At the end of the twentieth century, Igor Stravinsky's stock was riding high as critics of various kinds began to agree separately that he may have been the greatest composer of the Modern Era. However, even before that, critical appraisals of Stravinsky's work as a conductor took an about-face. During his lifetime, and even a little after, Stravinsky's reputation as a composer protected him, along with his suggestion that the interpretations of others be guided to some degree by his recordings. Over time, it became ...
Read More
At the end of the twentieth century, Igor Stravinsky's stock was riding high as critics of various kinds began to agree separately that he may have been the greatest composer of the Modern Era. However, even before that, critical appraisals of Stravinsky's work as a conductor took an about-face. During his lifetime, and even a little after, Stravinsky's reputation as a composer protected him, along with his suggestion that the interpretations of others be guided to some degree by his recordings. Over time, it became painfully clear that Stravinsky was often his own worst enemy as a conductor. This has led to the dismissal, in some quarters, of Stravinsky's entire recorded output, the most extensive of any composer/performer born in the 1880s, and some of the strongest adherents of Stravinsky the composer are among the most violent detractors of the conductor. Into this fray springs Music & Arts with its modestly titled Stravinsky Conducts His Own Works, emblazoned with a splendid photograph of...
Read Less
