thinking and feeling. Still evolving. Still dancing - but more with the athletic grace of gymnastics, instead of the bursting leaps and runs of open-aired track and field. Stravinsky is, still, a physical composer above all else.

Quite a journey, this disc. Its most immediate competition will perhaps stem from the newly released Robert Craft disc, on Naxos, containing the Symphony of Psalms along with a handful of the briefer, even more experimental and post-neo-classical period works. ( Mass, Cantata, Russian Songs, Babel) That one goes to the keeper shelf, right along with this one.

Recommended, but don't leave your thinking cap behind when you listen. Gielen and band are involved in some notable and notably intelligent music-making here. Yes.

Average customer rating:

Probably the most accurate versions ever recorded
Three very important works in fine performances
Elegant Sophistication with a touch of Genius
Solti conducts Stravinsky in one of his last recordings

Stravinsky: SYMPHONIES

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1-9; Overtures; Violin Concerto (Limited Edition)
Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 1-6; Orchestral Works (Limited Edition)
Rachmaninov: The Symphonies
Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No1, Op107; Violin Concerto No1 (revised), Op99
Nielsen: Symphonies no 4-6 / Blomstedt, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra

ASIN: B00001IVOO
Release Date: 1999-09-14

Tracks:

Symphony in Three Movements: I. 1/4 = 160
Symphony in Three Movements: II. Andante - Interlude: L'istesso tempo
Symphony in Three Movements: III. Con moto
Symphony In C: I. Moderato alla breve
Symphony In C: II. Larghetto concertante
Symphony In C: III. Allegretto
Symphony In C: IV. Largo - Tempo giusto, alla breve
Symphony Of Psalms: I. 1/4 = 92
Symphony Of Psalms: II. 1/8 = 60
Symphony Of Psalms: III. 1/4 = 48 - 1/2 = 80

Amazon.com

Stravinsky's 1945 Symphony in Three Movements is a predominately dark work, largely inspired by the chaos of war. Its rhythmic drive relates to his great ballet scores, as does the neoclassical 1940 Symphony in C. The austerely radiant 1930 Symphony of Psalms for chorus and an orchestra, from which violins and violas have been expunged, reflects the composer's return to his Orthodox roots. Solti responds nicely to the spiky, thrustful qualities in I & III of the Symphony in Three Movements, and shapes the Andante, salvaged from an abortive film score, with grave loveliness. He's also fine at coping with the tricky cross-rhythms of the Haydnesque Symphony in C. The Symphony of Psalms gets a sturdy reading, and the virtuoso orchestra shines throughout. A convenient way to get all Stravinsky's mature symphonies on one well-played disc. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Probably the most accurate versions ever recorded.......2007-04-27

I will go out on a short limb and say that Solti has produced three Stravinsky performances of unique clarity. The amount of orchestral detail present in this recording is amazing, and his ability to balance chords and instrumental voices astonishes. By comparison Stravinsky's readings on Sony sound fairly slapdash, and even Boulez, famed for his precision, lags behind Solti. You can directly compare the Symphony of Psalms and Symphony in Three Movements from both conductors, and it's Boulez who has the fuzzier chorus and lazier rhythms (good as his readings are).

In fact. Solti's recording is primarily a delight because we hear so much more than in any ohter. His interpretations tend to be fairly quick, extroverted, and brilliant rather than personally felt. If you turn to Simon Rattle's EMI recording of the Sym. in Three Movements, there's real depth and drama. By comparison, Solti seems a bit faceless. But that's a quibble given the special excellence of this CD.

Three very important works in fine performances.......2005-12-02

When one thinks about Stravinsky and works for orchestra it is his ballets that first spring to mind. However, he also wrote these three very different and wonderful symphonies. There is no doubt in my mind that Stravinsky was one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century even though he is not performed as much nowadays as he was (or will be in the decades to come). We are quite fortunate that many great recordings of his works exist, but too many are going out of print. So, take advantage of the availability of this disk and get it in your library.

This and a similar disk by Boulez came out in the late nineties. This has the Symphony of Psalms (1930 for the Boston Symphony - rev 1948), Symphony in C (1938-40 for the Chicago Symphony), and the Symphony in Three Movements (1942-45 for the New York Philharmonic). The Boulez disk has the Symphony of Psalms, the Symphony in Three Movements, but the Symponies of Wind Instruments rather than the Symphony in C. It is interesting that the notes for both CDs are quite similar and both written by Paul Griffiths. I recommend both disks. They both contain quality performances and it is interesting to compare the performances.

To my ear the Solti is more expressive and has the more elegant gestures, but has the odd ensemble flaw where the Boulez is more immaculately performed (and still expressive and beautiful). Listen to the way each conductor has the chorus sing the Alleluia in the Symphony of Psalms and you will hear exactly what I mean. Plus the difference in program justifies having both disks because the Symphony in C is ever popular with audiences and the Symphonies of Wind Instruments is a permanent favorite of mine.

