Stravinsky: The Great Ballets - Firebird / Petrouska / Rite of Spring / Apollo

Igor Markevitch (Composer), Bernard Haitink (Conductor), Igor Stravinsky (Conductor), London Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra), London Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Bernard Haitink, Igor Stravinsky
• Composer: Igor Markevitch
• Audio CD (August 10, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Philips
• ASIN: B00000416F
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,129 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Haitink's very best records, July 7, 2005

By 

Larry VanDeSande - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Stravinsky: The Great Ballets - Firebird / Petrouska / Rite of Spring / Apollo (Audio CD)

With an assist to Igor Markevitch for his work in "Apollon", this is one of Bernard Haitink's very best records and probably says most about what kind of music the conductor best interprets.

His work in the three great Stravinsky ballets, "L'oiseau de feu" (The Firebird), "Petrushka" and "Le Sacre du printemps" (The Rite of Spring) are the best renderings I have ever heard of these scores, far surpassing the composer's work on Columbia/Sony, in my opinion.

While I have never been a great fan of Haitink and believe he lacks the personality to compete in the CD world in the Romantic symphonies of Brahms, Beethoven, Tchaikovksy and others, I believe he is particularly in his element here and in another similar Philips twofer of the music of Claude Debussy.

What is the corollary between the two? Both are 20th century composers whose music is more suggestion than statement. The gentle delicacies of "The Firebird", in particular, meet best with the Haitink sensibility to be linear, literal and understated. While these qualities do not translate well in highly charged Romantic music, they are extraordinarily appopriate in these scores, which have been overblown and overplayed countless times on CD by more Romantic conductors like Bernstein.

As if the interpretations and performances themselves were not enough, the recordings of these wonderful "modern" scores -- "The Rite of Spring" is often cast with Schoenberg's "Pierrot Lunaire" as the first piece of "modern" music -- are equally extraordinary. The clarity and sound spectrum of these recordings is among the best I have heard from the analog era translated to digital CD. The orchestras play very well throughout and follow Haitink's sensitive leadership at all times.

I have been critical of Haitink's way with Shostakovich and Vaughan Williams in other of my reviews, but I must say here is the essential Bernard Haitink and a demonstration of the very best work he can do. If you have the slightest interest in these scores, I urge you to buy the low-prices classic recordings of Stravinsky's earth-changing music.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Rite Stuff, October 3, 2005

By 

Benjamin R. Garrison (Lynnwood, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Stravinsky: The Great Ballets - Firebird / Petrouska / Rite of Spring / Apollo (Audio CD)

If you're looking for a great recording of "The Rite of Spring," look no further. This is it. Stravinsky's other ballets are included and they are excellent as well, but after hearing this particular version of the 'Rite' on the radio, I knew I must have it. I've heard many other interpretations and Haitink has come up with the sine qua non of all Rites. The orchestra delivers an almost superhuman effort. The conversations between various instruments and sections come across with utmost clarity--even during complex moments. No detail has been muddied or lost. The percussion section is outstanding. Better than outstanding--they're amazing! The end result is the most powerful, chilling and riveting 'Rite' you'll ever hear. My highest recommendation.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good performances from Haitink, but Markevitch disappoints, December 28, 2005

By 

Santa Fe Listener (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Stravinsky: The Great Ballets - Firebird / Petrouska / Rite of Spring / Apollo (Audio CD)

The bulk of this Philips two-fer is filled up with performances from 1973 in excellent analog sound from Bernard Haitink and his second orchestra, the London Phil. I wish I could say they are exceptional readings or exceptionally well played. The Rite of Spring swings between sounding eerie, listless, and crudely explosive. The Petrushka, in the rare 1911 original scoring for huge forces, is mostly quick-step with little digging beneath the surface. The Firebird is enticingly dreamy, although it runs out of steam in the demonic parts--the whole thing feels like leisurely scene-painting. Even so, these are good performances with plenty of striking moments to offset their neutrality, and the London Phil.'s strings sound especially sweet in the Firebird.

The performance of Apollo under Igor Markevitch, which takes up half of the first disc, dates from 1963 with the LSO. There's no doubt that it's elegant and balletic, but Markevitch was declining, and frankly there's a lack of energy that is distressing. I've rarely heard a more wan reading. Apollo is a quiet, reflective ballet which often comes off as static, so it's too bad Markevitch didn't find another way.