Chez Stravinsky

[Mirror Image]

Is the cardboard box shown in second place all the separate "fat" volumes with comparably fat booklets?
I got 5 volumes (11 discs altogether) of that one and also a single discs with the 3 famous symphonies. Although the cheaper box shown in the first place was already available when I bought most of these, I decided to go for the ones with better documentation. Because for the vocal works and some other lesser known works, I'd be a bit lost with a bare bones edition. (And because I already have enough "rites" I also skipped the first volume with the famous balletts).

Yes, that is right. The white box houses all of these chubby (or fat) boxes, but this set has it's own larger booklet as well. Basically, all of these single issued sets are housed in a hard plastic container that slips into the white cardboard box. It's an attractive looking set, because as you rightfully pointed out, each set has it's own documentation. But I'm rather content with The Complete Columbia Album Collection. The documentation isn't as extensive as the early 90s set, but the rarities you get with this set make it worthwhile and the sound quality sounds improved, but I haven't done any side-by-side comparisons to give an extensive opinion on this.

[Mirror Image]

Spotted on jpc.de and Amazon.de, expected to be realeased March 2021, haven't seen any details of the content:



Q

Oh, this looks interesting. It'll be interesting to see the contents and what Warner has in their catalog, which, of course, now they can source recordings from EMI, Erato, Virgin Classics, etc. I'll have to investigate this set further. Thanks for pointing it out, Que.

Edit: Upon further investigation into the Stravinsky catalogs of EMI, Virgin Classics, Teldec, Erato, etc., it's going to be interesting to see what they'll have to actually license from other labels like DG, Decca, Sony, Alpha, Naxos, etc. It doesn't look like they have as extensive of a catalog on this composer as I initially thought. I might consider it, but I already own the Sony and DG boxes and the Robert Craft Naxos series plus so many single issued recordings on a variety of labels.

[ritter]

I'd like to extend an apology to Rafael and anyone else who I doubted about the Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky series on Columbia (Sony)...

I don't remember us disagreeing about this set, John, but apologies accepted

The most recent iteration, the "Complete Columbia Album Collection", is a beautiful set on all accounts IMHO. As a testament to the output of a great, great, great composer, and to the enterprising project undertaken by Columbia to preserve his performances, it is priceless. Granted, some (many?) of the individual performances have been surpassed since, and some verge on the disastrous (e.g. the mono Pulcinella—complete ballet—with the Cleveland Orchestra), but overall this is a wonderful set, and it holds pride of place in my collection (and I keep the cheapo 2007 set in my office for the eventual Stravinsky craving that might appear while I'm at work).

Let's see what that Warner box will include. Deutsche Grammophon will also be releasing "The 'New' Stravinsky Complete Edition" in March. I can't be bothered to compare the contents to that of the "old" edition (which has been in my collection since it was released, and isn't that old in any case), but they've added a bonus disc with Riccardo Chailly's recording of the Chant funèbre, a work that resurfaced only shortly after Universal released the box.

[Mirror Image]

I don't remember us disagreeing about this set, John, but apologies accepted

The most recent iteration, the "Complete Columbia Album Collection", is a beautiful set on all accounts IMHO. As a testament to the output of a great, great, great composer, and to the enterprising project undertaken by Columbia to preserve his performances, it is priceless. Granted, some (many?) of the individual performances have been surpassed since, and some verge on the disastrous (e.g. the mono Pulcinella—complete ballet—with the Cleveland Orchestra), but overall this is a wonderful set, and it holds pride of place in my collection (and I keep the cheapo 2007 set in my office for the eventual Stravinsky craving that might appear while I'm at work).

Let's see what that Warner box will include. Deutsche Grammophon will also be releasing "The 'New' Stravinsky Complete Edition" in March. I can't be bothered to compare the contents to that of the "old" edition (which has been in my collection since it was released, and isn't that old in any case), but they've added a bonus disc with Riccardo Chailly's recording of the Chant funèbre, a work that resurfaced only shortly after Universal released the box.

