在俄羅斯芭蕾舞團經理賈吉列夫的邀約下,史特拉汶斯基完成他第一部芭蕾音樂《火鳥》,也是讓他一夕成名的代表作。故事內容取材自俄羅斯的神話傳說,描述王子伊凡在樹林中捉住一隻火鳥,火鳥送給伊凡一根羽毛做為遇難時回來相救的信物以換取自由。黎明後,王子發現了惡魔的城堡以及被俘虜的十三位公主的伊凡因為流連忘返而被惡魔關入獄裡。伊凡拿出火鳥的羽毛求助,火鳥搭救了王子,也釋放被惡魔囚禁的公主與騎士。最後伊凡王子迎娶第十三位公主為妻。
史特拉汶斯基起意譜寫《春之祭》是在1910年。當時他才剛完成芭蕾音樂《火鳥》,一個景象忽然在他腦中浮現:「異教徒莊嚴的祭禮。長老圍坐成一圈,注視著一個年輕的姑娘跳舞至死。他們把這個少女當成犧牲獻給春之神。」原本史特拉汶斯基想把這個構想寫成交響曲,但是在賈吉列夫的勸說下,史特拉汶斯基與俄羅斯芭蕾舞團合作將它編成舞劇。衝撞的和弦、調性與節奏雖然在首演時引起喧然大波,但是很快就成為史特拉汶斯基代表作。除了這兩首名作,本套專輯還收錄了《彼得洛希卡》、《煙火》與《四首管弦樂練習曲》等三部作品。早年布列茲的指揮功力曾經被讚譽為「唯有馬勒與理查‧史特勞斯可以與之媲美」,尤其擅長十九世紀以後的作品。布列茲的指揮風格嚴謹而且精確,他除了強調史特拉汶斯基作品結構的清晰與節奏上細微的變化,節奏的衝擊力加上樂團豐富的音色處理,讓布列茲的史特拉汶斯基一直在同曲目版本中,佔有重要的地位。
Disk 1:
1. The Firebird (L'oiseau de feu) - Ballet (1910) - Introduction
2. The Firebird (L'oiseau de feu) - Ballet (1910) - Kashchei's enchanted garden
3. The Firebird (L'oiseau de feu) - Ballet (1910) - Appearance of the Firebird pursued by Ivan Tsarevich
4. The Firebird (L'oiseau de feu) - Ballet (1910) - Dance of the Firebird
5. The Firebird (L'oiseau de feu) - Ballet (1910) - Ivan Tsarevich captures the Firebird
6. The Firebird (L'oiseau de feu) - Ballet (1910) - Supplication of the Firebird
7. The Firebird (L'oiseau de feu) - Ballet (1910) - Game of the Princesses with the golden apples
8. The Firebird (L'oiseau de feu) - Ballet (1910) - Sudden appearance of Ivan Tsarevich
9. The Firebird (L'oiseau de feu) - Ballet (1910) - Round dance of the Princesses
10. The Firebird (L'oiseau de feu) - Ballet (1910) - Daybreak
11. The Firebird (L'oiseau de feu) - Ballet (1910) - Magic carillon, appearance of Kashchei's guardian monsters and capture of Ivan Tsarevich
12. The Firebird (L'oiseau de feu) - Ballet (1910) - Dance of Kashchei's retinue under the spell of the Firebird
13. The Firebird (L'oiseau de feu) - Ballet (1910) - Infernal dance of all Kashchei's subject's
14. The Firebird (L'oiseau de feu) - Ballet (1910) - Lullaby of the Firebird
15. The Firebird (L'oiseau de feu) - Ballet (1910) - Collapse of Kashchei's palace and dissolution of all enchantments - Reanimation of the petrified prisoners - General rejoicing
16. Fireworks
17. 4 Etudes for Orchestra - Danse
18. 4 Etudes for Orchestra - Excentrique
19. 4 Etudes for Orchestra - Cantique
20. 4 Etudes for Orchestra - Madrid
Disk 2:
1. Petrouchka / Scene 1 - First tableau
2. Petrouchka / Scene 2 - Second tableau
3. Petrouchka / Scene 3 - Third tableau
4. Petrouchka / Scene 4 - Fourth tableau
5. Le Sacre du Printemps - Part 1: L'Adoration de la Terre
6. Le Sacre du Printemps - Part 2: Le Sacrifice