Stravinsky in America
A fascinating compilation of works, both major and minor, that illustrate Stravinsky's genius interacting with an America far from his Russian roots and Parisian inclinations. Included are pieces as dizzyingly varied as arrangements of our national anthem and "Happy Birthday" to the hermetic, atonalHuxley Variations. Michael Tilson Thomas excels in all of them, conveying the immense stature as well as the icy wit of the all-too-rarely heardAgon, the raucous humor of theCircus Polka, and the jewel-like precision of theVariations. Throughout, MTT captures Stravinsky's biting rhythms and imparts an austere beauty to works such as theVariationsthat seem, in other hands, simply austere. He benefits from an impressive sound that reveals every detail. One of the conductor's finest discs, and essential for anyone interested in 20th-century music.--Dan Davis