Works of Igor Stravinsky [Box set]

This must be the greatest bargin set ever released. For this price you would expect 'average' versions of Stravinsky's major works. What you get [not made clear on the box] are 22 CD's made up of all the stereo recordings made for Columbia by the composer himself; a few works directed by Robert Craft with Stravinsky in the studio; and a handful of vintage recordings of works not remade in stereo by the composer. These interpretations are of immense historical importance but, also, very fine performances in their own right. The sound is first class; the remastering also.

There is so much here to enjoy that it is difficult to single out individual works. A few of my personal favourites are 'The Firebird', 'The Rite of Spring', 'Apollo' [my desert island recording of a lovely work from Stravinsky's neo-classical period], 'The Ebony Concerto' with Benny Goodman, and 'Les Noces' with both Samuel Barber and Aaron Copland among the pianists! However, I'm sure this list will change considering just what treasure trove is included.

An essential collection at a stupid price. Buy it before Sony BMG realise their mistake.

At last, these recordings, which were previously released as "Stravinsky - The Recorded Legacy" on Sony Classical (SX22K46290), have been reissued at a budget price. The previous incarnation (which is still available) came in a plastic presentation case with all CDs in single, double and triple jewel cases, also a very detailed booklet with all song & opera texts, synopses and translations and various background essays. That set cost between £89 and £120 depending on where you got it from. The present set dispenses with much of that in order to save at least £60.

So what you get in this release are the CDs in cardboard sleeves housed in a cardboard box, the advantage of this being that it takes up the bare minimum of space on the shelf. You also get a very minute booklet with only the details of the soloists, orchestras and recording dates and a short essay (in a few European languages). (So no song texts etc here, which is a bit annoying.) The positive side is that all the recordings are exactly the same as in the previous release, which is obviously the most important part and it's a great way of getting a lot of fantastic music for very little money (not to mention historically important versions of Stravinsky's music, conducted and/or overseen by the man himself). For me this was ideal as I wasn't really that interested in much of the vocal music so didn't really want to shell out for the more expensive set.

There's really no excuse for not buying this at this price, unless you feel you have to have all the extra packaging and paperwork which comes with the more expensive version (or you are broke, but even then you ought to try to get this).

Works of Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky, Conductor

DISC 1

Ballets Vol. 1

The Firebird (ballet)
Scherzo à la Russe
Scherzo fantastique*
Fireworks
CBC Symphony Orchestra*
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
(Recorded in 1961, 1962, 1963)

DISC 2

Ballets Vol. 2

Petrushka (ballet)
The Rite of Spring (ballet)
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
(Recorded in 1960)

DISC 3

Ballets Vol. 3

The Wedding (ballet)
Samuel Barber, piano
Aaron Copland, piano
Lukas Foss, piano
Roger Sessions, piano
The American Concert Choir
Columbia Percussion Ensemble
Renard the Fox (ballet)
The Soldier's Tale (Suite)
Columbia Chamber Ensemble
(Recorded in 1959, 1961, 1962)

DISC 4

Ballets Vol. 4

Apollo (Apollon Musagete) (ballet)
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Agon (ballet)
Los Angels Festival Symphony Orchestra
Card Game (ballet)
Cleveland Orchestra
(Recorded in 1957, 1964)

DISC 5

Ballets Vol. 5

Scènes de ballet
CBC Symphony Orchestra
Bluebird - Pas de deux
The Fairy's Kiss (ballet)
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
(Recorded in 1963, 1964, 1965)

DISC 6

Ballets Vol. 6

Pulcinella (ballet)
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Orpheus (ballet)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
(Recorded in 1964, 1965)

DISC 7

Ballets Vol. 7 (Suites)

Petrushka (Suite)
Pulcinella (Suite)
The Firebird (Suite)
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
(Recorded in 1960, 1965, 1967)

DISC 8

Symphony in E flat, Op. 1 - Rehearsals and Talks
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
(Recorded in 1966)

DISC 9

Symphonies

Symphony in Three Movements
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Symphony in C
Symphony of Psalms
CBC Symphony Orchestra
(Recorded in 1961, 1962, 1963)

DISC 10

Concertos

Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments
Philippe Entremont, Piano
Movements for Piano and Orchestra
Chales Rosen, Piano
Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra
Philippe Entremont, Piano
Concerto in D for Violin and Orchestra
Isaac Stern, Violin
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
(Recorded in 1960, 1961, 1964, 1966)

