Audition: Stravinsky: Petrushka Haitink 1973

Haitink London Philharmonic Orchestra, rec: Philips

Edition: 1911

Haitink benefits from a very good orchestra – balanced well and big enough to make a big climax when needed.

It is very well observed too  so much detail is revealed in a very good Philips recording. The reading is dramatic, almost visual and full of rhythm. It feels like a ballet.

The strings struggle a bit in one tricky section of the first tableau but the cheery woodwind and well recorded percussion are fabulous but visceral when required.

The second tableau is near perfect in the Moor’s room in tableau three - the suspense is palpable not least because the percussion are clear and close. Fabulous atmosphere throughout. I like the keen ear for the characterisation such as Haitink picking out the Moor’s limp  again the percussion lead . I can’t really fault Haitink in the Shrovetide fair music - the orchestra opens up and it’s full blooded but translucent even the bells are audible. Tableau 4 is exciting. It is detailed, but moves the story along with plenty of incidentals in the score we seldom hear: the inner horn parts, wonderful pairings of instruments and the subtle differences in sororities and timbre in every department.

There’s a later version with the Berlin Philharmonic by Haitink also on Philips.

PS Haitink often picks up details which are also picked up by Boulez

Ridiculous but:

Performance 9 

Interpretation 11/10

Recording 9