BaL 16.12.2023 - Stravinsky: The fairy's kiss

[Retune]

The winner, RSNO/Järvi, available in two incarnations:

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7945318--stravinsky-symphony-no-1-symphony-in-c-and-other-orchestral-works

and

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7945416--stravinsky-le-baiser-de-la-fee-tchaikovsky-bluebird-pas-de-deux

I'll experiment and see if I can discover how to make that entry red in the OP; I've never used colour.

PS: Just realised how to do this!

Presto mentions another BaL pick (April 2006) on the 2for1 edition page - a quick search finds it's for the Symphony in 3 Movements with Gibson and the RSNO ('superseded' by Rattle and the CBSO when BaL revisited it last year). The 2for1 is still in print on CD.

I liked Järvi here, but now want to hear the rest of the contrasting Jurowski version.

[Pulcinella]

This must be one of the shortest BaL threads.
Has the programme lost its appeal that much?
Did the piece not appeal?

I thought that it was one of the better episodes, and though not personally agreeing with the final choice, I could understand the reviewer's reasoning behind his decision. We also got significant chunks of other versions, the only oddity being that two were played from the Chicago/Reiner performance before the fact was mentioned that it was only of the Divertimento, not the complete ballet.

[Barbirollians]

It was quite enjoyable in the sense that the reviewer did not make it plain from the start which was the winner but I do think it odd that he took so long to mention the fact that REiner and others he had played were in fact extracts from the Divertimento. I didn't really agree with his criticisms of the Knussen who I think strikes a perfect balance between Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky.

[silvestrione]

It was like a traditional BAL in being extremely informative. I learnt about the nature of the use of Tchaikovsky, the place of the latter in the composer's life and family and background, and the story the music was telling...and some examples of the pieces drawn on. It's not a piece I can enthuse about, (generally, ballet pieces ae better with ballet! In my view) though I did purchase the Knussen download, because you can always trust Ollie to produce something special.

[Goon525]

I think the modest number of comments here reflects (a) that the reviewer did a decent job (as ever, and inevitably, many will disagree with his choice; and (b) it’s not really a major work, is it? Most recent BaLs have been of the icons of the repertoire.

[Pulcinella]

I think the modest number of comments here reflects (a) that the reviewer did a decent job (as ever, and inevitably, many will disagree with his choice; and (b) it’s not really a major work, is it? Most recent BaLs have been of the icons of the repertoire.

True, but quite a clever juxtaposition with Sleeping Beauty this coming week.
And if anyone is tempted by the Chandos 2CD set, they will (as already noted) get a cracking performance of the Symphony in 3 movements, which just might open up new territory to be explored.

[Nick Armstrong]

It was like a traditional BAL in being extremely informative. I learnt about the nature of the use of Tchaikovsky, the place of the latter in the composer's life and family and background, and the story the music was telling...and some examples of the pieces drawn on. It's not a piece I can enthuse about, (generally, ballet pieces ae better with ballet! In my view) though I did purchase the Knussen download, because you can always trust Ollie to produce something special.

Agreed - and good for me as this is a piece I knew nothing about and had never heard! Took me back to the 1980s when I learnt about lots of music and performance styles from BAL.

The Reiner grabbed me and I agree it was odd he suddenly revealed after a couple of impressive extracts that the performance wasn’t of the full piece

His enthusiasm for the Jarvi seemed a bit qualified to begin with, so it was slightly surprising that it swept into the lead on the final lap. Knussen sounds from the programme and from comments here to be the one to head for first

[Master Jacques]

... and (b) it’s not really a major work, is it? Most recent BaLs have been of the icons of the repertoire.

It all depends on how we might define "major works", and whether we think that's a useful distinction.

For me, The Fairy's Kiss is an extremely important work, as well as being one of only a handful by Stravinsky to which I (personally) regularly turn these days. Its art and artistry - as well as the cultural questions it raises, and the powerful depth of its allegory - are "major" enough to satisfy my needs. Dramatic works, such as ballets and operas, are simply different from symphonic ones. They are neither better nor worse, and certainly not "minor" rather than "major". Best - perhaps - resist the temptation to pigeon-hole them as one or the other.

[Pulcinella]

It all depends on how we might define "major works", and whether we think that's a useful distinction.

For me, The Fairy's Kiss is an extremely important work, as well as being one of only a handful by Stravinsky to which I (personally) regularly turn these days. Its art and artistry - as well as the cultural questions it raises, and the powerful depth of its allegory - are "major" enough to satisfy my needs. Dramatic works, such as ballets and operas, are simply different from symphonic ones. They are neither better nor worse, and certainly not "minor" rather than "major". Best - perhaps - resist the temptation to pigeon-hole them as one or the other.

Maybe not mainstream, or not that often performed would be a fairer description (if indeed we need one).

[Master Jacques]

Maybe not mainstream, or not that often performed would be a fairer description (if indeed we need one).

I think I'd go with your, "if indeed we need one"!

The trouble is, that criteria such as "not often performed" tend to be equally partial, and largely dependent on where you are: The Fairy's Kiss is an example - like Rimsky's Snow Maiden - of a work which could hardly be more "mainstream" in certain parts of the world (such as Moscow), while rarely encountered in others (such as Basingstoke).