20 CD box set of The Rite of Spring

[Flosshilde]

Now heard this segment... AMcG did make the point that the NYO and Rattle was licensed in from outside Universal - the only one not from 'in house'... Perhaps because it was cheap, or from a minor label... But as Andrew pointed out, how can you really have a complete survey without the composer himself conducting? I wonder if they moved heaven and earth to get the rights, but Sony/CBS refused?

Decca have also released a 4CD set -

Le Sacre du printemps - 100th Anniversary- A History of Le Sacre du printemps
STRAVINSKY: The Rite of Spring, performances by:
Orchestre de la Societe des concerts du Conservatoire, Pierre Monteux (conductor)
Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Antal Dorati (conductor)
The Cleveland Orchestra, Riccardo Chailly (conductor)
The Cleveland Orchestra, Pierre Boulez (conductor)
Kirov Orchestra, St Petersburg, Valery Gergiev (conductor)
Los Angeles Philharmonic, Esa-Pekka Salonen (conductor)
Plus an Audio Documentary by Jon Tolansky
DECCA 4783728 (4CD budget)

listed on the CD Review page for last Saturday.

Presumably these recordings are a selection from the bigger set, but I wonder what the criteria for selection were? Did Andrew McGregor say anything about that?

[subcontrabass]

My introduction to the Symphony in Three Movements was also from that Children's Hour series.

We discussed it a couple of years ago, and found it was called 'Counterspy', and featured a young Michael Aspel, as a secret agent.

I always thought that Counterspy used 'Infernal Dance of Kastchei' from Firebird.

[Don Petter]

I always thought that Counterspy used 'Infernal Dance of Kastchei' from Firebird.

Well, I could never remember the name of the programme, but had a 'folk memory' of something like 'The Chargos Affair'. But if you follow Bryn's link in #41 you will see that others think it was 'Counterspy' (which was the Michael Aspel series). Perhaps my memory was of the title of a particular episode?

Could they have used both Stravinsky pieces at different points of heightened tension? Several of us definitely remember the Symphony being used as the introduction.

[cloughie]

Beyond silly - is this the only piece of music which has been recorded so often including a time or two by the composer? A real missed opporunity I'd say.

Well don't you kick yourself for not buying that big Sony Stravinsky conducts Stravinsky box instead of having a go at Universal.

[cloughie]

I've had a change of equipment since I last heard the CSO/Solti which shows how long it is since I played it.

I derived some private amusement from the choice of my screen name rather than having a particular affinity with Stravinsky's ballet but for what it's worth my favourite recording of Petrushka is LSO/Abbado. My Firebird of choice is the still stunning 1960 LSO/Dorati.

That Dorati Firebird takes some beating - I bet you first had the Fontana Stereo Special LP and now have the Mercury CD! Petrouchka - one of my favourites is Levine with the Chicago on RCA LP - never been on CD - Minneapolis Dorati takes some beating but Dutoit has done a couple of good ones.

[Pabmusic]

...I bet you first had the Fontana Stereo Special LP and now have the Mercury CD! ....

How did you guess?

[Pabmusic]

Decca have also released a 4CD set -

Le Sacre du printemps - 100th Anniversary- A History of Le Sacre du printemps
STRAVINSKY: The Rite of Spring, performances by:
Orchestre de la Societe des concerts du Conservatoire, Pierre Monteux (conductor)
Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Antal Dorati (conductor)
The Cleveland Orchestra, Riccardo Chailly (conductor)
The Cleveland Orchestra, Pierre Boulez (conductor)
Kirov Orchestra, St Petersburg, Valery Gergiev (conductor)
Los Angeles Philharmonic, Esa-Pekka Salonen (conductor)
Plus an Audio Documentary by Jon Tolansky
DECCA 4783728 (4CD budget)

listed on the CD Review page for last Saturday.

Presumably these recordings are a selection from the bigger set, but I wonder what the criteria for selection were? Did Andrew McGregor say anything about that?

Monteux makes sense, since he gave the first performance, but I see no special merit in the others, other than a chronology from the 1950s. But why not include at least one 78 rpm set? Maybe the Monteux is - I don't know.

[makropulos]

Monteux makes sense, since he gave the first performance, but I see no special merit in the others, other than a chronology from the 1950s. But why not include at least one 78 rpm set? Maybe the Monteux is - I don't know.

Van Beinum (September 1946) surely counts. It's very fine too.