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Sony Masterworks

Franck: Symphony; Stravinsky: Petrouchka / Monteux, Et Al

$11.98

Details

Composer
FRANCK STRAVINSKY
Artist
Monteux, Bso
Format
CD
Label
Sony Masterworks
Released
Mar 09, 1999
Catalog #
09026633032
UPC
090266330324

About

A few decades ago, Franck’s Symphony in D minor was standard repertoire, and every major conductor recorded it. Now, the work’s high romantic sentimentality seems to have fallen out of fashion, and new releases are far less common. Interpretations run the gamut from reasonably strict and “classical”, to totally demented (think: Stokowski). Monteux’s falls decidedly into the “classical” category, but never to the detriment of expressivity.

Consider how he handles the luscious second subject of the first movement, with a singing tone and real urgency, the ensuing accelerando done with passion, excitement, and yes, taste. The Chicago Symphony plays gloriously (this was the Reiner era, let’s not forget), responding to Monteux’s every perfectly judged nuance. It has become fashionable lately to disparage this performance, in addition to dogging the work, but as Tovey once wrote, “All’s not false that’s taught in the public schools.” This recording was the best in its day, both interpretively and sonically, and so it remains 50 years on.

The coupling of Pétrouchka might seem odd–there’s only so much Monteux material available in stereo to RCA, but it’s equally wonderful. Indeed, if I had to choose a single CD to represent the conductor’s art at its best, this would probably be the one. Again, he has a great orchestra at his disposal, one fully at home in the idiom, and he leads a performance at once lovingly detailed but also brilliant and glittering. In the Danse Russe Monteux captures the music’s mechanical, cartoonish qualities to perfection, while the folk dances in the concluding tableau have all the rhythmic bounce and gaiety that one could ask. The sonics are superb even by modern standards. What a joy this disc is!

-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

Tracklist 19 tracks

  1. 1 I. Lento 17:59
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Lento
    Duration
    17:59
    Composer
    César Franck
    Ensemble
    Chicago Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux
  2. 2 II. Allegretto 10:33
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Allegretto
    Duration
    10:33
    Composer
    César Franck
    Ensemble
    Chicago Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux
  3. 3 III. Allegro non troppo 10:23
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Allegro non troppo
    Duration
    10:23
    Composer
    César Franck
    Ensemble
    Chicago Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux
  4. 4 Scene 1: The Shrove-Tide Fair: Vivace 05:38
    Track
    4
    Title
    Scene 1: The Shrove-Tide Fair: Vivace
    Duration
    05:38
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Ensemble
    Boston Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux
  5. 5 Scene 1: The Shrove-Tide Fair: The Magic Trick 01:58
    Track
    5
    Title
    Scene 1: The Shrove-Tide Fair: The Magic Trick
    Duration
    01:58
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Ensemble
    Boston Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux
  6. 6 Scene 1: The Shrove-Tide Fair: Russian Dance 02:33
    Track
    6
    Title
    Scene 1: The Shrove-Tide Fair: Russian Dance
    Duration
    02:33
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Ensemble
    Boston Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux
  7. 7 Scene 2: Petrushka's Room 04:08
    Track
    7
    Title
    Scene 2: Petrushka's Room
    Duration
    04:08
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Ensemble
    Boston Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux
  8. 8 Scene 3: The Moor's Room: Feroce Stringendo 03:22
    Track
    8
    Title
    Scene 3: The Moor's Room: Feroce Stringendo
    Duration
    03:22
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Ensemble
    Boston Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux
  9. 9 Scene 3: The Moor's Room: Dance of the Ballerina 00:45
    Track
    9
    Title
    Scene 3: The Moor's Room: Dance of the Ballerina
    Duration
    00:45
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Ensemble
    Boston Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux
  10. 10 Scene 3: The Moor's Room: Valse 03:29
    Track
    10
    Title
    Scene 3: The Moor's Room: Valse
    Duration
    03:29
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Ensemble
    Boston Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux
  11. 11 Scene 4: The Fair Toward Evening: Con moto 01:03
    Track
    11
    Title
    Scene 4: The Fair Toward Evening: Con moto
    Duration
    01:03
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Ensemble
    Boston Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux
  12. 12 Scene 4: The Fair Toward Evening: Wet Nurse's Dance 02:40
    Track
    12
    Title
    Scene 4: The Fair Toward Evening: Wet Nurse's Dance
    Duration
    02:40
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Ensemble
    Boston Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux
  13. 13 Scene 4: The Fair Toward Evening: Peasant with Bear 01:28
    Track
    13
    Title
    Scene 4: The Fair Toward Evening: Peasant with Bear
    Duration
    01:28
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Ensemble
    Boston Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux
  14. 14 Scene 4: The Fair Toward Evening: Gypsies 00:54
    Track
    14
    Title
    Scene 4: The Fair Toward Evening: Gypsies
    Duration
    00:54
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Ensemble
    Boston Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux
  15. 15 Scene 4: The Fair Toward Evening: Dance of the Coachmen 02:10
    Track
    15
    Title
    Scene 4: The Fair Toward Evening: Dance of the Coachmen
    Duration
    02:10
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Ensemble
    Boston Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux
  16. 16 Scene 4: The Fair Toward Evening: Masqueraders 01:42
    Track
    16
    Title
    Scene 4: The Fair Toward Evening: Masqueraders
    Duration
    01:42
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Ensemble
    Boston Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux
  17. 17 Scene 4: The Fair Toward Evening: Scuffle 00:46
    Track
    17
    Title
    Scene 4: The Fair Toward Evening: Scuffle
    Duration
    00:46
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Ensemble
    Boston Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux
  18. 18 Scene 4: The Fair Toward Evening: Death of Petrushka 01:36
    Track
    18
    Title
    Scene 4: The Fair Toward Evening: Death of Petrushka
    Duration
    01:36
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Ensemble
    Boston Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux
  19. 19 Scene 4: The Fair Toward Evening: Petrushka's Ghost 00:41
    Track
    19
    Title
    Scene 4: The Fair Toward Evening: Petrushka's Ghost
    Duration
    00:41
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Ensemble
    Boston Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Pierre Monteux