It's great to read that this Stravinsky Sony set means this much to you. I think it's a remarkable achievement by all involved. I'm definitely not interested in that reissued DG box considering that I doubt it could be approved upon, although I don't think much of Boulez's Le sacre or L'Oiseau de feu, which I believe are included in the DG Complete set. I just realized why next year is so important and why we're going to be seeing a flood of new box sets and individual issues --- it's the fiftieth anniversary of Stravinsky's passing. Remarkably next year will mark the fiftieth wedding anniversary of my parents, so two special occasions in one year for me. Anyway, I never got around to buying that Chailly disc of Chant funèbre. I should see if it's still available. I might buy a hi-res download of just this work instead of shelling out $15 for the physical recording.

[Mirror Image]

I do also wonder if this newer Warner set coming out in March will be like their Debussy, Berlioz and Ravel box sets. I hope so as I do like the overall design much better than some kind of box that has a lid on it (w/ the CDs in sleeves within). I hope they do something special with this set. After all, Stravinsky is one of the most important composers of all-time, so why not give him this kind of treatment?

[Mirror Image]

This is an entertaining video. Most of the information Stravinsky fans will know already, but it's a fun watch:

https://www.youtube.com/v/xIAtoxbt7LQ

[Karl Henning]

Inspired by this album which John posted in the WAYLTN thread ... a semi-random list of favorite short Stravinsky pieces.

Cat's Cradle Songs
Four Russian Peasant Songs ('Saucers')
Rag-time for 11 instruments
Tango
Scherzo à la russe
Elegy for viola solo
Dirge-Song & Canons in memoriam Dylan Thomas
Elegy for JFK
Greeting Prelude

The Owl and the Pussycat

[Mirror Image]

Inspired by this album which John posted in the WAYLTN thread ... a semi-random list of favorite short Stravinsky pieces.

Cat's Cradle Songs
Four Russian Peasant Songs ('Saucers')
Rag-time for 11 instruments
Tango
Scherzo à la russe
Elegy for viola solo
Dirge-Song & Canons in memoriam Dylan Thomas
Elegy for JFK
Greeting Prelude

The Owl and the Pussycat

Very cool, Karl. The small text is not needed for Greeting Prelude, my friend --- I love it, too. All 54 seconds of it. Love those other works you mentioned as well. I have always felt the late works don't get the love they deserve and are somehow overlooked. His middle Neoclassical period seems to be overlooked by many listeners as well for reasons I haven't been able to understand.

[Karl Henning]

Very cool, Karl. The small text is not needed for Greeting Prelude, my friend --- I love it, too. All 54 seconds of it. Love those other works you mentioned as well. I have always felt the late works don't get the love they deserve and are somehow overlooked. His middle Neoclassical period seems to be overlooked by many listeners as well for reasons I haven't been able to understand.

Oh, the tiny text was a glitch!

[Mirror Image]

Oh, the tiny text was a glitch!

Ah, no problem, Karl.

[Mirror Image]

Alright...so two big Stravinsky boxes have finally been released:





This Chailly set will be coming out in late April:



I pre-ordered the Stravinsky set on Warner as soon as I heard about it since I don't own a lot from the Warner catalog and, keep in mind, that this set is not complete by any means. The Deutsche Grammophon Complete set is merely an updated version of the set that was released by them in 2015, which I snapped up for a great price via Amazon Spain (if I'm not mistaken). For those that missed this DG set the first-time around, jump on this! It's a fantastic set. The Chailly set looks interesting and even though I already own four recordings from it, I'll still more than likely buy it for the performances that I don't own. This is a good year to be Stravinsky fan. Looking forward to seeing what other releases come our way in this 50th anniversary year.

[Karl Henning]

Très intéressant!

