Chez Stravinsky

[karlhenning]

TTT

This thread had nearly drifted to p. 4! Where's the outrage? 

Ray's purchase is a timely reminder . . . the first I heard the Symphony in Three Movements performed live, it was played by the Cleveland Orchestra at the Blossom Music Center (do they still play there in the summer?)  Piece still gives me chills (it was one of the first Stravinsky scores I bought at Patelson's on West 56th street).

And goodness, the Symphony of Psalms is one of the pinnacles of 20th-c. music.

[Mark G. Simon]

I just heard the Symphony in Three Movements this past weekend. Actually I saw it danced by the New York City Ballet, which was on tour and performing at the Kennedy Center. The choreography by Balanchine was very musical, but I had a hard time paying any attention to it, such is the power of the music. The City Ballet has a wonderful orchestra and their performance would have been worth the price of admission even without the visual aspect. The playing had real punch to it, along with clarity and delicacy when needed.

The ballet opens with a diagonal line of female dancers in white. The principle couple comes out during the bouncy episode with the solo piano, which has the effect of making everything before that sound like an introduction. The slow movement is danced only by the couple. The climactic moment of the finale was very effectively staged with the whole company lined up in rows doing various movements in synch with the irregular rhythms in the orchestra.

One thing I noticed for the first time (even after all these years), was the introduction of a reference to Le Sacre just after the opening tutti of the last movement (EF|G--FEDEF|G--FEDEF etc.).

[ChamberNut]

I got a great first impression so far of the Rattle/BP recording of the Symphony in Three and the Symphony of Psalms, although I had to postpone my listening to do a deadline at work.   

[karlhenning]

I just heard the Symphony in Three Movements this past weekend. Actually I saw it danced by the New York City Ballet, which was on tour and performing at the Kennedy Center.

Very nice!  That first occasion of mine at the Blossom Center, it was danced by the SF Ballet.

And I agree, who can pay attention to the dancers, with music that grabs your collar like that? 

[karlhenning]

I got a great first impression so far of the Rattle/BP recording of the Symphony in Three and the Symphony of Psalms, although I had to postpone my listening to do a deadline at work.   

The first CDs I had of Stravinsky were Rattle/CBSO recordings!

[Guido]

So is that spot in Pulcinella that sounds so much like it came from Mahler 4 intentional, and Ives couldn't have intended to quote Mark Dinning's Teen Angel (I pulled you out and we     were     safe"     in the St Gaudens Mvt Three Places in New England (or could he?)

Presumably the Ives thing is a joke?

[ChamberNut]

The first CDs I had of Stravinsky were Rattle/CBSO recordings!

Well, this is only my second Stravinsky CD.  I am mightily impressed, just on the first listen of these three symphonies.  I'm looking forward to giving it another spin! 

[Guido]

TPIAJ

[Guido]

I'll have to look out that song!

Have been listening to the Symphony in Three Movements and The Nightingale, prompted by this thread - both superb and I can see myself loving them both as much as all the Stravinsky I already know - the boxed set just holds so many treasures!

[Guido]

cheap tricks?

[Guido]

ah.

[Guido]

Not sure I'm convinced by this Song of the Nightingale piece... The opera is much better I think. It all seem a bit fragmented and never really flows like the three great ballet scores that preceeded it.

[snyprrr]

Anyone have the Mustonin/Van Keulen music for piano/violin philips 2cd?

[karlhenning]

Not sure I'm convinced by this Song of the Nightingale piece... The opera is much better I think.

I certainly agree that the opera is better!

[karlhenning]

i've noticed some of the very minor Stravinsky works I've listened to are pretty much horrible...

Oh! Which?

[greg]

Oh! Which?

Ok, I'll admit I haven't listened to them all a bunch of times yet, but after a couple of listens, the ones I'm referring to include much of the chamber music- stuff like the Duo Concertant, Piano Sonata, Movements for Piano and Orchestra, etc.
To me, the first two sound like some kid trying to imitate Stravinsky's style and ending up sounding very dull and boring. The third is the same thing, except Schoenberg is the one being imitated. 
Hopefully, I find something to like about them over time...

What do you think about these pieces, Karl?

[Nick]

As per the other thread, I don't think Stravinsky was on the level with Prokofiev.

As for those pieces, I like the Duo Concertante. The Piano Sonata is alright. I don't think very highly of Rake's Progress, Mavra, the Sonata for 2 pianos, and many of the proto-serial works, including the Movements for piano and orchestra.

[karlhenning]

As per the other thread, I don't think Stravinsky was on the level with Prokofiev.

Well, although (again) I don't view the matter at all as needing to have caricatures of the two composers duke it out . . . there is a case to be made for Stravinsky being "the greatest composer of the twentieth century" (accepting for the sake of discussion that such a designation might be fixed).  I don't know how one might plausibly make such a claim of Prokofiev.

Mavra is wonderful.  I like the Movements for piano and orchestra a great deal, too.  For all its brevity, the Symphonies of Wind Instruments is a seminal masterpiece;  and aside from that (so to speak), I find it pure delight to listen to.

[Nick]

In what sense is there more a case to be made for Stravinsky as the "greatest composer of the 20th century" than Prokofiev?

[ChamberNut]

Step aside Mr. Prokofiev and Mr. Stravinsky.  Please make way for Mr. Shostakovich!  0:)