Stravinsky: Rite Of Spring, Fireworks, Petrouchka / Ozawa, Tilson Thomas, Chicago Symphony

Igor Stravinsky (Composer, Conductor, Performer), Boston Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra, Conductor), Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), Michael Tilson Thomas (Performer, Orchestra), Michael Tilson Thomas (Artist), Seiji Ozawa (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Igor Stravinsky, Michael Tilson Thomas
• Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas
• Conductor: Igor Stravinsky, Boston Symphony Orchestra
• Composer: Igor Stravinsky
• Audio CD (March 9, 1999)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B00000I9MQ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,947 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #21 in Music > Classical > Ballets & Dances > Historical Periods > Modern & 20th Century
  • #42 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music > Tone Poems
  • #49 in Music > Classical > Ballets & Dances > Ballets

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Rite of Spring by the fabulous Chicago Symphony, March 27, 2004

By 

Prescott Cunningham Moore (San Francisco, California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Stravinsky: Rite Of Spring, Fireworks, Petrouchka / Ozawa, Tilson Thomas, Chicago Symphony (Audio CD)

Ozawa's account of Stravinsky's most famous ballet is really something. The conductor has the Chicago Symphony playing with total attention and conviction, which is obviously saying something. True, Ozawa's Rite may not have as much color as Chailly or Thomas, but what it does have is absolute rhythmic control. There is never a sense of heaviness or ponderousness in the tutti passages, only power. In this sense, Ozawa's teutonic approach is less Russian Romanticism than modern, which may irk those that prefer a contextualized Rite, but there is no denying this is both a remarkable recording.

Ozawa's Petrouchka (with Michael Tilson Thomas at the piano) is slightly more successful if only because the Boston Symphony offers more timbral nuance than Chicago. At the time this recording was made, Ozawa had just taken the reigns of the Boston Symphony from Liensdorff. Based on this performance, one would think the partnership was destined for success. History, however, would prove otherwise. Here, though, the playing is remarkable. Fabulous percussion, gutsy brass, and appropriately french-sounding winds. Ozawa also is more interpretively interesting here than in the Rite, walking the tightrope between the Firebird of the past and the Rite to come. Still, his slick and stylized approach is missing that last ounce of Stravinskian angularity you find from others, including Dohnanyi, with a surprisingly idiomatic Vienna Philharmonic, Boulez, Chailly, and, of course, Robert Craft. But Ozawa's performance is certainly worthy of your attention and better than some of the less successful performances, such as Solti's atrocious Chicago Symphony recording.

Fireworks, a short symphonic sketch by the young Stravinsky, shows the influences of his teachers, especially Paul Dukas, in the orchestration. Although not a seminal work, it is no mean filler.

The recording quality is of equal quality. Highly recommended.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best or not, you'll really love this Rite of Spring, June 28, 2004

By 

Shota Hanai (Torrance, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stravinsky: Rite Of Spring, Fireworks, Petrouchka / Ozawa, Tilson Thomas, Chicago Symphony (Audio CD)

Being among my top favorite pieces in the 20th century (after all, this piece turned the view of classical music upside down), I have tested myself listening to various versions by different performers. As far as much as I listened, my top two will have to be Leonard Bernstein with the New York Philharmonic (the most brashing, bashin, mind-crushin'!!!) and this equally thrilling performance with Ozawa leading the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Officially, this is a major highlight throughout Ozawa's conducting legacy, still a very young man with seemly imperishable vigor and force very equilavent to his teacher Lenny. The Boston Symphony is an excellent orchestra to work with (the woodwinds and brass especially); otherwize the Chicago Symphony could have been the only other choice.

In my perspective, I had to admit that, just by focusing on the level of being barbaric and noxious, it slightly lacks that to Lenny, but on the other hand, it's brilliant controlled nail-biting high tempo can cover that.

Definitely worth buying!!! GO FOR IT!!!!!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Stravinsky, March 2, 2001

By 

John "[e-mail]" (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stravinsky: Rite Of Spring, Fireworks, Petrouchka / Ozawa, Tilson Thomas, Chicago Symphony (Audio CD)

This performance of the Rite is probably the best I have heard. The quality of the recording is amazing, I have to listen to it at reduced volume to prevent things from falling off the shelves in my house! Ozawa leads his Chicago forces flawlessly, confidently bringing out the powerful, driving rhythms in full force, while bringing to the slow moments a sense of tension and mystery. Ozawa's recording of Petrouchka, with Michael Tilson-Thomas and the Bostonians, is no less powerful and exciting. The short orchestral piece, Fireworks ends things with a bang.