Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (Siepmann): Detour: the destabilising properties of chromaticism

Jeremy Siepmann

Classics Explained: Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring

4 MINUTES AND 4 SECONDS • JUN 09 2003

Album Tracklist

Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (Siepmann): Introduction, background and perspective

05:04

Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (Siepmann): A gentle, other-worldly start; no sign of the violence to come

01:33

Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (Siepmann): Music as mosaic; the composer as constructor

01:57

Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (Siepmann): Two functions of metrical change: going with the flow...

01:23

Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (Siepmann): ...or disrupting it: a sample of metrical violence

01:02

Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (Siepmann): A stealthy entry (clarinets)

00:34

Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (Siepmann): Detour: the destabilising properties of chromaticism

04:04

Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (Siepmann): On melodies, themes and motifs

01:03

Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (Siepmann): The new cor anglais motif dominates

00:27

Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (Siepmann): The oboe's rhythmic motif takes over

00:25

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

00:37

Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (Siepmann): A panoply of Stravinskyan birdsong

00:59

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

01:15

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

00:09

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

03:38

Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (Siepmann): Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: The Augurs of Spring / Dances of the Young Girls: The 'Rite of Spring' chord

00:41

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

01:35

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: The Augurs of Spring / Dances of the Young Girls: Putting the boot in: a metrical mugging

01:45

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: The Augurs of Spring / Dances of the Young Girls: The prevalence of ostinatos, and a righting of wrongs

01:51

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: The Augurs of Spring / Dances of the Young Girls: Metre restores (briefly) but the 'savage motif' returns

00:50

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

01:19

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: The Augurs of Spring / Dances of the Young Girls: An important new arrival (the 'horn motif')

01:05

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: The Augurs of Spring / Dances of the Young Girls: Another new theme from the horns

00:48

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

01:44

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of Abduction: A real study in contrasts

01:31

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of Abduction: Panic and pandemonium as timpani open fire

01:10

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of Abduction: Climactic melee haunted by 'fear motif'

01:35

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Spring Rounds: Suddenly another world, as flutes hover over harmonic vapour...

00:59

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Spring Rounds: ...but a transient one: new movement arises from the deep

00:51

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Spring Rounds: 'Dragging feet motif' over ostinato violins, twice interrupted

00:43

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Spring Rounds: 'Marching motif' developed further by flutes and horns

00:45

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Spring Rounds: A trilling commentary from piccolo and high clarinet

00:25

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Spring Rounds: 'Marching motif' theme goes polymetric in huge crescendo

01:17

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Spring Rounds: An unexpected change of pace as tempo doubles

00:53

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Spring Rounds: And an unexpected reversion, to a quiet close

00:41

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of the Rival Tribes: Violent onslaught from brass and timpani launches the 'Rival Tribes'

00:25

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of the Rival Tribes: Rival Tribes, rival motifs

00:22

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of the Rival Tribes: Sensational violence comes close to chaos

00:38

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of the Rival Tribes: Effects, impressions and alteration

01:40

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of the Rival Tribes: A surprise re-entry and a change of instrumental clothing

00:55

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of the Rival Tribes: A thinning of texture, a new idea, and a rude interruption

00:34

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of the Rival Tribes: The new idea developed: A Minor earthquake

00:41

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of the Rival Tribes: The use of tone colour as an agent of rhythm

01:32

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of the Rival Tribes: An unusual climax...

01:31

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of the Rival Tribes: ...and a sinister transition

00:51

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Procession of the Sage: Across the threshold into an instrumental population explosion

01:29

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Procession of the Sage: A sudden silence and then another world

01:00

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Procession of the Sage: Catapulted into the 'Dance of the Earth'

00:38

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Dance of the Earth: Tiny changes, unyielding ostinatos, massive tension

03:19

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Dance of the Earth: Cue to Part I complete

00:07

Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Dance of the Earth: Part I (complete)

16:08

Part II: The Sacrifice: Introduction: Again a muted, subtly coloured start

01:09

Part II: The Sacrifice: Introduction: Tone colour as atmosphere - the strings' motif

01:07

Part II: The Sacrifice: Introduction: Four solo violas, above gently rocking strings

00:23

Part II: The Sacrifice: Introduction: A pregnant pause, and a new motif in muted trumpets

01:14

Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls: Motif from the Introduction varied and extended

01:28

Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls: New motif, heralded by clarinets and violins, is introduced by alto flute

00:34

Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls: Variant of Motif No. 2 given out by two clarinets

00:44

Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls: Continued by oboes and bassoons; new motif in violins, cellos and bass clarinet

00:33

Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls: Main motifs yield to new idea from flutes

