No other disc I've heard in the Robert Craft Collection so clearly illustrates Stravinsky's extraordinarty stylistic diversity. The graceful neo-classicism of Apollo (a 1947 revision of his 1928 ballet Apollon musagète) creates a gentle, idealised image of Greek mythology far removed from the hard-edged yet soulfully expressive world of Orpheus (1948). However, it is the astringent sonorities and constantly changing moods of the serialist-influenced Agon, completed when Stravinsky was 74, that has the most dramatic impact. As with all the releases in this magnificent series, the performances are excellent.

Robert Craft's Apollo is more an idea than a living, breathing god. Craft has never been a particularly engaging conductor, but as Stravinsky's longtime associate, he has always been an interesting one. And his performances of "Apollo," the charming "Orpheus" and the later, edgier "Agon" do have a curious way of drawing you into the music and bringing you back for more. Given that the Naxos disc costs half as much as the ECM competition, that's a further draw.

Spanning three decades, these are three of the masterpieces born of the long and fertile partnership between Stravinsky and ballet master George Balanchine. . . . It's good to have the three together in suave and beautifully recorded performances conducted by Stravinsky's assistant-amanuensis Robert Craft.

I can't think of another conductor I would rather hear in this music than Robert Craft, not just because he is more respectful of the text than just about anyone else, but because he has the confidence and integrity to respect the music's understated idiom--to suggest rather than announce--as well as a keen understanding of the rhythmic element that underpins it all. This last factor is particularly critical in Apollo, music whose extreme stylization can become a caricature if taken too slowly or denied the necessary lightness and grace. Craft's supple leadership keeps the piece moving along smartly, with a firm lyrical line threading through the acres of ornament. In Agon, his careful observance of dynamics ensures that the difficult-to-capture licks for harp and mandoline register with complete naturalness and clarity. Orpheus, one of Stravinsky's most striking and luminous pieces, has a cool beauty that Craft realizes particularly well, again by taking care over matters of phrasing and balance. I could be very specific as to the scores, but suffice it to say that just about every page contains relevant examples of what I am describing. More importantly, with excellent playing and sonics, all at a budget price, if you want this music you can't do better.