DISC 11

Miniature Masterpieces

Greeting Prelude
Suite No. 1 for Small Orchestra
Suite No. 2 for Small Orchestra
Concerto in E flat for Chamber Orchestra, "Dumbarton Oaks"
Four Norwegian Moods for Orchestra
Circus Polka
Concerto in D for String Orchestra, "Basle Concerto"
Eight Instrumental Miniatures
Four Etudes for Orchestra
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
CBC Symphony Orchestra
(Recorded in 1962, 1963, 1964)

DISC 12

Chamber Music & Historical Recordings Vol. 1

Preludium for Jazz Ensemble
Concertino for 12 Instruments
Octet for Wind Instruments
Columbia Chamber Ensemble
Ragtime for 11 Instruments
Tango
Septet
Pastorale
Ebony Concerto for Clarinet solo and Big Band
Benny Goodman, Clarinet
Columbia Jazz Ensemble
Columbia Chamber Ensemble
(Recorded in 1961, 1962, 1965)
Symphonies of Wind Instruments
Symphonieorchester des Nordwestdeutschen
(Recorded in 1951, MONO)

DISC 13

Chamber Music & Historical Recordings Vol. 2

Duo Concertant for Violin and Piano
Joseph Szigeti, Violin
Igor Stravinsky, Piano
(Recorded in 1945, MONO)
Serenade in A
Igor Stravinsky, Piano
(Recorded in 1934, MONO)
Concerto for 2 Solo Pianos
Igor Stravinsky, Piano
Soulima Stravinsky, Piano
(Recorded in 1938, MONO)
Piano-Rag Music
Igor Stravinsky, Piano
(Recorded in 1938, MONO)
Sonata for 2 Pianos
Arthur Gold, Piano
Robert Fizdale, Piano
Sonata for Piano
Charles Rosen, Piano
(Recorded in 1960, 1961)

DISC 14

Operas

The Nightingale (Opera)
Chorus and Orchestra of the Opera Society of Washington D. C.
Mavra (Opera)
CBC Symphony Orchestra
(Recorded in 1960, 1964)

DISC 15

35 Songs

Faun and Shepherdess
Two Poems of Paul Verlaine
Two Poems of Konstantin Bal'mont
Three Japanese Lyrics
Three Little Songs
Pleasant Songs
Cat's Cradle Songs
Four Russian Pleasant Songs
Four Songs
Three Songs of William Shakespeare
In Memorium Dylan Thomas.
Elegy for J. F. K.
The Owl and The Pussy-cat
Tilim - Bom / Klabum - klabam
CBC Symphony Orchestra
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Columbia Chamber Ensemble
(Recorded in 1964, 1965, 1967, 1966, 1968)

DISC 16, 17

The Rake's Progress (Opera in Three Acts)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
(Recorded in 1964)

DISC 18

Oratorio - Melodrama Vol. 1

Oedipus Rex (Opera - Oratorio in two acts after Sophocles)
Chorus and Orchestra of the Opera Society of Washington D. C.
The Flood (A Musical Play)
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
(Recorded in 1961, 1962)

DISC 19

Oratorio - Melodrama Vol. 2

Persèphone (Melodrama in three parts)
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Ode (Elegiacal chant in three parts)
Cleveland Orchestra
Monumentum Pro Gesualdo di Venosa ad DISC Annum
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
(Recorded in 1960, 1964, 1966)

DISC 20

Sacred Works Vol. 1

Chorale Variations
on the German Christmas Carol
"Vom Himmel hoch da komm' ich her"
Johann Sebatian Bach
(Arrangement Igor Stravinsky)
Zvezdoliki
Ave Maria
Credo
Pater Noster
Cantata (Anonym 15th/16th Century lyrics)
Mass
Babel
CBC Symphony Orchestra
(Recorded in 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966)

DISC 21

Sacred Works Vol. 2

Canticum Sacrum ad Honorem Sancti Marci Nominis
Los Angels Festival Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
Introitus
Columbia Chamber Ensemble
A Sermon, A Narrative and A Prayer
CBC Symphony Orchestra
Anthem
Festival Singers of Toronto
Threni (id est lamentationes Jeremiae Prophetae)
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
(Recorded in 1957, 1959, 1962, 1966)

DISC 22

Robert Craft conducts under the supervision of Igor Stravinsky

Song of the Nightingale
Dances Concertantes
Epitaphum
Double Canon
Abraham and Isaac
Variations
Requiem Canticles
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Columbia Chamber Ensemble
(Recorded in 1961, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1969)