Classics Explained: Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring - CD

CD - 1

Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (Siepmann)

 

1. Introduction, background and perspective

00:05:03

 

2. A gentle, other-worldly start; no sign of the violence to come

00:01:33

 

3. Music as mosaic; the composer as constructor

00:01:57

 

4. Two functions of metrical change: going with the flow...

00:01:23

 

5. ...or disrupting it: a sample of metrical violence

00:01:02

 

6. A stealthy entry (clarinets)

00:00:34

 

7. Detour: the destabilising properties of chromaticism

00:04:04

 

8. On melodies, themes and motifs

00:01:03

 

9. The new cor anglais motif dominates

00:00:27

 

10. The oboe's rhythmic motif takes over

00:00:25

 

11. A primeval awakening

00:00:37

 

12. A panoply of Stravinskyan birdsong

00:00:58

 

13. A matter of mode

00:01:15

 

14. Cue to Introduction

00:00:08

 

15. Introduction (complete)

00:03:38

 

16. Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: The Augurs of Spring / Dances of the Young Girls: The 'Rite of Spring' chord

00:00:41

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: The Augurs of Spring / Dances of the Young Girls

 

17. The great arrival: bitonality

00:01:35

 

18. Putting the boot in: a metrical mugging

00:01:45

 

19. The prevalence of ostinatos, and a righting of wrongs

00:01:51

 

20. Metre restores (briefly) but the 'savage motif' returns

00:00:50

 

21. The musical savages routed

00:01:19

 

22. An important new arrival (the 'horn motif')

00:01:04

 

23. Another new theme from the horns

00:00:48

 

24. A crowded conclusion

00:01:43

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of Abduction

 

25. A real study in contrasts

00:01:31

 

26. Panic and pandemonium as timpani open fire

00:01:09

 

27. Climactic melee haunted by 'fear motif'

00:01:34

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Spring Rounds

 

28. Suddenly another world, as flutes hover over harmonic vapour...

00:00:59

 

29. ...but a transient one: new movement arises from the deep

00:00:50

 

30. 'Dragging feet motif' over ostinato violins, twice interrupted

00:00:42

 

31. 'Marching motif' developed further by flutes and horns

00:00:45

 

32. A trilling commentary from piccolo and high clarinet

00:00:25

 

33. 'Marching motif' theme goes polymetric in huge crescendo

00:01:16

 

34. An unexpected change of pace as tempo doubles

00:00:53

 

35. And an unexpected reversion, to a quiet close

00:00:41

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of the Rival Tribes

 

36. Violent onslaught from brass and timpani launches the 'Rival Tribes'

00:00:25

 

37. Rival Tribes, rival motifs

00:00:22

 

38. Sensational violence comes close to chaos

00:00:38

 

39. Effects, impressions and alteration

00:01:39

 

40. A surprise re-entry and a change of instrumental clothing

00:00:54

 

41. A thinning of texture, a new idea, and a rude interruption

00:00:34

 

42. The new idea developed: A Minor earthquake

00:00:41

 

43. The use of tone colour as an agent of rhythm

00:01:32

 

44. An unusual climax...

00:01:30

 

45. ...and a sinister transition

00:00:51

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Procession of the Sage

 

46. Across the threshold into an instrumental population explosion

00:01:29

 

47. A sudden silence and then another world

00:01:00

 

48. Catapulted into the 'Dance of the Earth'

00:00:38

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Dance of the Earth

 

49. Tiny changes, unyielding ostinatos, massive tension

00:03:19

 

50. Cue to Part I complete

00:00:07

 

51. Part I (complete)

00:16:08

CD - 2

Part II: The Sacrifice: Introduction

 

1. Again a muted, subtly coloured start

00:01:09

 

2. Tone colour as atmosphere - the strings' motif

00:01:07

 

3. Four solo violas, above gently rocking strings

00:00:23

 

4. A pregnant pause, and a new motif in muted trumpets

00:01:14

Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls

 

5. Motif from the Introduction varied and extended

00:01:27

 

6. New motif, heralded by clarinets and violins, is introduced by alto flute

00:00:34

 

7. Variant of Motif No. 2 given out by two clarinets

00:00:44

 