00:38

Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls: All change - direction, tone colour, metre - and two new ostinatos

00:40

Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls: Motif No. 1 returns in horn, then passed to flutes and strings

00:46

Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls: Texture, balance and tone colour keep changing

00:27

Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls: Instrumental enrichment, new counterpoint and a bleat of alarm

00:40

Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls: New derivative of Motif No. 2, a host of new sounds - and again the bleat

00:49

Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls: Into the finishing stretch, and we know we're in for something big

00:45

Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls: Putting the movement back together again

00:08

Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls (complete)

08:16

Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification of the Chosen One: On into one of the most sensational movements ever written

01:36

Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification of the Chosen One: The violence is almost graphic. An example of musical terrorism

00:36

Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification of the Chosen One: Motif No. 2: a terrible, off-beat com-pah from strings, horns and oboes

00:13

Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification of the Chosen One: The air is filled with the fearsome baying of wind and violins

00:20

Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification of the Chosen One: A variant of Motif No. 2, but now descending

00:15

Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification of the Chosen One: A study in the bruality of suspense - a musical mugging

04:12

Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification of the Chosen One: The middle section begins with a massive but unequal confrontation

00:27

Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification of the Chosen One: Against the odds, the 'descending motif' comes out on top

00:23

Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification of the Chosen One: In the midst of the fray, a new 'rising motif' emerges...

01:03

Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification of the Chosen One: ...and undergoes a typcially Stravinskyan expansion and compression

01:04

Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification of the Chosen One: A much-needed breath before the movement entire

00:17

Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification of the Chosen One: Glorification of the Chosen One (complete)

01:45

Part II: The Sacrifice: Evocation of the Ancestors: The next movement consists of a single, chordal motif, three times varied

00:59

Part II: The Sacrifice: Evocation of the Ancestors: The second statement: breaking the metrical flow

02:13

Part II: The Sacrifice: Ritual Action of the Ancestors: At last the establishment of a clear and steady beat, but will it last?

01:21

Part II: The Sacrifice: Ritual Action of the Ancestors: A counterpoint of ostinatos lends continuity to changing time signatures

00:42

Part II: The Sacrifice: Ritual Action of the Ancestors: Horns introduce the first real motif, destabilised by multiple metres

00:33

Part II: The Sacrifice: Ritual Action of the Ancestors: The motif disappears, though the background ostinato continues

00:32

Part II: The Sacrifice: Ritual Action of the Ancestors: A change of mood, then the whole orchestra crashes in

00:49

Part II: The Sacrifice: Ritual Action of the Ancestors: The steady pulse gives way to a tossed salad of one-bar motifs

00:43

Part II: The Sacrifice: Ritual Action of the Ancestors: Lately abandoned, the steady pulse returns, as does the 'trumpet motif'

01:06

Part II: The Sacrifice: Ritual Action of the Ancestors: The movement ends with a varied reprise of the opening

00:15

Part II: The Sacrifice: Ritual Action of the Ancestors: Evocation of the Ancestors (complete) and Ritual Action of the Ancestors (complete)

04:23

Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance: The last movement is based on two motifs, the first most motable for its rhythm

00:20

Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance: The second motif is likewise predominatly rhythmical in effect

00:16

Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance: Two variants: one a rhythmic simplification, the other an expansion

00:20

Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance: A new section, again with two main motifs, the first from wind and strings

00:27

Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance: This is joined by another bried but very striking motif from muted brass

00:20

Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance: Tension dramatically increased by a violent interruption from timpani and gong

00:35

Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance: Motif No. 2 is passed from bassoons to high wind and trumpets...

00:34

Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance: ...and is twice interrupted by horns

00:42

100

Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance: Motif No. 1 erupts in full orchestra, then all hell breaks loose

00:48

101

Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance: New ostinato, over implacable repetitions of Motif No. 1, offset by clarinets

00:27

102

Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance: A new section, kick-started by percussion: timpani, bass drum and gong

01:11

103

Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance: Horns, doubled by strings, introduce the main idea of this new section

00:18

104

Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance: The return of the movement's opening section - or so we may think

00:54

105

Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance: Dramatic compression of now-familiar material

00:40

106

Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance: A terrifying cocktail of motifs old and new confounds expectations...

01:00

107

Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance: ...and leads to the coda, the final flourish of the whole work

01:45

108

Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance: Cue to all of Part II and end of CD

00:11

109

Part II (complete)

18:58

110

Classics Explained: Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring

00:00

Classics Explained: Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring

Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (Siepmann): Detour: the destabilising properties of chromaticism