Andris Nelsons’ interpretation of The Firebird has much in common with Boulez’s New York recording for Sony–hyper-detailed (those three harps really tell), yet never at the expense of excitement. Yes, it takes a few minutes to get going (the Dance of the Firebird is a touch careful), but from the scherzo on it’s uniformly marvelous. The Magic Carillon sounds incredibly atmospheric, the Infernal Dance rocks, and the final apotheosis is pretty thrilling, particularly with the extra trumpet parts included. Through it all the City of Birmingham Symphony plays quite wonderfully, better in fact than it ever did for Rattle.
Nelsons’ emphasis on clarity also flatters the Symphony of Psalms, particularly in the central fugue. His fleet tempos come close to Stravinsky’s own and project the quick outer movements with plenty of punch. The CBSO chorus, while good, cannot compare to the best of the competition. There’s a certain lack of depth to the basses, and we miss that rich, Slavic timbre to the women’s voices that we find in the best Eastern European choirs (above all Ancerl’s). Still, this is a very good performance by any standard, and the sonics are impressively natural. If the coupling suits, then don’t hesitate. [6/9/2010]
