Audition: Stravinsky - Petrushka - B/Haitink

Audition: Stravinsky - Petrushka

Bernard Haitink conducting Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Recorded by Philips - December 1988

Haitink’s remake is not a patch on his earlier recording – they both were on Phillips – but the sound in this CD era disc was awful in parts as was some of the playing. The recording focus  switches from strings to woodwind throughout and all too closely miked.  Surprisingly for the BPO there’s also poor intonation at times. As the sound varied so much this played havoc with the dramatic line and the intensity of delicate writing was all but destroyed by the spotlighting of instruments and occasionally with solos.

It had none of the colour, verve, drive and drama of his first reading and the London Philharmonic Orchestra outplayed the BPO on this occasion.

There are points of delight but they were few and far between. I fear this is a very sad reminder of a conductor and an orchestra going through the motions.

Performance 4 out of 10

Recording 3 out of 10

Interpretation 6 out of time 10

NB this was recorded near the end of Karajan‘s time with the BPO - he would have had no truck with such mismanagement. It’s a shocker!