Seattle Symphony Orchestra/Ludovic Morlot
Stravinsky/Nikolaev
Seattle Symphony Media
AS well as acclaimed recordings of the music of Henri Dutilleux, the flood of releases from the Seattle Symphony since it started its own label two years ago has included The Rite of Spring and Petrushka, so a live recording from its home, the Benaroya Hall, of the full 1910 score of Igor Stravinsky's first major work makes absolute sense. Beautifully played it is too, but at crucial moments – and especially the Infernal Dance – Music Director Ludovic Morlot's reading does lack passion. There are other Firebirds out there with more fire.
The disc is still worth having though, for the coupling. It was recorded five years ago at the start of Morlot's tenure and is Vladimir Nikolaev's Homage to Jimi Hendrix, The Sinewaveland, composed for the orchestra's Sonic Evolution programme which has also paid tribute to other great names from Seattle like Nirvana and (this year) Quincy Jones. With a solo role for principal second violin Elisa Barston, Nikolaev's 12-minute work (a fifth of the length of the whole disc) not only sits very comfortably next to the Stravinsky, it also evokes the music of the virtuoso electric guitarist and singer masterfully, without, as far as I can hear, quoting a single recognisable phrase.
Keith Bruce
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