Track Listing

1. The Firebird: Introduction
2. The Firebird: Tableau I: Kashchey's magic garden
3. The Firebird: Tableau I: Appearance of the Firebird, pursued by Ivan Tsarevitch
4. The Firebird: Tableau I: Dance of the Firebird
5. The Firebird: Tableau I: Capture of the Firebird by Ivan Tsarevitch
6. The Firebird: Tableau I: The Firebird's entreaties (appearance of the 13 enchanted princesses)
7. The Firebird: Tableau I: The princesses' game with the golden apples (scherzo)
8. The Firebird: Tableau I: Sudden appearance of Ivan Tsarevitch
9. The Firebird: Tableau I: Princesses' khorovod (round)
10. The Firebird: Tableau I: Sunrise (Ivan Tsarevitch enters Kashchey's palace)
11. The Firebird: Tableau I: Magic carillon, appearance of Kashchey's guardian monsters...
12. The Firebird: Tableau I: Dance of Kashchey's enchanted retinue
13. The Firebird: Tableau I: Infernal dance of Kashchey's subjects
14. The Firebird: Tableau I: Cradle song (the Firebird, Kashchey's awakening, Kashchey's death...)
15. The Firebird: Tableau II: Disappearance of the palace and of Kashchey's spells...
16. Scherzo fantastique, Op. 3
17. Feu d'artifice, Op. 4

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19185 in Music
• Released on: 1990-10-25
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
Charles Dutoit's 1984 recording of The Firebird is a marvel of atmospheric impressionism--a shimmering, seductive, beautifully played account that finds the Montreal Symphony at its best. The recording is superbly spacious and detailed, and the couplings are ideal. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews

One of my all-time top ten recordings!
Another flawless disc from Dutoit and his wonderful orhcestra. This really is the finest orchestra I've ever heard. I'm building a collection of Dutoit/Montreal CD's, and this one goes straight to the top of the pile! The brass section is amazing, every bit as good as the famous Chicago Symphony Brass.
This is THE Firebird to get. Buy it, you won't regret it!
And if you enjoy this CD, I also recommend Dutoit's recordings of Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Prokofiev (symphony 5). All flawless recordings. Unfortunetely his reading of The Rite of Spring is let down by a surprisingly poor recording from decca. The percussion is barely audible.

DuToit/MSO Firebird Ballet
As fine a Stravinsky recording as I have heard. A large sounding recording played with great enthusiasm, so much so that the finale may sound a little shrill if your volume is not toned down. If you know someone who is not captured by ballet or classical music, give them a listen to this orchestra, and watch the smiles develop.

Shimmering
This is one of the finest recordings ever of The Firebird. Dutoit was a student of Ernest Ansermet, who made a specialty of this score. Dutoit's performance is in the same league. Throughout, there are touches of fancy that create a host of details which come through beautifully in this extremely detailed recording. The Montreal orchestra has a splendid sonority for Stravinsky, with the most ethereal pianissimi imaginable. The Firebird often is a tough score to hold together in its complete form, but there are no dull spots in Dutoit's rendition. Whether you buy this as top notch Stravinsky or a stereo showpiece, you will not be disappointed. The shorter works are done beautifully, too.