Search - Igor Stravinsky, Simon Rattle, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra :: Stravinsky: Apollo; Le Sacre du printemps

Rattle's Rite

Ralphus | Goyang, Gynggi-Do Korea (South) | 04/07/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This recording of "The Rite of Spring" and "Apollo" was made in 1987/88, back in the days when Rattle was bringing the City of Birmingham Symphony into prominence on the EMI label. If I'm not mistaken, this was just after their acclaimed recording of Mahler's 2nd.



Now, twenty years later, Birmingham has dropped off the map somewhat and Rattle, once the shining light of English conductors, has moved to Berlin and the spotlight doesn't seem to be shining so brightly (despite the international regard for the Berlin Phil.). I suppose, after an artist such as he receives such inordinate attention early on, there comes a time when reality sets in. Why do I mention all this? Because there is still much to value in Rattle's early recordings, and still the flaws that are sometimes leveled against him.



One clear positive of this disc is the coupling. If you are like me, you probably don't know "Apollo" as well as "Rite...", "The Firebird", "Petrushka" and probably even "Pulcinella" or "Les Noces". Like much of Stravinsky's earlier works, it was subjected to revision in the 1940's. It had previously been known as "Apollon musagete". This is Stravinsky very much in Neo-Classical mode: a la "Orpheus", "Agon". One weakness of Birmingham is the strings. They just don't have the power they need sometimes.



Like several Rattle recordings, he focuses on details. This can be enlightening at times, at others it can feel like it's going nowhere, or that it's all just done for effect. But, having said that, he also builds the music to great effect. "Rite..." is very much like this. The "Spring Rounds" of the first part are ferocious. The Birmingham brass are fantastically raucous. The woodwinds twitter and screech ably, but sometimes feel a little weak.



On first listening, this performance may not appeal. But after a few spins in the player you start to take to Rattle's approach. This performance will never displace the highly regarded Monteux, Stravinsky himself, or, my personal favorite, Haitink with the LPO, recordings, but it is worth a listen. Despite the fact that Birmingham are no Vienna Phil., Concertgebouw or Chicago, they acquit themselves well and remind why their star shone so brightly for a while in the late 80's.



Recommended. TT = 65'10""

Ripe

David Saemann | 03/18/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Rite of Spring was one of Rattle's early warhorses. He first recorded it in analogue sound with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. What we have here is Rattle's 2nd version of the work. It is a very good performance, dramatic, scrupulously detailed, and with a wide dynamic range. I do miss some of the pungency that a more virtuosic orchestra than the Birmingham can offer. My first Rite of Spring, on cassette, was the Boulez with George Szell's Cleveland Orchestra (which I now have on an excellent CD), a performance of absolutely spine-tingling virtuosity. Nevertheless, one of the plusses of Rattle's rendition is that it is recorded in beautifully balanced sound with a wide but natural dynamic range, which makes the strong moments of Rattle's interpretation that much more effective. What I can't stint on my praise of is Rattle's performance of Apollo. British orchestras have an almost innate understanding of beautifully balanced string sound, and that is exactly what we get here. Rattle's interpretation is subtle and exquisitely modulated. This is the most enjoyable Apollo I've heard since Colin Davis's on LP, and the sound engineering here is warm and detailed. So, on balance, this is a Stravinsky disc well worth having, even if Rattle, in Sacre, is not exactly Pierre Monteux."