Stravinsky: The Firebird (Complete Ballet); Fireworks; Song of the Nightingale
Antal Dorati was a veteran ballet conductor and a personal friend of  Stravinsky. His recording ofThe Firebirdwas a legend in its own time,  and its reappearance on CD, sounding better than ever, immediately reestablished  its supremacy. All of Stravinsky's complete ballets--as opposed to the suites-- have "dead spots," moments when the music sort of stops and lurches  about, illustrating something happening onstage. That's why the composer made  the suites in the first place. However, many of his most fascinating orchestral  ideas occur precisely in these "dead spots," which is why many  conductors and audiences prefer the works complete. Trust Dorati: he's the most  reliable guide to this music, and his orchestra gives him a virtuoso response.--David Hurwitz