Rite of Spring

Stravinsky (Artist), Bernstein (Artist), Nyp (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 2, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000027NX
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #38,992 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #75 in Music > Classical > Ballets & Dances > Historical Periods > Modern & 20th Century

Track Listings

1. Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Introduction

2. Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Harbingers of Spring

3. Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of Abduction

4. Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Spring Rounds

5. Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Games of the Rival T

6. Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Procession of the Wi

7. Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Wise Elder

8. Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Dance of the Earth)

9. Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part II: The Sacrifice: Introduction (Pagan Night)

10. Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girl

11. Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification of the Chosen One

12. Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part II: The Sacrifice: Summoning of the Ancients

13. Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part II: The Sacrifice: Ritual of the Ancients

14. Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance (Chosen One)

15. Petrushka, ballet (burlesque) in 4 scenes for orchestra (1911 version): Scene I~The Shrove-tide Fair

16. Petrushka, ballet (burlesque) in 4 scenes for orchestra (1911 version): Scene I~The Charlatan's Booth

17. Petrushka, ballet (burlesque) in 4 scenes for orchestra (1911 version): Scene I~Russian Dance

18. Petrushka, ballet (burlesque) in 4 scenes for orchestra (1911 version): Scene II~Petrushka's Room

19. Petrushka, ballet (burlesque) in 4 scenes for orchestra (1911 version): Scene III~The Moor's Room

20. Petrushka, ballet (burlesque) in 4 scenes for orchestra (1911 version): Scene III~Dance Of The Ballerina

See all 31 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A magnificent Rite, June 1, 2002

By 

R. J. Claster "rjclaster" (Van Nuys, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rite of Spring (Audio CD)

This is hands down my favorite Rite of Spring because it combines rhythmic drive and power with a sensuous and evocative intensity. There are a number of recordings that effectively convey the pounding rhythms, but in doing so, slight the neo-romantic and impressionist aspects of the music, which Bernstein brilliantly brings out. As an example of this quality, Bernstein takes the largo introduction to the second and concluding part of the work (i.e. the sacrifice) at an unusually slow tempo, with heavy and pronounced ritards at the opening, thus underscoring the solemn and ominous portent and gravity of the occasion. Bernstein fails to duplicate these qualities in his 1970s remake with the LSO (also on Sony).
The Petrushka is fine, but get this for the Rite. There is no recorded performance quite like this one.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE reference recording for The Rite of Spring, April 28, 2008

By 

Shuang Wu - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rite of Spring (Audio CD)

I would say that the recording of 'The Rite of Spring' on this disc is miles ahead of any other recording of the piece. Perhaps all that you need to know about this recording by Bernstein and the NY Philharmonic made in 1958 is Stravinsky's own review when he first heard the recording:

"Finally, 'The Rite of Spring,' which Mr. Bernstein likes to play for all the cataclysmic shock it can possibly deliver. This was an explosive performance of the sort that is alleged to have brought the following sardonic review from Stravinsky the first time he heard it: 'Wow!'"

[...]

'Wow' is certainly the first word that comes to mind when listening to this Rite of Spring; the winds and brass play their parts with a primeval fury befitting of this music describing pagan sacrifice. The string sections maintain the underlying energy and drive throughout the entire work, and the harsh edge of every sound (especially during the brass and wind solos) is amplified in this recording, making the music appropriately 'nasty' sounding (in the best way possible).

Bernstein later recorded this same piece with the Israel Philharmonic, a recording which is much easier to find here on Amazon, but that later rendition just does not have the same energy behind it as this one.

The recording of Petrushka on this disc is also superlative; while it's not quite as standout as the recording of 'The Rite of Spring', it certainly holds its own against the best recordings of Petrushka available. This rendition of Petrushka by Bernstein (from 1969) carries over much of the same energy from his earlier Rite, but expressed in the lighthearted playfulness of this far less serious work by Stravinsky. The underlying grotesqueness which later manifests itself in Stravinsky's masterpiece Rite of Spring is nevertheless still present here when appropriate, and carried out with much the same energy as in the Rite.

The mastering on this CD, although there is a slight background hiss from the age of the recording, is almost perfect as it preserves the sound and placement of every instrument without the addition of the 'digital sheen' that so often smooths out the sounds of the instruments in modern recordings (especially damaging in recordings of Stravinsky, as it is the hard edge of the instruments that makes his music so effective).

If you can get your hands on this now hard to find recording, by all means, treasure it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "WOW" is Correct, December 20, 2010

By 

Nate Charlton (Santa Rosa, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Rite of Spring (Audio CD)

As a previous reviewer noted, Stravinsky greeted this superlative 1958 recording of "Le Scare du printemps" with the singularly appropriate comment of "Wow!" Knowing that he scathed both Karajan's and Disney's versions of this piece in long elaborate reviews (Karajan for his, well, controversial "splendorific" style of music, and we all know about "Fantasia"), the fact that he was clearly blown away this recording says quite a lot. Having heard Stravinsky's own account of this piece from just a few years later, I can safely say that Bernstein truly beats him at his own game.

Bernstein's interpretations of Stravinsky's music are truly breathtaking, mesmerizing, and will quite literally blow you away (my sister fell over during one point when suddenly and unexpectedly the infamous Sacrificial Dance began). The violence of the piece is hardly glossed over, with Bernstein letting the orchestra let loose, and at points one would think that the orchestra is about to lose control and start playing out of sync and randomly. Perhaps more than any other recording of this piece, you understand how primitive and chaotic it is, realizing that were it not for the fact it is written down on paper, no one would be able to play it.

Petrouchka, the b-piece to the Rite, is also played magnificently, again with Bernstein topping Stravinsky, but this time balancing the lyrical nature of the piece, without going too overboard on the more violent sections. One can truly appreciate the beauty of the piece even more so with the light nature of the music, but with the undertones peeping through at just the right places.

Although this album is now out of print, and extremely hard to find, the people at ArkivMusic thankfully have bought the licensing rights to reproduce it. The cost of buying it is super inexpensive compared to used copies of the original print, and since they produce upon order (using CD-R's) with the original artwork and booklets and even CD design, you can actually say you have your own unique copy of it. If not for the ArkivMusic logo on the back next to the barcode, you would think it was an original copy.

In addition, I also recommend Bernstein's 1973 London Symphony Orchestra account, as it is more overtly violent and brash, plus is easily available and comes with a fantastic L'Oiseau de Feu suite.