Colour, magic and brilliance from a Russian celebrity.
In 1961 the ABC pulled off a coup, bringing the celebrity composer Igor Stravinsky to Australian shores to conduct his own music with the Sydney and Melbourne orchestras. It was a highlight of the decade, and the collaboration remains a memorable moment in the Sydney Symphony's history.
To conclude one of his concerts, Stravinsky conducted the exquisite Berceuse and Finale from his Firebird suite and in our 80th anniversary year we remember and celebrate by playing the whole suite. And Isabelle Faust returns to Sydney to play Stravinsky's brilliant Violin Concerto.
For his first visit to the Sydney Symphony, composer-conductor Matthias Pintscher brings some music of his own - an intense and dazzling piece inspired by Osiris, the Egyptian fertility god. And to begin the concert, he's chosen the Mother Goose suite - a direct contemporary of the original Firebird, from a composer who rivalled Stravinsky in his ear for luscious orchestral colour.
RAVEL Mother Goose: Suite
STRAVINSKY Violin Concerto
PINTSCHER towards Osiris
STRAVINSKY The Firebird: Suite (1945)
Matthias Pintscher conductor
Isabelle Faust violin
AUDIO PLAYER LISTING
Track 2 - STRAVINSKY Violin Concerto: I. Toccata
Arthur Grumiaux (violin), Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Ernest Bour
DECCA 480 0481
Track 3 - PINTSCHER towards Osiris
Berliner Philharmoniker conducted by Simon Rattle
EMI CLASSICS 0946 3 59382 2 7
Track 4 - STRAVINSKY The Firebird : Suite (1945) : Dance of the Firebird
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Riccardo Chailly
DECCA 473 731-2
Audio kindly supplied by Silver Partner Universal Music