# The Rite Of Spring



## anephric (Dec 13, 2008)

I was knocking around on YouTube a couple weeks ago and came across an absolutely beautiful series of videos of Leonard Bernstein practicing The Rite Of Spring with a Youth Orchestra for the Schelswig-Holstein Music Festival in 1987.

You can see the first one here - 



. You can find subsequent ones in the menu window to the right.

Its absolutely amazing to see the man squeeze as much as he does from an already talented pool of international players. I cannot more highly recommend the video - though some of the interview segments are tough as they're in languages other than English and my French and German is really poor.

In any case, the video made me wonder what is considered the best recording(s) for this work. Its long been one of my favorites and I'd like to see if I can expand my understanding of it by hearing more versions. I really enjoy the Riccardo Muti recording with the Philadelphia Orchestra - but it seems that all the discs now split the two movements into a dozen tracks which really burns my bacon.


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## Atabey (Oct 8, 2008)

It is my favourite work by Stravinsky but unfortunately i am not familiar with many recordings of it. Other than the Muti version you already mentioned and i admire,i only have Jansons' recording with Oslo.He is not as bombastic as Muti but he is much more robust rythmically but yes this cd also split the movements into dozen tracks.


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## Lang (Sep 30, 2008)

I think my favourite performances were those under the baton of Antal Dorati.


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

The best I've heard is Gergiev/Kirov. This is a pretty popular recording. Gergiev, sort of known as a mad man, whips the score into a savage frenzy...which is how the works should be interpreted. I've never understood the "restrained" approach to this work. The music should be played in such a way as to induce a riot. That was done at least once that I know of...!


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## Rondo (Jul 11, 2007)

I am quite fond of the Ozawa/CSO performance.


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## confuoco (Feb 8, 2008)

Tapkaara said:


> I've never understood the "restrained" approach to this work. The music should be played in such a way as to induce a riot. That was done at least once that I know of...!


I think "restrained" approach has some sense in this case. Stravinsky is mostly composer of logic and not primary emotion.

I can recommend recording of *Pierre Boulez* with *Cleveland Orchestra* from DG...it is the top recording in every way. I think only few conductors are so familiar with this work as Boulez.


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## Habib (Jan 29, 2009)

Robert Craft conducting the Philharmonia on Naxos is another restrained interpretation. The first recording I had on tape of this work (which I no longer have) I liked much better, I think it was more wild. It was Erich Liensdorf conducting (I think) the London Symphony (or Philharmonic) Orchestra.


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

confuoco said:


> I think "restrained" approach has some sense in this case. Stravinsky is mostly composer of logic and not primary emotion.


As mentioned in another thread, I don't think restrained goes well with the Rite. This is music about barbaric human sacrifice and other pagan dealings. A "logical" approach could work to reveal the inner textures and what not of the piece, but stripping it down for examination seems to defeat the purpose of why the work was written. I'd say, if we can have prehistoric barbarism AND logic, why not? But I definitely prefer primal to pedantic.

True, Stravinsky is not an emotional composer...in general. But I think the Rite has to be his most "emotional" work, by a long shot. He certainly wanted to elicit very distinct emotions with a piece such as this, so why not give it what it really needs?


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## JoeGreen (Nov 17, 2008)

As our Beloved Leonard says at the beggining of the video, this is piece is about sex! 

A very raw emotion.


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

The Rite is indeed an explosive expression of terror, lust and other very "base" emotions. It's about that,and it wants you to feel them too. Again, I repeat: to treat a score such as this in such a cold and calculated way seems to be doing it a huge injustice.


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