Craftwork

A fine cd from Robert Craft in his traversal of the works of Stravinsky. This one is Stravinsky Vol VI and the works included are Symphony of Psalms, Les Noces and Lamentations of Jeremiah. Craft directs the Philharmonia and the Simon Joly Chorale. Craft lived and worked with Stravinsky and his family for many years and his role has inevitably attracted some controversy. He produces authoritative versions of the works, however. The Symphony and Lamentations are quite austere but powerful, with definite traces of the Orthodox tradition. Les Noces is a remarkable piece, mining the same primeval vein as the Rite of Spring but this time with just the forces of voice, piano and percussion. It is often semi-staged, telling the tale of a Russian peasant wedding in some unspecified time past.