The sizable discography of
Andrew Davis
included little, if any,
Stravinsky
prior to this 2022 release, but
Davis
shows himself equal to the task of creating a distinctive
release. He and the
BBC Philharmonic
offer various items of interest, including the
Greeting Prelude
of 1955, one of
's early serial compositions. Written for conductor
Pierre Monteux
's 80th birthday, it treats the tune
Happy Birthday
serially. Another small find is a clever reading of the
Circus Polka
, written for circus elephants and dancers; the appearance of
Schubert
's
Marche Militaire
near the end here is beautifully handled. The centerpieces are
's two symphonies, which are remarkably little played despite the fact that the collision of traditional formal ideas with rhythmic disjunctions would seem to be right up the composer's alley. Both receive excellent performances that capture
's dry humor. As an entr'acte, there is the
Divertimento
, based on
's ballet
Le Baiser de la fee
, which the composer continued to tinker with into the late '40s. Taken together, this release offers an excellent look at works from the end of
's long neoclassic period. Beautifully controlled sound from a MediaCity UK studio and insightful notes by the great
Paul Griffiths
are bonuses. ~ James Manheim