8. Continued by oboes and bassoons; new motif in violins, cellos and bass clarinet

00:00:33

 

9. Main motifs yield to new idea from flutes

00:00:38

 

10. All change - direction, tone colour, metre - and two new ostinatos

00:00:40

 

11. Motif No. 1 returns in horn, then passed to flutes and strings

00:00:46

 

12. Texture, balance and tone colour keep changing

00:00:26

 

13. Instrumental enrichment, new counterpoint and a bleat of alarm

00:00:40

 

14. New derivative of Motif No. 2, a host of new sounds - and again the bleat

00:00:48

 

15. Into the finishing stretch, and we know we're in for something big

00:00:40

 

16. Putting the movement back together again

00:00:07

 

17. Mystic Circles of the Young Girls (complete)

00:08:16

Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification of the Chosen One

 

18. On into one of the most sensational movements ever written

00:01:36

 

19. The violence is almost graphic. An example of musical terrorism

00:00:35

 

20. Motif No. 2: a terrible, off-beat com-pah from strings, horns and oboes

00:00:13

 

21. The air is filled with the fearsome baying of wind and violins

00:00:20

 

22. A variant of Motif No. 2, but now descending

00:00:14

 

23. A study in the bruality of suspense - a musical mugging

00:04:12

 

24. The middle section begins with a massive but unequal confrontation

00:00:27

 

25. Against the odds, the 'descending motif' comes out on top

00:00:23

 

26. In the midst of the fray, a new 'rising motif' emerges...

00:01:02

 

27. ...and undergoes a typcially Stravinskyan expansion and compression

00:01:03

 

28. A much-needed breath before the movement entire

00:00:17

 

29. Glorification of the Chosen One (complete)

00:01:45

Part II: The Sacrifice: Evocation of the Ancestors

 

30. The next movement consists of a single, chordal motif, three times varied

00:00:58

 

31. The second statement: breaking the metrical flow

00:02:13

Part II: The Sacrifice: Ritual Action of the Ancestors

 

32. At last the establishment of a clear and steady beat, but will it last?

00:01:21

 

33. A counterpoint of ostinatos lends continuity to changing time signatures

00:00:42

 

34. Horns introduce the first real motif, destabilised by multiple metres

00:00:32

 

35. The motif disappears, though the background ostinato continues

00:00:32

 

36. A change of mood, then the whole orchestra crashes in

00:00:49

 

37. The steady pulse gives way to a tossed salad of one-bar motifs

00:01:06

 

38. Lately abandoned, the steady pulse returns, as does the 'trumpet motif'

00:01:06

 

39. The movement ends with a varied reprise of the opening

00:00:15

 

40. Evocation of the Ancestors (complete) and Ritual Action of the Ancestors (complete)

00:04:23

Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance

 

41. The last movement is based on two motifs, the first most motable for its rhythm

00:00:20

 

42. The second motif is likewise predominatly rhythmical in effect

00:00:16

 

43. Two variants: one a rhythmic simplification, the other an expansion

00:00:20

 

44. A new section, again with two main motifs, the first from wind and strings

00:00:27

 

45. This is joined by another bried but very striking motif from muted brass

00:00:20

 

46. Tension dramatically increased by a violent interruption from timpani and gong

00:00:35

 

47. Motif No. 2 is passed from bassoons to high wind and trumpets...

00:00:34

 

48. ...and is twice interrupted by horns

00:00:41

 

49. Motif No. 1 erupts in full orchestra, then all hell breaks loose

00:00:48

 

50. New ostinato, over implacable repetitions of Motif No. 1, offset by clarinets

00:00:26

 

51. A new section, kick-started by percussion: timpani, bass drum and gong

00:01:11

 

52. Horns, doubled by strings, introduce the main idea of this new section

00:00:18

 

53. The return of the movement's opening section - or so we may think

00:00:54

 

54. Dramatic compression of now-familiar material

00:00:40

 

55. A terrifying cocktail of motifs old and new confounds expectations...

00:01:00

 

56. ...and leads to the coda, the final flourish of the whole work

00:01:45

 

57. Cue to all of Part II and end of CD

00:00:10

 

58. Part II (complete)

00:18:58