BaL 11.05.24 - Stravinsky: The Firebird

[Pulcinella]

1500
Building a Library

Kate Molleson chooses her favourite recording of Stravinsky's ballet The Firebird.

The Firebird was written for the 1910 Paris season of Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes company with a scenario based on the Russian fairy tales of the Firebird and the blessing and curse it possesses for its owner. It was a huge success, launching Stravinsky to international fame. Set in the wicked immortal Koschei's castle, the ballet tells the story of Prince Ivan, who fights Koschei with the help of the magical Firebird.

200 entries in Presto's rather indiscriminate listing here:

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/works/53904--stravinsky-the-firebird/browse

I wonder if only the complete ballet will be considered, and not the suites.

[Pulcinella]

[Holding post for further information/comments.]

I see only a Suite recommendation in the BaL spreadsheet: maybe Darloboy can clue us in.

Too many versions on my shelves to bother listing here: all the usual culprits!

The complete 1910 ballet has featured on BBC MM CD Volume 19, Number 9: BBC SSO/Volkov (City Halls, Glasgow: 19 January 2006).

[CallMePaul]

There seems to be an awful lot of Stravinsky in BAL these days! This is not a piece I know well, but I have always enjoyed hearing it. I trust that KM will be considering only complete versions, not any of he suites?

[Petrushka]

A shout out from me for the LSO/Dorati recording made in 1960 on Mercury Living Presence. For recorded sound alone this knocks more recent efforts out of sight. Spectacular stuff and it is, of course, the complete 1910 ballet.

[Pulcinella]

Actually not so many versions on the shelves as I thought.

In addition to the BBC MM version (BBCSSO/Volkov) I have

OSR/Ansermet
Chicago SO/Boulez (DG)
NYPO/Boulez (Sony)
LSO/Dorati
OSM/Dutoit
LPO/Haitink
Philharmonia/Salonen
Columbia SO/Stravinsky

I too would give a thumbs up to the Dorati, and also to the earlier Ansermet recording with the New Philharmonia Orchestra, which I'm just streaming.

[Roger Webb]

Actually not so many versions on the shelves as I thought.

In addition to the BBC MM version (BBCSSO/Volkov) I have

OSR/Ansermet
Chicago SO/Boulez (DG)
NYPO/Boulez (Sony)
LSO/Dorati
OSM/Dutoit
LPO/Haitink
Philharmonia/Salonen
Columbia SO/Stravinsky

I too would give a thumbs up to the Dorati, and also to the earlier Ansermet recording with the New Philharmonia Orchestra, which I'm just streaming.

I know you worked hard for the Columbia SO/Stravinsky!

I'm resurrecting some vinyl at the moment, incl. Sir Colin Davis/Concertgebouw (three LP Philips box), sounds very fine. I think the cd version was on a Philips twofer.

[Pulcinella]

I know you worked hard for the Columbia SO/Stravinsky!

I'gm resurrecting some vinyl at the moment, incl. Sir Colin Davis/Concertgebouw (three LP Philips box), sounds very fine. I think the cd version was on a Philips twofer.

Yes: the display edition in the big black box. Nice commission to be on at Pastoral Music!

Gave it away to an old school friend when I got the even bigger box set!

[Roger Webb]

Yes: the display edition in the big black box. Nice commission to be on at Pastoral Music!

Gave it away to an old school friend when I got the even bigger box set!

Hope it went to good home! I have the 'condensed' version with the cardboard sleeves and the impossible to read index! Priceless Perfs though!

[Pulcinella]

Hope it went to good home! I have the 'condensed' version with the cardboard sleeves and the impossible to read index! Priceless Perfs though!

It did. A musical chum, ex-chorister at Liverpool Cathedral!
There was a (free/99p?) introduction to the 22CD set that contained a listing, which was what I used.
Might even have a spare copy if it would be of use.

[richardfinegold]

[Holding post for further information/comments.]

I see only a Suite recommendation in the BaL spreadsheet: maybe Darloboy can clue us in.

Too many versions on my shelves to bother listing here: all the usual culprits!

The complete 1910 ballet has featured on BBC MM CD Volume 19, Number 9: BBC SSO/Volkov (City Halls, Glasgow: 19 January 2006).

The complete ballet doesn’t add anything worthwhile, mainly just a few connective bits. I wouldn’t even bother making a distinction in this case between the complete and the Suite.
Another work that must have hundreds of recordings. My personal preference is Ozawa/Chicago but I have at least a dozen on my shelf that I enjoy. My biggest disappointment was Haitink/Concertgebouw, a bland outing for one of my favorite artists

[Pulcinella]

The complete ballet doesn’t add anything worthwhile, mainly just a few connective bits. I wouldn’t even bother making a distinction in this case between the complete and the Suite.
Another work that must have hundreds of recordings. My personal preference is Ozawa/Chicago but I have at least a dozen on my shelf that I enjoy. My biggest disappointment was Haitink/Concertgebouw, a bland outing for one of my favorite artists

Except that there are three suites: 1911, 1919, and 1945!

[richardfinegold]

Those were done to preserve copyright royalties. The differences in the Suites are more interesting than the differences between any of the Suites and the full ballet

[Pulcinella]

Those were done to preserve copyright royalties. The differences in the Suites are more interesting than the differences between any of the Suites and the full ballet

Some interesting information about the three suites here:

https://imslp.org/wiki/The_Firebird_...ravinsky,_Igor)

[Roger Webb]

It did. A musical chum, ex-chorister at Liverpool Cathedral!
There was a (free/99p?) introduction to the 22CD set that contained a listing, which was what I used.
Might even have a spare copy if it would be of use.

Thanks for the offer, but looking at it again it is just about useable, but why do CBS/Sony make a habit of illegibility (the Stravinsky booklet is white/grey on black). The CBS/Sony Bernstein edition is just as bad; although the period/retro mini LP sleeves are attractive.....unless, that is, you actually want to read the text!

[Barbirollians]

I am very fond of the CBSO/Rattle recording of the complete ballet but I only have it on cassette . The Dutoit is very fine too . I have Barbirolli in the suite too.