Our Summer BAL 60: Stravinsky Symphonies of wind instruments

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Starting a week too early Pulcie?

Who won?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Good choice, Pulci, for our first of this summer. And fine list!

[Pulcinella]

Who won?

Thanks.
I think it would be more useful with version (1920/1947) identified.
Joseph has already said that the Craft he listened to is 1920, and the Nash/Rattle I followed with the score is 1947. Any further identifications welcome.
In looking to see if the Endymion recording was still available (it isn't!) I saw that it had both versions on it (I have just the 1920 in an HMV compilation); it seems to be the only one that does that, which is a shame.

[BBMmk2]

As I expect a few of you are aware, I’m on holiday at the moment, but as far as I’m aware I’ve only the composer’ Own recording, on that massive box set. Any other takers?

[Pulcinella]

As I expect a few of you are aware, I’m on holiday at the moment, but as far as I’m aware I’ve only the composer’ Own recording, on that massive box set. Any other takers?

If you mean the 56-CD complete Columbia collection, you will have Stravinsky's 1951 recording (Cologne) and CRAFT's 1966 recording with the Columbia Symphony winds and brass.
The earlier 22-CD set has Stravinsky's NDR recording.

Hope you are enjoying your holiday!

PS: Just realised that this means that I have another version in my collection, and I may well have misidentified the Stravinsky one.

I'm not quite sure why the recordings in the 22-CD and 56-CD sets are different, but some other material in the 22-CD set didn't make it into the bigger set either.
PPS: Confusion is with Sony not me, I think, in identifying the orchestra, variously called Symphonieorchester des Nordwestdeutschen Rundfunks (22-CD set listing that I have, in a sampler to 'The Edition') and Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester (WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln) in the book accompanying the 56-CD set, though the sleeve of the CD itself calls it North West German Radio Orchestra! Since the timing is identical (9’11”) it looks like I have only 11 versions after all.

[Richard Barrett]

What I like about the Boulez Berliner Philharmoniker recording: as you'd expect the ensemble is perfect in both timing and balance so that all the subtle shadings of timbre (made somewhat more "primary" i the 1947 version) are made clear; the form of the piece is expressed beautifully by Boulez's precision with tempo so that every piece of the mosaic that makes up the piece is audibly related to the others. This piece clearly had central importance for Boulez, and in terms of being the furthest Stravinsky would go with the structural and rhythmical ideas that came to the fore in Le sacre (since Boulez took less interest in Stravinsky's neoclassical period and none as far as I can see in his post-Schoenberg period). The recorded sound is relatively spacious, which isn't usually my preference, but here it doesn't blur the contours of the music at all and seems highly appropriate to the music. (Maybe this has to do with its roots in Orthodox choral textures.)

I am throwing down a gauntlet here. Has anyone heard this recording but still has another they find preferable in any way?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I often wonder whether Stravinsky was at a loose end in 1947 - revising all these works, the one being discussed dropping down from 24 instruments to 23.

[Joseph K]

Joseph has already said that the Craft he listened to is 1920

Actually, I meant Boulez with the NYPO, which is the 1920 version.

[Richard Barrett]

Starting somewhat randomly among available recordings, I found myself listening to the 1957 recording (of the 1947 version) by the Eastman Wind Ensemble conducted by Frederick Fennell (c/w works by Schoenberg and Hindemith for related instrumentations). This really emphasises the brighter, less subtle and more "brassy" sound of the later version. It's interesting I suppose as a very early stereo recording, but it isn't one I'll be wanting to hear again - both the recording and the performance seem too strident to me. Edo de Waart and the Netherlands Wind Ensemble are a big improvement on it, but the excellent performance and much more detailed recording served only to convince me that I find the 1947 version generally much less attractive.

Oops, I just made this an edit to my previous post (about Stravinsky's American revisions) instead of a reply.

[Barbirollians]

I find I only have the Dutoit on cassette . Most impressed by the Salonen 1947 on You Tube.

[BBMmk2]

If you mean the 56-CD complete Columbia collection, you will have Stravinsky's 1951 recording (Cologne) and CRAFT's 1966 recording with the Columbia Symphony winds and brass.
The earlier 22-CD set has Stravinsky's NDR recording.

Hope you are enjoying your holiday!

PS: Just realised that this means that I have another version in my collection, and I may well have misidentified the Stravinsky one.

I'm not quite sure why the recordings in the 22-CD and 56-CD sets are different, but some other material in the 22-CD set didn't make it into the bigger set either.
PPS: Confusion is with Sony not me, I think, in identifying the orchestra, variously called Symphonieorchester des Nordwestdeutschen Rundfunks (22-CD set listing that I have, in a sampler to 'The Edition') and Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester (WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln) in the book accompanying the 56-CD set, though the sleeve of the CD itself calls it North West German Radio Orchestra! Since the timing is identical (9’11”) it looks like I have only 11 versions after all.

Hi Pulcie, just seen this. Yes we did thanks! Saw Osborne House etc. I think it’s the 22cd version I have. Must have a look really.

[Pulcinella]

Bumping because there is a Prom performance (1947 version we now discovered: the Proms brochure does not specify) on Saturday afternoon (21 July 2018) at (the) Roundhouse: London Sinfonietta conducted by George Benjamin.

[Bryn]

Bumping because there is a Prom performance (1947 version we now discovered: the Proms brochure does not specify) on Saturday afternoon (21 July 2018) at (the) Roundhouse: London Sinfonietta conducted by George Benjamin.

I had planned to attend that one but an invitation to a barbeque replete with curry goat, rice and peas has won out. Promming at the back is not my idea of fun, either.

[BBMmk2]

Pulcie, plus Messiaen Et Expecto!

[Pulcinella]

Pulcie, plus Messiaen Et Expectorant!

If that isn't a predictive text 'correction', it's brilliant.

Let's hope that there's not too much coughing during the performance.