The Symphony of Psalms is a magnificent work that has become a source of spiritual strength for many from the day of its first performance. Stravinsky takes the three psalms (39, 40, and 150) for the three movements, but makes them into one longer meditation of and prayer to and praising of God. I was fortunate to sing it with the Ann Arbor Cantata Singers with Thom Hilbish conducting. What a treat that was.

The Symphony in C has always been an audience favorite because it sounds so nice. However, there is a lot of meat here and you will find that careful listening and even study of the score will yield real rewards. It is a very important and wonderful work. It is not just a symphony in the old sense. It is more like a step removed and comments on the symphonic form by being one and not being one at the same time.

Much has been made of the way movies affected the creation of the Symphony in Three Movements. Stravinsky said the first was inspired by the horror of seeing a documentary on scorched earth conflict in China. The last inspired by the goose-stepping soldiers and the rise of the allies in Europe. The middle movement began life as music for a film Stravinsky had been hired to score. The problem is that Stravinsky always wrote music as the most important thing. He felt the film should be cut to his music rather than his music cut and reshaped for the film. So, that didn't work out. However, this is a piece of pure music rather than trying to present a "program". Knowing how this music was inspired might help some, but don't read too much into it. The horrors of the mid-twentieth century are certainly here in the outer movements, but there is also great beauty in the middle movement.

Strongly recommended (as is the Boulez disk).

Elegant Sophistication with a touch of Genius.......2001-07-14

The three symphonies appear on this album in the reverse order in which they were written. Symphony of Psalms was written first, in 1930. It is widely considered to be one of Stravinsky's greatest works. The Symphony in C dates from the mid-thirties when Stravinsky was deep into his neo-classical period. Witty echoes of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven recur throughout this elegant work. The Symphony in Three Movements, dating from 1942, brings to mind the ballet music of Petrushka. Stravinsky seems to have been struggling to emerge from his ageing neo-classical style, and move beyond it. Whether he ever succeeded in this regard is still a matter of debate. Many believe that by the 40's Stravinsky's creative genius had died, and that his music was lacking in interest. Others maintain that these later works were actually better than the early ballet music.

Although I myself prefer the ballet music, this has been a consistently enjoyable album for me. It is not an easy album to enjoy, however, and it will take some time for honest appreciation to set in. Even though Solti and the CSO may not be at the top of their form on this album, it is a fine recording nonetheless, with excellent album graphics and high quality liner notes. The overall concept of putting all of Stravinsky's symphonies onto one album as a tribute to Solti makes this an essential recording for the discriminating collector.

Solti conducts Stravinsky in one of his last recordings.......2000-03-28

These three symphonies of Stravinsky were all commissioned by american orchestras between 1930 and 1945; the Symphony in C in particular was commisioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, which performs in this recording. Stravinsky is well-known to have re-invented himself many times during his career, but these three works are not as dissimilar as one might think. The Symphony in Three Movements and all but the second movement of the Symphony in C are highly rhythmical, while the Symphony in Psalms is more lyrical, melodic, and often rhapsodic (sometimes even resembling music of Carl Orff). None of these works, however, is his best-known work (like Rite of Spring, L'Histoire du Soldat, etc.), but provide a glimpse into a bit darker, slightly less dramatic, but often more beautiful side of Stravinsky's output.

This repertoire is "standard" fare for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, if that is possible, as it appears as though they could play the Symphony in Three Movements in their sleep (despite its difficult cross-rhythms). Their extremely tight ensemble playing and top-notch wind soloists are crucial for successful Stravinsky performance. Nonetheless, this was one of Solti's last recordings, and he shows some signs of age. The orchestra's cohesion in these 1993-7 recordings is not it was back in the 1970s. The microphone placement appears to be rather close for the Symphony in Three Movements, while more distant and warmer for the other recordings. But that Chicago Symphony sound and virtuosity comes through at all times and makes this an impressive and enjoyable CD.

Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms; Symphony in C; Symphony in Three Movements
Average customer rating:

Detailed, fitfully exciting conducting with no spine at all

Buy it for Symphony of Psalms

Great Music, OK Recording & Performance

Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms; Symphony in C; Symphony in Three Movements

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Stravinsky: Three Greek Ballets (Apollo, Agon, Orpheus)

Stravinsky: Pulcinella; The Fairy's Kiss

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Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms; Symphony in Three Movements

Schostakowitsch: Symphonie No. 10 in E Minor, Op. 93

ASIN: B0000028XJ
Release Date: 1994-01-11

Tracks:

Symphony Of Psalms: Part I. Exaudi orationem meam
Symphony Of Psalms: Part II. Expectans expectavi Dominum
Symphony Of Psalms: Part III. Alleluja. Laudate Dominum
Symphony In C: I. Moderato alla breve
Symphony In C: II. Larghetto concertante
Symphony In C: III. Allegretto
Symphony In C: IV. Largo - Tempo giusto, alla breve
Symphony in Three Movements: I. Overture. Allegro
Symphony in Three Movements: II. Andante - Interlude: L'istesso tempo
Symphony in Three Movements: III. Con moto

Amazon.com

Stravinsky's own performances of his orchestral works (also issued by Sony), whatever their technical shortcomings, are the place where we start consideration of recordings. Michael Tilson Thomas is a better leader of orchestras than Stravinsky was. His musicians play (and sing) more precisely for him, and of course they are far better recorded. So, actually, this is a highly attractive disc, and can be recommended as a good second opinion. The rhythmic impulse of Stravinsky's own performances, though, remains unique and definitive. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Detailed, fitfully exciting conducting with no spine at all.......2006-01-07

This CD would be a dud if it styaed on the level of the first work, the Symphony of Psalms, which MTT plays as smoothly as melted candle wax and far too piously. There's hardly a sharp accent in it; all the corners are rounded off. As far as detail goes, the LSO and its professional chorus are excellent, but there's no spine to hold the piece together. Two stars.

Both the Sym. in C and the Sym. in Three Movements start off vigorously. MTT thinks of them as melliflous works, so there's no acerbic edge to the Sym. in Three Movements. However, the conductor's sprightliness generates its own verve and joy--in spots. Maddeningly, just when he gets going, MTT is liable to lapse into pointless noodling and slack rhythms--this is especially true in the slow movement of both works. At his best he offers delightful inner details, and there's no doubt that MTT directs traffic very well in the intricately contrapuntal passages. The absence of a spine to hold the pieces together remains a problem.

Overall, this CD will appeal most to those who want Stravinsky to be a lot prettier than he usually is (whether condcuted by the astringent composer himself or others) and will turn off listeners who expect this music to be bracing, jagged, and strong-limbed.

Buy it for Symphony of Psalms.......2005-12-31

Igor Stravinsky has been my favorite 20-century composer for many years, and I was very pleased to have purchased this CD a long time ago. Symphony of Psalms, one of my favorite choral works, stands as a monumental masterpiece. The orchestra and choir do just fine, and the tempi are superb. Symphony in C is kinda boring in most parts. There seems to be no loudness througout the twenty-minute piece. Symphony in Three Movements has one of my favorite segments: the Overture, Allegro. It is quite energetic for an atonal symphony. All in all, good CD, though they could have added the Symphony of Wind Instruments here, but oh well.

Great Music, OK Recording & Performance.......2003-12-29

This disc presents Stravinsky's 3 great symphonies in chronological order, recorded in 'high definition' digital sound. The performances are quite good, but occasionally underenergized, and the sound is OK, but generally could be better (too much dynamic range for me, and occasional intrusive noises from the orchestra). I suspect it would be more satisfactory with more expensive equipment in a soundprood listening room! Basically, I agree with Leslie Gerber.

Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms; L'histoire du soldat

Average customer rating:

Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms; L'histoire du soldat

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Septets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00000DHJ8
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Tracks:

Symphony in Three Movements: (Without Tempo Indicaiton)
Symphony in Three Movements: Andante - Interlude
Symphony in Three Movements: Con moto
The Soldier's Tale: Marche Of The Soldiers
The Soldier's Tale: Small Pieces Beside The Stream
The Soldier's Tale: Pastoral
The Soldier's Tale: Royal March
The Soldier's Tale: Small Concert
The Soldier's Tale: Tango
The Soldier's Tale: Waltz
The Soldier's Tale: Ragtime
The Soldier's Tale: Dance Of The Devil
The Soldier's Tale: Great Chorale
The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
Symphony Of Psalms: Exaudi, orationem meam
Expectans, expectavi Dominum
Symphony Of Psalms: Alleluia, laudate Dominum

Average customer rating:

Shaky technically, but a good budget colleciton

Essential Stravinsky
Stravinsky , Jarvi , and Osr
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Stravinsky: Firebird, Rite Of Spring, Persephone / Tilson Thomas, San Francisco SO

ASIN: B00006ANZS
Release Date: 2002-08-27

Customer Reviews:

Shaky technically, but a good budget colleciton.......2005-09-04

I don't admire Jarvi as a conductor, so it surprised me that I mostly enjoyed this colleciton of somewhat ragged but spirited performances. The Oedipus Rex in particular woke me up in spots, and all the other performances showed dramatic interest. The orchestra isns't up to a good American orchestra like cincinnati or Pittsburgh, but you can sitll hear an echo of its glory days under Ansermet--it wasn't very good technically then, either, but there was a heap of style to make up for that.

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