The Greatest Recordings EVER! Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms

[@HST3B]

I am glad to hear your impressions from the Rudolfinum. I've never been there, but I've been to some good halls. Berlin Philharmonie, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Concertgebouw Amsterdam. Concertgebouw is a miracle! I don't know if you were there. When I listened to the string quartet there, I looked for microphones and speakers, but of course they were not there. And when I listened to the Netherlands Radio Orchestra and Vasily Petrenko perform Shostakovich's fourth symphony at that fffff part from the first movement, I was blown away by the raw power of the sound. These are just a few impressions from the beautiful Grotezaal.

[@williammoreing3860]

Happily, I ordered a copy of this CD only days ago, inspired by rewatching a video devoted to this piece that you, good sir, made four years (!) ago. I await its arrival with eager anticipation. Cheers!

[@HassoBenSoba]

I just pulled this recording 0ut and gave it a listen: MY GOODNESS, what a performance/recording. Absolutely as you describe it. The sound of the chorus and orchestra at (9:26) in the last movement, when the full wind/brass choir sonorities are piled onto one another..is unbelievable (nice slow tempo,too). The Czech Choral tradition remains (IMO) the pinnacle of the art; too bad it is rarely ever recognized. But thankfully, this recording..made in 1966 (the pinnacle of the pinnacle, you might say) preserves that legacy in all its glory. LR

[@donmcc3]

Thanks Mr. Hurwitz! Going over to stream it on Apple as soon I finish typing this. I first heard the Symphony of Psalms with the Louisville Orchestra in the '70s. It shared the concert with The Ninth, Jorge Mester conduction.

[@alanmcginn4796]

Ancerl box! Please. Supraphon. Would sell out in a minute!!!! Dave. Has the man ever not done anything less than excellent?

[@robertjamesstove]

Here was I assuming that I had been the only person to admire Ancerl in the SYMPHONY OF PSALMS. Glad that others share my esteem for this recording. I say this as one who normally cares little for Stravinsky as served up by other conductors, but who can find no fault with the SOP or OEDIPUS REX as heard via Supraphon.

[@georgesdelatour]

The Symphonies of Psalms is one of my favourite works, and may even be my favourite work by Stravinsky. I have one particular test for any performance, and sorry if my focus on this one thing seems like nerdy monomania. That slow 3-2 section at the end of the third movement has to be performed REALLY slow. Stravinsky marks it as quarter note equals 72, which means the beat is actually 36! I don’t expect exact metronomic fidelity, but I still want performances to approximate to that. Unfortunately quite a few performances do it a fair bit faster. I just gave a listen to the Ančerl performance, and, while I certainly didn’t check him against a metronome (something I promise I don’t usually do), he definitely “gets it” in that ending section! Thank you for the recommendation.

[@LyleFrancisDelp]

As much as I truly LOVE Ancerl, I still lean toward the remarkable Bernstein recording. That said, I still understand your preference for Ancerl. Once I discovered this amazing conductor, I've been a true fan. By the way, I've played this piece three times in my trombone career...having the short solo each time.

[@josepheads5589]

I have that CD. This music staggering when heard in live performance. The University of North Texas played the Symphony of Psalms last year and it was easily the highlight of the season. Well, that and "Pierrot Lunaire," which is also staggering in live performance. It was a great season at UNT!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Sure sounds like it!

[@donlynch8285]

Thank you! Stravinsky and Sviridov have been on my rotation since the beginning of this year!! Speaking of Sviridov, I wonder if there'll be a video on him too someday :)

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Sure. Someday!

[@parsa.firooznejad]

Hi dave, much gratitude from iran... Can you tell me your favorite record of symphony in c too? Tnx

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Please have a look at the reviews on ClassicsToday.com.

[@parsa.firooznejad]

​@@DavesClassicalGuide I checked it but I didn't realize which one to choose ? Rattle or craft ?

[@KingChangiz]

greetings sir i was wondering if you can review ( Mehul: Complete Symphonies) by Etienne-Nicolas Mehul (Composer), Michel Swierczewski (Conductor), is this the only ''complete symphonies'' version of mehul works recorded? or any other conductor have done this too?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

That's about it.

[@abrain]

So is there a good recording with a boys choir? I think I had one on LP.

[@georgesdelatour]

I have a pretty good recording by Harry Christophers with The Sixteen. Not boys, but women who are used to imitating boys in early music. So it has that aesthetic approach.

[@allthisuselessbeauty-kr7]

Simon Preston's (on Decca Eloquence I think) uses boys voices as Stravinsky originally requested.