[12/4/2010] Preview: In which we hear "The Firebird" come to its rousing close (continued)

Like it says up top, The Firebird comes to a rousing close. We've ditched MTT and the SFSO, who really don't manage a terribly rousing close, in favor of Pierre Boulez and the Chicago Symphony, who do better -- presumably around December 1992, when they made their audio recording of the complete ballet for DG. The horn solo is played, as a YouTube commenter notes, by the remarkable Dale Clevenger, who has been the orchestra's horn principal since 1966 -- yes, he's still on the job!
UPDATE: I just watched the clip again and noticed that at the end it identifies the source as Cologne's MusikTriennale 2000.

We're actually going to work our way step by step through the final sequence of The Firebird, but first we still have to hear the composer's recording of the beguiling little Scherzo à la russe.

STRAVINSKY: Scherzo à la russe
Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Igor Stravinsky, cond. Columbia/CBS/Sony, recorded in New York, Dec. 17, 1963

Now we jump to the three major final events of The Firebird, which we're going to hear first separtely. Since I want to save the composer's recording for a traversal of the complete final sequence, for the separate sections we're going to hear the last of the three Firebirds recorded by one of the great Stravinsky conductors, Ernest Ansermet.

STRAVINSKY: The Firebird:
Dance of Kashchei's retinue enchanted by the Firebird;
Infernal dance of Kashchei's subjects

Berceuse (Lullaby);
Awakening of Kashchei
Death of Kashchei

Scene 2: Disappearance of the palace and Kashchei's spells;
Animation of the petrified knights;
General rejoicing

New Philharmonia Orchestra, Ernest Ansermet, cond. Decca, recorded November 1968

Now let's put it together.

STRAVINSKY: The Firebird:
Concluding sequence (contents as above)
Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Igor Stravinsky, cond. Columbia/CBS/Sony, recorded in Hollywood, Jan. 23-25, 1961


RETURN TO THE BEGINNING OF THE POST


IN TOMORROW'S SUNDAY CLASSICS POST

As promised, it's all Firebird-- in all three familiar forms, the compact 1919 Suite, the longer (as well as orchestrally revised) 1945 Suite, and the complete ballet.

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