Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring was premiered 100 years ago today. This did not go unnoticed.
And tonight, it's live on TV :
http://liveweb.arte.tv/fr/video/cent...y_sasha_waltz/
(Nijinsky's original ballet)
Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring was premiered 100 years ago today. This did not go unnoticed.
And tonight, it's live on TV :
http://liveweb.arte.tv/fr/video/cent...y_sasha_waltz/
(Nijinsky's original ballet)
Since I couldn't make it to Paris and see Rites in person, I'll play the Bernstein reissue vinyl I just got the other day. Thanks for reminding me.
Best piece of "classical" music ever! I've got it in the queue to be played in a moment. And thanks for the link. I've never seen the ballet: I'll definitely be watching tonight.
The Rite of Spring.."Real" progressive music. The real thing.
Trey Gunn posted the Stick Men's cover of it on Facebook and then noted that Levin has played with everyone--including Stavinsky!
I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.
I think that's my favourite bit of music ever
Since Stravinsky died in 1971, it's possible but seems unlikely. Levin would have had to be playing upright bass - and furthermore, classical upright bass - and I don't think he did that very much or at all after he left the Eastman School of Music. Although while there, he did play in the Rochester Philharmonic. Stravinsky guest-conducted his own music with many orchestras, so I suppose it's remotely possible that he could have done so with the RPO when Levin was with them.Originally Posted by polmico
Last edited by Baribrotzer; 05-29-2013 at 03:52 PM.
Indeed... ROS was quite possibly the first piece of music in my life that I had to work to "get". My parents turned me on to Firebird and Petrouchka at an early age, but they most definitely did not like Rites. There were probably large chunks of Petrouchka that did nothing for them as well. ROS sounded very dissonant and unpleasant to me too but there was something going on; it had such shades of tonality and contrast, going from almost nothing to huge explosions of sound... it took a few years but it all eventually made sense and it's one of my favorite pieces of music. Although I still like Petrouchka a wee bit better
Probably my favorite piece of classical music?
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I'm just going by what Gunn said. Don't forget, too, Levin is not a young man. He is nearly 70 (67, I think). He just looks like he did 30 years ago.
I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.
I remember reading his account of this years ago. I believe it was when he was in school. Here's a snippet from an old interview with him that I found:
http://www.oocities.org/sunsetstrip/5014/levin1000.html
If you were able to go back in time and play with anybody you wanted who would it be?
Easy - Hendrix. If I'm allowed other choices - Miles. Incidentally, on this subject, back in my orchestral days I was lucky to have played, once, under Stravinsky - quite a thrill.
easily one of the greatest pieces of music ever written. I have Stravinsky's recording with the Columbia symphony on sacd and when I play it I can almost imagine him in front of me conducting it. it is one of those pieces of music that if you haven't heard it, you are missing out on an historical piece of written music. I will have to play this today. thanks for the reminder. I won't generate a riot though.
rick
The Rite of Spring was innovative, violent, shocking, and beautiful. Couple that with the almost equally innovative choreography, and you have the perfect formula for a musical revolution.
As others have said, one of the greatest pieces of music ever written.
After this, Stravinsky went in a completely different direction, entering his 'neoclassical' (1920-1952, I believe) period. Pulcinella (with costumes by Picasso) was based on compositions from the 18th century.
Now, I have to choose which performance to listen to when I get home tonight. Even though it is not my favorite recorded performance, I might have to go with Stravinsky conducting the Columbia Symphony. But I like the Cleveland Orchestra with Boulez conducting (1991) or Ozawa conducing the Chicago (1968) better.
And if there were a god, I think it very unlikely that he would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence - Russell
Monteux.
Hell, they ain't even old-timey ! - Homer Stokes
Who the hell knew that a Maj7 chord and a dom7 chord a whole step below orchestrated simultaneously could create such a raucous?
Those jagged, primitive sounding rhythms probably had something to do with it, too.Who the hell knew that a Maj7 chord and a dom7 chord a whole step below orchestrated simultaneously could create such a raucous?
And if there were a god, I think it very unlikely that he would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence - Russell
Simply fucking amazing music, and when combined with Nijinsky's ballet one of the most important and amazing artistic statements of the 20th century. And such a huge influence on progressive rock. How many times has that famous rhythm been ripped off?
I urge everyone to check out this film that presents a fictional account of the premiere. I think all of it is on YouTube in different parts.
Not entirely surprising - it contains a cluster between the root of the Maj7th, the 7th of the Maj7th, and the root of the Dom7th. Even when split apart into different octaves, those tend to sound super-dissonant and "wrong".Who the hell knew that a Maj7 chord and a dom7 chord a whole step below orchestrated simultaneously could create such a raucous?
Just watched the live stream from unclemeat's link (Mariinsky Theatre's ballet and orchestra conducted by Gergiev, Nijinsky's original choreography) and that was effing brilliant!!! Thanks again for posting!
I'm not sure I'd rate it over the Mahler or Prokofiev symphonies, the Bartok piano concertos, or some of Stockhausen's 60's and 70's era pieces, but it's definitely a favorite of mine as well. About 12 years ago I saw the Cleveland Orchestra perform the piece, under Boulez's baton.
It's not just the notes, but the accents! Accents give otherwise diffuse passages meaning and definition.
Happy Anniversary, Igor! I'm so glad someone posted about this. It is an unquestionably amazing piece. And it gives me the opportunity to make a bit of an announcement. I have recorded and am very nearly ready to release my electronic version of The Rite of Spring. Look for a more formal post in the coming weeks. It was done all with synths and touch of Mellotron in the style of Tomita, Carlos, etc. No one I could find ever did this piece in its entirety in this style back in the day and I always wanted to hear one, so I had to do it myself. Please PM me if you have any questions on it. It'll be available through CD Baby, iTunes, etc and hopefully all the usual prog CD sources or from me directly, when the time comes. Here's the front cover:
Attachment 1816
Thanks, Marc
Niacin has made a very abbriviated version for drums, B3 & bass, called 'Spring rounds'.
Did Isao Tomita ever do any Stravinsky ?
I love music passionately. And because I love it I try to free it from barren traditions that stifle it.
Claude Debussy
I'll be checking it out. My hats off to you for recording it. I have the score at home and I found it a challenge just to read along with a recording of it playing.
Absolutely. His "Firebird" album is a classic.
There are quite a few other abbreviations that are out there - Birdsongs of the Mesozoic, Banyan - plus a full big band version I picked up from Wayside. Mine is definitely in the vintage synth tradition.
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