Recommended cds of Stravinsky piano music and more
In reply to a poster who wondered about music, particularly piano selections, used in this film, I have some recommendations. Though I am not a musical "expert," I AM a classical music DJ on a US public radio station and do love Stravinsky's music, both orchestral and in piano form. In the film Stravinsky states that he composes everything "at the piano."
After viewing the superb Blu-Ray disc of this film last night, I looked through our library today and found the following discs (all US releases) to recommend:
Bridge 9051---
Stravinsky: Music for Piano (1911-'42)-- Aleck Karis, piano (w/Robert Lubin in duets)-- Includes "The Five Fingers," composed in 1921. Movements are played in the film by Stravinsky. Also examples of his "Ragtime" pieces and the delightful "Circus Polka"-- actually composed for a dancing elephant (Stravinsky, as the film illustrates, loved to make money!-- See Disney's "Fantasia.")
London 433-829---
Stravinsky: Music for 2 Pianos-- including a concerto, a sonata, the delightful "Scherzo a la russe" and a savagely brilliant performance of the composer's 2-piano version of "Le Sacre du Printemps" (Rite of Spring), performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy & Andrei Gavrilov.
London 433-467---(2 discs)
Stravinsky: Ballets-- Rec 1958-'61 in stunning FFSS London/Decca stereo
Ernst Ansermet, conducting L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
Petrushka (one of best ever recorded, sonics and perf); The Rite of Spring;
Les Noces; The Firebird -- simply definitive performances, by a conductor and orchestra associated with Stravinsky, Diaghilev and the Ballet Russes.
Analetka 9251-- Works associated with Diaghilev's Ballet Russes
All are 2-piano versions:
Stravinsky: Petrouchka (complete 4-movement ballet); also, by other composers:
Debussy: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (Nijinsky's first choregraphed work, quite scandalous at the time); Ravel: La Valse (Diaghilev hated it but it's become quite an orchestral--and occasionally danced-- favorite.)
Performers: Dominique Morel & Douglas Nemish, duo-pianists
I can recommend Arkiv Music on the web as an excellent source of recordings of this type. Amazon may have some as well. There are plenty of other wonderful recordings of Stravinsky's music. I recommend most anything conducted by the inimitable Leonard Bernstein!
I hope those interested can locate and enjoy some of these wonderful recordings. There's a reason why great music stays and stays forever!