Stravinsky

Firebird Suite; Petrushka Suite

Philharmonia Orchestra/ Santtu-matias Rouvali

Signum SIGCD856 65:07 mins

Who wants Petrushka without the ghost? It makes no sense to offer all but a few bars of the complete ballet up to the point where the puppets scuffle behind the curtains, Petrushka is killed by his love rival and returns to haunt the scene. Stravinsky, who provided a ‘concert ending’ to kick the Masqueraders off the stage (and no doubt win instant applause), actually recorded this oddity twice – the second time nominally as his amanuensis Robert Craft conducted – but beyond the era of record sides, saving a few crucial minutes is absurd. And someone forgot to tell the recording’s authoritative annotator Marina Frolova-walker what was (or wasn’t) going on.

Do the performances transcend the limitation? Sadly not. I always wondered about Rouvali’s lack of interest in true theatricality (as opposed to symphonic drama – his Mahler Second turned out to be a surprise success). The Firebird Suite is the longer 1945 one, giving us the Firebird’s oriental Supplications and the Princesses’s dance with the golden apples in addition to the six movements selected in 1919. The French sophistications of the first half are beautifully played, but all behind a scrim, and the stakes aren’t sufficiently raised for the Infernal Dance. The Berceuse is stretched from dream to torpor, and the eccentricities of Rouvali begin in the finale, continuing with at least half a dozen absurd pauses in Petrushka (the last to try and justify the unsatisfactory ending). The stars are the orchestra, with outstanding sonorities from flute to tuba, and the recording. It sounds gorgeous, but simply doesn’t catch fire. David Nice PERFORMANCE ★★

RECORDING ★★★★★