Here is a chilling reading of Bartok's complete, surreal ballet — in which a troika of toughs induces a young girl to lure various men into compromising situations (through dance, naturally). There are more lyric recordings of Bartok's slashing score out there. But grace isn't necessarily what's called for when the criminals are freaking out over why victim number three — a wealthy Chinese man — isn't dying from his many wounds. Conductor Pierre Boulez, who has made Bartok a specialty, leads the Chicago Symphony through deliberate, tableau-like approaches to each scene. The clarinet dances coquettishly — sometimes haltingly — during the seduction numbers, while Chicago's legendary brass players herald the bloody, final embrace between the girl and the Mandarin with crisp alarm. The inclusion of Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta — another ambitious work by Bartok — makes this a fine introduction to both the composer and the conductor.