Stravinsky: Later Ballets / Robert Craft, Et Al

$19.99
Label
Naxos
Release Date
December 11, 2007
Format
Added to Cart! View cart or continue shopping.


    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      STRAVINSKY, IGOR
    • ORCHESTRA / ENSEMBLE
      Philharmonia Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orch
    • PERFORMER
      R. Craft, Twentieth
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      December 11, 2007
    • UPC
      747313250622
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      8557506
    • LABEL
      Naxos
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      1
    • GENRE
      Orchestral & Symphonic
    Works ⌄

    1. Premiere donne (First Deal): Alla breve - Moderato assai - Tranquillo

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: Philharmonia Orchestra

      Conductor: Robert Craft

    2. Deuxieme donne (Second Deal): Alla breve - Marcia - Variations I-V - Coda - Marcia

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: Philharmonia Orchestra

      Conductor: Robert Craft

    3. Troisieme donne (Third Deal): Alla breve - Valse - Presto - Tempo del principio

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: Philharmonia Orchestra

      Conductor: Robert Craft

    4. Marche - Introduction

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: Twentieth Century Classics Ensemble

      Conductor: Robert Craft

    5. Pas d'Action - Con moto

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: Twentieth Century Classics Ensemble

      Conductor: Robert Craft

    6. Theme varie

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: Twentieth Century Classics Ensemble

      Conductor: Robert Craft

    7. Pas-de-deux - Andante sostenuto

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: Twentieth Century Classics Ensemble

      Conductor: Robert Craft

    8. Marche - Conclusion

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: Twentieth Century Classics Ensemble

      Conductor: Robert Craft

    9. Introduction

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: Orchestra of St. Luke's

      Conductor: Robert Craft

    10. Danses (Corps de Ballet)

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: Orchestra of St. Luke's

      Conductor: Robert Craft

    11. Variations (Ballerina)

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: Orchestra of St. Luke's

      Conductor: Robert Craft

    12. Pantomime - Pas-de-deux

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: Orchestra of St. Luke's

      Conductor: Robert Craft

    13. Pantomime

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: Orchestra of St. Luke's

      Conductor: Robert Craft

    14. Variation - Variation (Ballerina) - Pantomime - Danses (Corps de Ballet)

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: Orchestra of St. Luke's

      Conductor: Robert Craft

    15. Apotheose

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: Orchestra of St. Luke's

      Conductor: Robert Craft

    16. Variations, "Aldous Huxley in memoriam"

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: London Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: Robert Craft

    17. I. Allegro

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: Orchestra of St. Luke's

      Performer: Mark Wait

      Conductor: Robert Craft

    18. II. Andante rapsodico

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: Orchestra of St. Luke's

      Performer: Mark Wait

      Conductor: Robert Craft

    19. III. Allegro capriccioso ma sempre giusto

      Composer: Igor Stravinsky

      Ensemble: Orchestra of St. Luke's

      Performer: Mark Wait

      Conductor: Robert Craft


I have no criticism whatsoever about the excellence of these performances. No one plays neo-classical and late Stravinsky as well as Robert Craft, and whether in his energetic and witty account of Jeu de cartes, or the nicely "sec" articulation he uses to characterize the Danses and Scènes, these performances are as fine as any available, and they are very well recorded. Mark Wait also is a fine piano soloist in the Capriccio, giving a swift and uncommonly high-spirited rendition. The Variations belongs among Stravinsky's most uncompromisingly arid compositions. Craft delivers the piece with his usual clarity and focus, but like some Webern, the fact that you can listen to this brief work multiple times to try to "get it" doesn't mean that you will want to or that it's time well spent. Indeed my only qualm about this disc, one that prevents my giving it the highest rating, is that if you enjoy neo-classical Stravinsky you likely won't want the Variations. Still, it's only a bit more than five minutes of music and you can always ignore it. If the coupling suits, then don't hesitate.

--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com