# Stravinsky : Oedipus Rex



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

What are your thoughts on this work? And do you have any preferred recordings? I've only listened to Stravinsky's stereo recording, and Berstein's recording with the Boston Symphony.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

I like it, not every day but once a month.
I do have two recordings :_ Ozawa / Norman_ on Philips but this one above is my favourite.:tiphat:


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I missed out on the Bernstein CD, but I watched it on YouTube. It's presented in part six of Bernstein's Norton Lectures at Harvard 1973. Anyone who is interested in Stravinsky should find this lecture fascinating.


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

Great opera-oratorio. Though I'm not a big fond of two major arias of Jocasta and Creon (as I think they sound a little unauthentic lead into a sort of mannerism), I've found the Gloria chorus pure magnificent and the tragic ending so impressive. And I have several recordings. My favorite is Neeme Järvi with L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande issued in a box 'The Essential Stravinsky'. 

P.S. I think this thread belongs to the opera sub-forum.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

It's a bizarre work, to be sure, and I'm sure it's quite strange as theater, especially if presented in accordance with Stravinsky and Cocteau's original concepts. That said, as music it has much to recommend it, and the intentional distancing of Stravinsky's Neoclassicism leads to a surprisingly moving conclusion.

I know both the (somewhat maligned) Stravinsky/Columbia recording as well as the Bernstein mentioned above, and I've heard good things about Salonen's version.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

Mahlerian said:


> It's a bizarre work, to be sure, and I'm sure it's quite strange as theater.


There's a rather strange, but very effective, production by Julie Taymor, featuring Philip Langridge, Jessye Norman and Bryn Terfel conducted by Seiji Ozawa:






I have this on DVD, and it's one of my absolute favourites.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

This one I have.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Mahlerian said:


> It's a bizarre work, to be sure, and I'm sure it's quite strange as theater, especially if presented in accordance with Stravinsky and Cocteau's original concepts. That said, as music it has much to recommend it, and the intentional distancing of Stravinsky's Neoclassicism leads to a surprisingly moving conclusion.
> 
> I know both the (somewhat maligned) Stravinsky/Columbia recording as well as the Bernstein mentioned above, and I've heard good things about Salonen's version.


I may pick up the Salonen, since the Bernstein disc is too expensive. But listeners also give high marks to the recordings by Colin Davis, and Karel Ancerl. Oedipus Rex is probably my least favorite of the Stravinsky vocal works I've listened to including Le Rossignol, Les Noces, Renard, and Persephone. I need to make more of an effort to listen to the whole Columbia box.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

^^

The Ančerl recording of _Œdipus Rex_ is wonderful, and is coupled with an outstanding rendition of the _Symphony of Psalms_. Highly recommended.


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## Wood (Feb 21, 2013)

Reichstag aus LICHT said:


> There's a rather strange, but very effective, production by Julie Taymor, featuring Philip Langridge, Jessye Norman and Bryn Terfel conducted by Seiji Ozawa:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've just watched this on DVD, and really enjoyed it. An unusual work, made weirder by the masks, puppets and Japanese aspects employed by the then inexperienced director, Taymor. Lots of effects but little drama or action between the singers.

Stravinsky, Ozawa, Cocteau & Norman is quite a combination!


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## ST4 (Oct 27, 2016)

I absolutely love it, one of Stravinsky's greatest works alongside Le Sacre


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

ST4 said:


> I absolutely love it, one of Stravinsky's greatest works alongside Le Sacre


Any special recording you like?


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## apricissimus (May 15, 2013)

I listened to this for the first time today and it just about knocked me on my ***. Very impressed.

The recording I listened to was conducted by Stravinsky himself, on Columbia. An earlier commenter said that this recording is "somewhat maligned." Why is that? Does anyone know?


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