Monteux conducted the original premiere of Stravinsky’s brutally rhythmic and primitive ballet, and two other of his recordings are available – one with the Boston Symphony and another with the San Francisco Symphony. The work was one of the famous “succes de scandales” in the history of music. Members of the audience got violent at the premiere and press reviews were highly critical. Now it’s considered a pinnacle of 20th century music, and it was Marilyn Monroe’s favorite classical work.
The Dorati performance on Mercury is a bit more incisive, but Monteux’s is a powerful interpretation informed by the conductor who worked directly with Stravinsky on the premiere. I heard subtle instrumental details in the score that I had never noticed before, even on SACDs. There is low hum or rumble on the RCA Victor two-track prerecorded tape from which this DVD-R was mastered, but it’s not prominent enough to be annoying unless your subwoofer is set too high or suffers from a peak in response. The running time is short but this is such a blockbuster than no “filler” selection could hope to make a suitable pairing with it.
– John Sunier
