Stravinsky made most of his recordings for Columbia, with the exception of one made for Telefunken in the 1930s, several albums made for RCA in the 1940s, one Vox and one Mercury LP. This post by request starts a short series of Stravinsky's own non-Columbia recordings. It is a 1949 recording of his Mass issued on an early 10-inch RCA LP.
The performers are men and boys from New York's Church of the Blessed Sacrament, along with a wind ensemble.
Stravinsky's avowed purpose in this mass was to provide music that avoids operatic gestures and speaks to the spirit. The performance, however, is a bit anonymous and stylistically typical of its time. The recording is indifferent.
I'll be back with another RCA LP and the 1938 Telefunken recording with the Berlin Philharmonic, as reissued on Capitol.
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6 comments:
I never heard Stravinsky's Mass. would be interesting to compare to a surely totally-different Mass, that of Leonard Bernstein (to which I was coincidentally listening to today).
I am eager to listen to this recording, as I am very familiar with Stravinsky's 1962 recording for Columbia, paired, I think, with his written-for-TV "The Flood." I love this work as I do all his religious pieces, especially the later-years "Canticum Sacrum" and "Threni."
Another request: I have become an obsessive collector of Bronislau Kaper's film music. But it seems the best of it is impossible to find. Were you fortunate enough to buy "Invitation" or "Butterfield 8"? The theme for the former has been recorded by just about every jazz player and singer of note. I wonder what Kaper's own thoughts were on his music. I recently watched "Butterfield 8" and the best thing about it was the score. Certainly a film that won its leading actress an Oscar must have had a soundtrack recording. Tell me I am right and that you have the record.
Scoredaddy,
As you know by now, Stravinsky's Mass is nothing like Bernstein's!
David,
The only part of Invitation issued in the vinyl era was the theme music, which appears among assorted Kaper items on the reverse of the Auntie Mame soundtrack (which I do have). Film Score Monthly issued a CD with more music a few years ago. Butterfield 8 was never issued, to my knowledge.
Could you please re-up? And, by the way, love your blog!!
Great re-up. Missed it first time around, and I am a Strawinsky fan!
Thank you Buster.:-)
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