Stravinsky himself recorded the big piece on this CD in the 1960s, but both he–and Ashkenazy–should have left well enough alone: Stravinsky was no Bizet or even Shostakovich when it came to youthful symphonic excursions. We also can quickly dispense with the 1911 Firebird Suite, which leaves out the Berceuse and the Finale, instead ending with an Infernal Dance played inadequately by a hard-pressed St. Petersburg Philharmonic (and infernally by the trumpets). This disc is no tribute to orchestra, composer, or conductor, and perhaps that’s why it’s taken some five years to see the light of day. If you can find them, stick with Michael Tilson Thomas for a complete Firebird (BMG) and with Stravinsky himself (Sony) for the rest.
