Search - I. Stravinsky, Columbia Symphony Orchestra :: Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky: Firebird-Complete/Scherzo/Firework

The Definitive "Firebird"!!

Louie Bourland | Garden Grove CA | 06/27/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There are numerous recordings available of Igor Stravinsky's ballet masterwork "The Firebird" however, the 1961 "Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky" recording available on this disc is one that eclipses all other versions. The recording was performed by The Columbia Symphony and is presented in its complete length of nearly 43-minutes (most other recordings present "The Firebird" in a suite lasting only 25-minutes). The performance under Stravinsky's baton is nothing short of breathtaking. The piece's dynamics, shifting rhythms and unprecidented beauty are all clearly defined and wonderfully executed.
Also included on the disc are two Scherzo pieces ("Scherzo a la Russe" and "Scherzo Fantastique Op.3") along with a recording of "Fireworks", a piece composed for the wedding of the daughter of Stravinsky's friend and teacher Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov. These three shorter works also include Stravinsky's signature rhythms and dynamic orchestrations (especially in the "Scherzo Fantastique" which echoes "The Firebird" in some spots).
This is a fantastic CD of some of Stravinsky's finest work conducted by the composer himself. Hearing Stravinsky conduct his own work brings a certain authenticity to the music. You hear exactly the way the composer wishes the music to be executed.
If you enjoy this, pick the other two discs in the "Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky" series ("Petrushka/The Rite Of Spring" and "Symphony of Psalms/Symphony in C/Symphony in Three Movements"). These recordings are just as refreshing and exciting as "The Firebird"."

Essential Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 07/28/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Unfortunately, we will never get to hear Bach play the organ, or Mozart the piano, or Beethoven conduct the 5th Symphony. But thanks to the advent of recording technology, we have been able to hear the great composers of the 20th Century play and conduct their own work. Sadly, recordings of the likes of Elgar, Strauss and Rachmaninov are all in early mono, but there are several brilliant stereo recordings available by Copland and Stravinsky. These recordings of "Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky" were made for CBS in the early 1960s, and along with two other discs (featuring the Rite of Spring with Petrushka, and the other one the Symphonies), are absolutely essential for serious fans of classical music. Often composers were not the best conductors of their own work (their expertise was first and foremost in composing), but they are nonetheless a vital document of their creative and versatile talents. For serious Stravinsky fans I would recommend getting both the Decca Stravinsky Box Set conducted by Ernest Ansermet (see my review), and the three CBS Masterworks titles of "Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky." That way you can compare and contrast, and determine for yourself whether Stravinsky himself was truly the best conductor of Stravinsky."

Stravinsky gives a riveting reading, but this isn't the best

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 01/03/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This complete Firebird is one of Stravinsky's most successful stereo recordings (it is best heard in the remastering done for Sony's "Original Jacket" series, later included in their ultra-bargain "The Works of Stravinsky"). The recording was made in Hollywood over three days, Jan. 23-25, 1961, when the composer was 79. The sound is excellent in all respects -- open, airy, brightly capturing the fine detail that Stravinsky the conductor always wanted to clarify. His pacing is quick, never dawdling and rejecting romantic rubato. As a result, the performance is sharp, angular, and exhilirating. But if you expect a tender caress in the Princesses' Round, you will be disconcerted by the impatient way that Stravinsky treats one of his loveliest melodies. He's also not our for sonic spectacle, and so Kashchei's Infernal Dance is crisply direct rather than explosively demonic.



This reading stands at odds with Valery Gergiev's refined, emotionally varied version on Philips -- yet both are equally successful in their own way. I'd give Stravinsky the edge in making the entire score listenable over a 43 min. span without dancers to give visual support. The bare patches feel a bit more exposed under Gergiev.



A different "Columbia Symphony Orchestra" in New York performs the Scherzo a la Russe and Fireworks, both set down on Dec. 17, 1963. (Whenever you see this ensemble listed, it must be taken as a pickup group of local freelances and symphony musicians.) The recorded sound is accurate but lacks the airiness of the Firebird session. Stravinsky was in a relaxed, genial mood, as the readings show. They are excellent all around, full of vigor and alertness.



Finally, the Scherzo fantastique was done in Toronto on Dec. 1, 1962, with the CBC Symphony Orch. (These changes of recording dates and places often corresponded to tours and concerts that Stravinsky was engaged in, but since he lived in Los Angeles, the main base was there.)This little-played work is Stravinsky's Op. 3, written in 1907-08 when he was ending his apprenticeship with Rimsky-Korsakov. It sounds like the work of a very talented Rimsky imitator who had heard the Firebird before it was composed. The performance is detailed and lively, and in very good sound.



All in all, a superb installment in Sony's travrsal of Stravinsky's complete outpout, with especially good sonics if you can get your hands on the latest remastering.



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