Stravinsky: "Symphony of Psalms," Symphony in C, Symphony in Three Movements; Simon Rattle conducting the Berlin Philharmonic (EMI)
Mussorgsky: "Pictures at an Exhibition" and Borodin: Symphony No. 2, "Polovetsian Dances"; Simon Rattle conducting the Berlin Philharmonic (EMI)
In his Mussorgsky and Borodin disc, conductor Simon Rattle seems to be doing his laudable duty for EMI by recording popular repertoire, and maybe doing it too well. Under Rattle, Mussorgsky's grand finale tries to be the grandest performance of all, and the treatment is almost more than the music can take.
Elsewhere, performances are typically bright-eyed Rattle, probably in the top 25 percent of the huge "Pictures at an Exhibition" discography, one hopes selling enough to support less mainstream activities that are closer to Rattle's heart.
The Stravinsky disc shows signs of being one of them.
Rattle goes against the composer's performance approach with a red-blooded, frankly dramatic reading of "Symphony of Psalms." He also gives such rhythmic vitality to Symphony in Three Movements -- in one of the best performances -- that it takes on a hindsight kinship with later Leonard Bernstein works, even "West Side Story."
If Symphony in C is the only major Stravinsky work you've never warmed up to, I'm with you. But in this era of selective downloading, that need not be a barrier to acquiring the other two symphonies (of sorts).
DAVID PATRICK STEARNS, PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
