Still Available(?) MTT's Stravinsky on RCA

Stravinsky: The Firebird (complete), The Rite of Spring, Persephone. Soloists, Choruses, San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas (cond.) RCA [3 CDs]

[jimslancio]

The Persephone recording was made before I joined the SF Symphony Chorus, but fortunately I had a chance to do it some years later. For a while I had hoped to eventually do all of Stravinsky's choral music. I did not all, but many.

[blackmoom]

That recording is astounding. I've had that CD set for years and if I had a nickel for every time I've listened to my money, the best recording ever of The Rite of Spring. 🤘

[alanmcginn]

I really love this music and didn’t know about this set. Ordered!!

[Richard-brv]

The recording MTT did with the Boston Symphony Orchestra of the Rite of Spring is the best recording by far with the late great Vic Firth playing timpani

[gordonbeall]

I am sure this is my first comment ever on this channel, only being a music lover and no expert! But love you folks who are. You all have made a very positive impact on me, Dave especially of course, HOWEVER! I have to say that I have hit up Tidal for this tonight, and this recording is absolutely incredible. I started a playlist (now in its third volume) of GRE and have added it to the latest list (exec decision). If this recording isn’t the greatest what could be??

[dcbuck]

I have this set and have enjoyed it for years. MTT is a fabulous Stravinsky conductor and the SFSO is excellent. As far as the Persephone recording, I agree that it is excellent in almost every way. The "however" is with the narrator. Although Ms. Cosserat is absolutely fine, I will always have Vera Zorina in my mind's ear. I don't care who declaims it, "La brise vagabonde / A caressé les fleurs" has Zorina's voice.

[Richard-brv]

I believe the timpanist in this recording was David Herbert who eventually went to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

[StompyJones]

There was a very interesting interview with Michsel Tilson Thomas by Norman Lebrecht on BBC Radio 3 about a fortnight ago. Among other things some interesting insight into Bernstein saying he off to Czechoslovakia to show the Czechs how to play Dvorak. It made me think of a BBC programme with Bernstein teaching a British orchestra how to play Elgar. I heard the recent interview by chance but it seems Norman Lebrecht has been doing a series. If they're all as interesting as this one was it could be worth checking out BBC Sounds.