BaL 2.03.13 - Stravinsky's Firebird Suite

[seabright]

You are quite right, seabright. And there's another Stokowski version with the NBC Symphony Orchestra.

(And welcome to the forum.)

Thanks for the welcome :) ... Now that I come to 'Listen Again,' I notice that A. McG no longer utters the words "currently available" when introducing BAL. Evidently it's left to the reviewer to select whichever CDs he or she wishes to illustrate during the 45-minute BAL slot. I wonder if the drawback to that is that there may be several versions floating around that are better than the final recommendation. With that in mind, and looking at the enormous list in #1, it will be interesting to see what gets chosen on Saturday. Apropos Stokowski, I seem to recall reading that he recorded the 'Firebird Suite' half-a-dozen times, starting with primitive acoustic 78s in his Philadelphia days!

[Gordon]

... and looking at the enormous list in #1....

My welcome to Sb!! And we've added to it above and there are also:

MonteuxParis Conservatoire in 1956, RPO/Vonk on a Decca Phase 4 in 1977 [no CD issue recorded so doesn't count], VPO/v Dohnanyi 1979, Dorati/LSO 1959 [Mercury], Dorati/Detroit 1982, Montreal/Dutoit 1984, and of interest is the St Petersburg and Ashkenazy from 1994 doing the 1911 version. This should at least get a mention. Albert Coates and LSO in 1928 will not get a mention I think . The playing is far from decent and the sound iffy even for its time..

I suspect that the list will be confined to the 1919 as it's the most familiar. Some of the unmentioned ones are available but I suspect that you are right that the reviewer will choose the list himself and it will not necessarily be complete. It has been a bit of an irritation in BALs that reviewers haven't the time to tell us what the field is at the start and then to say that some have been dropped in the shortlisting. At least then we'll know they have been thorough. Maybe there really are too many to deal with [see another BAL thread].

[Madame Suggia]

I've a rather wonderful Firebird suit, Mravinsky conducting the Leningrad Philharmonic on the Icone label

[seabright]

Just to complete the Stokowski listings: googling reveals a site called The Stokowski Legacy which has a huge discography of all his Philadelphia recordings. It also provides a link to another site, Classical Net, that gives more details of them. In short, his 1924 acoustics of the Firebird Suite are on a Pristine Audio CD; the 1927 set was transferred on Biddulph; and the 1935 set was issued on Pearl. Then came four more recordings, all on CD as previously mentioned above, so he must really have liked that work!

http://www.stokowski.org/CDs%20of%20Stokowski%20-%20Philadelphia%20Ochestra.htm

http://www.classical.net/music/guide/society/lssa/disco.php

[LaurieWatt]

....but I suspect that you are right that the reviewer will choose the list himself and it will not necessarily be complete. It has been a bit of an irritation in BALs that reviewers haven't the time to tell us what the field is at the start and then to say that some have been dropped in the shortlisting. At least then we'll know they have been thorough. Maybe there really are too many to deal with [see another BAL thread].

This was the reviewer whose lazy review left out half the best recordings of the Rachmaninov 2nd Symphony some months back (I couldn't believe that of all the BAL reviews to repeat, this one was chosen), including many of the Russian ones - none of Temirkanov's various recordings of which his first with the RPO is a stunner. Little wonder he is doing just the Suite, whichever version he chooses - probably the shortest.

[akiralx]

There is also a fine late Giulini recording with the Concertgebouw on Sony which is still available.

[mikealdren]

I love the Bernstein New York version but I've only got it on LP. Firebird is certainly a score that benefits from good modern recording but I'd like to get that Bernstein Petrushka/Firebird coupling on CD.

Mike

[Petrushka]

I love the Bernstein New York version but I've only got it on LP. Firebird is certainly a score that benefits from good modern recording but I'd like to get that Bernstein Petrushka/Firebird coupling on CD.

Mike

It's on here, Mike :http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stravinsky-R...2180101&sr=1-4
but with the Rite as coupling.

[Bryn]

The Petrouchka/Firebird Suite (1919) coupling can be found on amazon.co.uk, "Used - Very Good" for £7.74 including p&p. They also have it new for somewhat more.

[DublinJimbo]

I'd also have added Andrew Litton's Bergen Phil disc, which is foundation-shatteringly wonderful. I've just reviewed their latest disc of Rachmaninov (Symphonic Dances, Isle of the Dead, The Rock) and am convinced this partnership rivals the Jansons/ Oslo/ Chandos team of the 80s/90s.

Oh yes, most definitely Bergen/Litton is a dream team. (I wonder how Bergen and Edward Gardner will get along?)

[mikealdren]

Thanks Petrushka and Bryn, ordered it from Amazon for £2.38 inc P&P.

Mike

[verismissimo]

Gosh! A 1946 recording as the No 1 choice, in a work that you'd think needs the most modern sound, and sounding so vivid. Stravinsky conducting.

[Wensleydale Blue]

Gosh! A 1946 recording as the No 1 choice, in a work that you'd think needs the most modern sound, and sounding so vivid. Stravinsky conducting.

Indeed, who'd of thunked it?

How many composers conducting their own work has BaL chosen before this one I wonder. Probably lots but I'm quite new to this game so I'll leave it up the old lags to tell us.

[Bryn]

I got that 1946 recording in its Philips LP manifestation in the early to mid '60s. It is indeed rather special, though I do totally disagree with Mival regarding the whole ballet score as a concert work. I think it works very well and much prefer it to any of the suites derived from it. Must have a list to yesterday afternoon's BBCPO broadcast.

[verismissimo]

... I'll leave it up the old lags to tell us.

Hold on there. Not so much of the lags...