[vers la flamme]

I'm sure I can't be the only one breaking out the Rite in light of springtime coming a bit early (here, anyway; I hope other members are sharing in the beautiful weather)... This recording for me:

[Mirror Image]

Très intéressant!

Absolument!

[Mirror Image]

I'm sure I can't be the only one breaking out the Rite in light of springtime coming a bit early (here, anyway; I hope other members are sharing in the beautiful weather)... This recording for me:

I never really listen to music based on the time of year it is unless it's Christmas. I've been known to listen to Sibelius in August and listen to Ginastera in January.

[Karl Henning]

I'm sure I can't be the only one breaking out the Rite in light of springtime coming a bit early (here, anyway; I hope other members are sharing in the beautiful weather)... This recording for me:

Bien sûr!

No great surprise, with the warming weather, I've now listened to this disc three times in two days:

Stravinsky
Le sacre du printemps (1947 version)
L'oiseau de feu (1919 version)
Jeu de cartes
LSO
Abbado

When I was in the music program at the College of Wooster, hearing the Rite for the first time (I hadn't yet seen Fantasia, for instance) changed my musical life forever and made permanent imprint on my compositional sensibility. For no particular reason, I return to it relatively seldom, but it is evergreen for me. A great, Protean piece for which my ardor never cools.
Before I was graduated from "Woo," I heard the Clevelanders play it live in Severance Hall I still remember climbing up to the "nosebleed seats." What a great night that was!

[Roasted Swan]

I'm sure I can't be the only one breaking out the Rite in light of springtime coming a bit early (here, anyway; I hope other members are sharing in the beautiful weather)... This recording for me:

The Rite is probably the work by Stravinsky I listen to most - and I never tire of its endless invention.  A new version today though.  I mentioned on another thread I've been rediscovering just how good Stanislaw Skrowaczewski's Vox recordings in Minnesota were.  And his Rite proves this again.  Tricky to get hold of a copy at a reasonable price in the UK but this is the one I found;



I really enjoyed this version - driving tempi, quite brutal (but well played).  Certainly a very exciting version.  I'll have to see if I can track down his Petrushka and Firebird now.....

[Mirror Image]

The Rite is probably the work by Stravinsky I listen to most - and I never tire of its endless invention.  A new version today though.  I mentioned on another thread I've been rediscovering just how good Stanislaw Skrowaczewski's Vox recordings in Minnesota were.  And his Rite proves this again.  Tricky to get hold of a copy at a reasonable price in the UK but this is the one I found;



I really enjoyed this version - driving tempi, quite brutal (but well played).  Certainly a very exciting version.  I'll have to see if I can track down his Petrushka and Firebird now.....

No love for the Neoclassical or Serialist Periods?

[Mirror Image]

I don't listen to early Stravinsky too often (i. e. the three early ballets), but I do think the more obscure or simply neglected works from his Russian Period are certainly worth hearing. The problem I have with the three early ballets isn't the music itself obviously as they are works of brilliance, but of the overexposure these works have been subjected to. I love Le sacre, but I think there is plenty of the same kind of inventiveness in Orpheus or Agon for example and it would be nice to see more listeners, record labels, conductors, etc. get beyond the early Stravinsky works more often.

[Roasted Swan]

I don't listen to early Stravinsky too often (i. e. the three early ballets), but I do think the more obscure or simply neglected works from his Russian Period are certainly worth hearing. The problem I have with the three early ballets isn't the music itself obviously as they are works of brilliance, but of the overexposure these works have been subjected to. I love Le sacre, but I think there is plenty of the same kind of inventiveness in Orpheus or Agon for example and it would be nice to see more listeners, record labels, conductors, etc. get beyond the early Stravinsky works more often.

I've played most of the Stravinsky ballets in the pit and the two I enjoyed playing most were Rite and Pulcinella and they happen to be the two I listen to still most for pleasure as well.  Oh and Fairy's Kiss as well