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Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring

An exploration of Stravinsky's Rite Of Spring narrated by Jeremy Siepmann

Jeremy Siepmann (reader)

Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring

Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring

An exploration of Stravinsky's Rite Of Spring narrated by Jeremy Siepmann

Jeremy Siepmann (reader)

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Contents and tracklist

Jeremy Siepmann: Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (Siepmann)
Work length24:51
Introduction, background and perspective
Track length5:04
A gentle, other-worldly start; no sign of the violence to come
Track length1:33
Music as mosaic; the composer as constructor
Track length1:57
Two functions of metrical change: going with the flow...
Track length1:23
...or disrupting it: a sample of metrical violence
Track length1:02
A stealthy entry (clarinets)
Track length0:34
Detour: the destabilising properties of chromaticism
Track length4:04
On melodies, themes and motifs
Track length1:03
The new cor anglais motif dominates
Track length0:27
The oboe's rhythmic motif takes over
Track length0:25
A primeval awakening
Track length0:37
A panoply of Stravinskyan birdsong
Track length0:59
A matter of mode
Track length1:15
Cue to Introduction
Track length0:09
Introduction (complete)
Track length3:38
Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: The Augurs of Spring / Dances of the Young Girls: The 'Rite of Spring' chord
Track length0:41
Stravinsky: Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: The Augurs of Spring / Dances of the Young Girls
Work length10:57
The great arrival: bitonality
Track length1:35
Putting the boot in: a metrical mugging
Track length1:45
The prevalence of ostinatos, and a righting of wrongs
Track length1:51
Metre restores (briefly) but the 'savage motif' returns
Track length0:50
The musical savages routed
Track length1:19
An important new arrival (the 'horn motif')
Track length1:05
Another new theme from the horns
Track length0:48
A crowded conclusion
Track length1:44
Stravinsky: Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of Abduction
Work length4:16
A real study in contrasts
Track length1:31
Panic and pandemonium as timpani open fire
Track length1:10
Climactic melee haunted by 'fear motif'
Track length1:35
Stravinsky: Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Spring Rounds
Work length6:34
Suddenly another world, as flutes hover over harmonic vapour...
Track length0:59
...but a transient one: new movement arises from the deep
Track length0:51
'Dragging feet motif' over ostinato violins, twice interrupted
Track length0:43
'Marching motif' developed further by flutes and horns
Track length0:45
A trilling commentary from piccolo and high clarinet
Track length0:25
'Marching motif' theme goes polymetric in huge crescendo
Track length1:17
An unexpected change of pace as tempo doubles
Track length0:53
And an unexpected reversion, to a quiet close
Track length0:41
Stravinsky: Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of the Rival Tribes
Work length9:09
Violent onslaught from brass and timpani launches the 'Rival Tribes'
Track length0:25
Rival Tribes, rival motifs
Track length0:22
Sensational violence comes close to chaos
Track length0:38
Effects, impressions and alteration
Track length1:40
A surprise re-entry and a change of instrumental clothing
Track length0:55
A thinning of texture, a new idea, and a rude interruption
Track length0:34
The new idea developed: a minor earthquake
Track length0:41
The use of tone colour as an agent of rhythm
Track length1:32
An unusual climax...
Track length1:31
...and a sinister transition
Track length0:51
Stravinsky: Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Procession of the Sage
Work length3:07
Across the threshold into an instrumental population explosion
Track length1:29
A sudden silence and then another world
Track length1:00
Catapulted into the 'Dance of the Earth'
Track length0:38
Stravinsky: Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Dance of the Earth
Work length19:34
Tiny changes, unyielding ostinatos, massive tension
Track length3:19
Cue to Part I complete
Track length0:07
Part I (complete)
Track length16:08
Stravinsky: Part II: The Sacrifice: Introduction
Work length3:53
Again a muted, subtly coloured start
Track length1:09
Tone colour as atmosphere - the strings' motif
Track length1:07
Four solo violas, above gently rocking strings
Track length0:23
A pregnant pause, and a new motif in muted trumpets
Track length1:14
Stravinsky: Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls
