There are many good reasons to get this
Stravinsky recording. It has premieres of four
Stravinsky works: a blistering transcription of the 1940 Tango for violin and piano, a hilarious early song called "The Mushrooms Going to War," a swinging swipe at La Marseillaise as a piece for solo violin, and the goofy musical telegram Petit Ramusianum Harmonique. It has performances of four rarely played
Stravinsky works: the short but tough Fanfare for a New Theater, the dour but delightful Lied ohne Namen for two bassoons, the sweetly lyrical Pastorale for violin and winds, and the drolly amusing Pribaoutki. It also has performances of two of
Stravinsky's other works for mixed chamber ensemble: the "musical object" he called Octet and suite from the on-the-cheap retelling of the Faust story he called L'histoire du soldat. The premieres are worth it for the "got-to-have-it-all"
Stravinsky collectors, and the Tango and La Marseillaise would make terrific encores. The rarities are worth it for the "got-it-already-but-could-always-use-another"
Stravinsky collectors, and the Pastorale is as supple and tender a performance as has ever been recorded. The two big works are worth it simply because they are among the best performances of the works in existence.
Steven Richman and the Harmonie Ensemble's Octet bounces and bounds along with infectious fun, and their Histoire suite is funny, funky, and sometimes deep-down sleazy. And there is one more reason to get this
Stravinsky recording: on the inside, it's got a mug shot of the composer after he was picked up by the Boston Police. His crime? "Tampering with public property" by arranging "The Star-Spangled Banner" for orchestra.