Work length16:27
Motif from the Introduction varied and extended
Track length1:28
New motif, heralded by clarinets and violins, is introduced by alto flute
Track length0:34
Variant of Motif No. 2 given out by two clarinets
Track length0:44
Continued by oboes and bassoons; new motif in violins, cellos and bass clarinet
Track length0:33
Main motifs yield to new idea from flutes
Track length0:38
All change - direction, tone colour, metre - and two new ostinatos
Track length0:40
Motif No. 1 returns in horn, then passed to flutes and strings
Track length0:46
Texture, balance and tone colour keep changing
Track length0:27
Instrumental enrichment, new counterpoint and a bleat of alarm
Track length0:40
New derivative of Motif No. 2, a host of new sounds - and again the bleat
Track length0:48
Into the finishing stretch, and we know we're in for something big
Track length0:45
Putting the movement back together again
Track length0:08
Mystic Circles of the Young Girls (complete)
Track length8:16
Stravinsky: Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification of the Chosen One
Work length12:11
On into one of the most sensational movements ever written
Track length1:36
The violence is almost graphic. An example of musical terrorism
Track length0:36
Motif No. 2: a terrible, off-beat com-pah from strings, horns and oboes
Track length0:13
The air is filled with the fearsome baying of wind and violins
Track length0:20
A variant of Motif No. 2, but now descending
Track length0:15
A study in the bruality of suspense - a musical mugging
Track length4:12
The middle section begins with a massive but unequal confrontation
Track length0:27
Against the odds, the 'descending motif' comes out on top
Track length0:23
In the midst of the fray, a new 'rising motif' emerges...
Track length1:03
...and undergoes a typcially Stravinskyan expansion and compression
Track length1:04
A much-needed breath before the movement entire
Track length0:17
Glorification of the Chosen One (complete)
Track length1:45
Stravinsky: Part II: The Sacrifice: Evocation of the Ancestors
Work length3:12
The next movement consists of a single, chordal motif, three times varied
Track length0:59
The second statement: breaking the metrical flow
Track length2:13
Stravinsky: Part II: The Sacrifice: Ritual Action of the Ancestors
Work length10:24
At last the establishment of a clear and steady beat, but will it last?
Track length1:21
A counterpoint of ostinatos lends continuity to changing time signatures
Track length0:42
Horns introduce the first real motif, destabilised by multiple metres
Track length0:33
The motif disappears, though the background ostinato continues
Track length0:32
A change of mood, then the whole orchestra crashes in
Track length0:49
The steady pulse gives way to a tossed salad of one-bar motifs
Track length0:43
Lately abandoned, the steady pulse returns, as does the 'trumpet motif'
Track length1:06
The movement ends with a varied reprise of the opening
Track length0:15
Evocation of the Ancestors (complete) and Ritual Action of the Ancestors (complete)
Track length4:23
Stravinsky: Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance
Work length29:46
The last movement is based on two motifs, the first most motable for its rhythm
Track length0:20
The second motif is likewise predominatly rhythmical in effect
Track length0:16
Two variants: one a rhythmic simplification, the other an expansion
Track length0:20
A new section, again with two main motifs, the first from wind and strings
Track length0:27
This is joined by another bried but very striking motif from muted brass
Track length0:20
Tension dramatically increased by a violent interruption from timpani and gong
Track length0:35
Motif No. 2 is passed from bassoons to high wind and trumpets...
Track length0:34
...and is twice interrupted by horns
Track length0:42
Motif No. 1 erupts in full orchestra, then all hell breaks loose
Track length0:48
New ostinato, over implacable repetitions of Motif No. 1, offset by clarinets
Track length0:27
A new section, kick-started by percussion: timpani, bass drum and gong
Track length1:11
Horns, doubled by strings, introduce the main idea of this new section
Track length0:18
The return of the movement's opening section - or so we may think
Track length0:54
Dramatic compression of now-familiar material
Track length0:40
A terrifying cocktail of motifs old and new confounds expectations...
Track length1:00
...and leads to the coda, the final flourish of the whole work
Track length1:45
Cue to all of Part II and end of CD
Track length0:11
Part II (complete)
Track length18:58
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