On May 29, 2013, The Rite of Spring (Le Sacre du Printemps) by Igor Stravinsky turned 100. On that day, in Paris, in 1913, was the premiere of his ballet. I partied hard that day, sharing many links on my own Facebook page to celebrate. Here, I share them with you.
These are amazing to watch!
Animated graphical score on YouTube: Part One
Animated graphical score on YouTube: Part Two
Original manuscript of the opening of The Rite of Spring. The bassoon line is the 4th stave down from the top, composed very high in the range for this instrument.
From a Greek website I found (http://www.lifo.gr/team/sansimera/38641).
OMG, is this original footage of the premiere?? Couldn’t be, but it’s cool anyway! Here’s the clip on YouTube.
Here’s a wonderful website, including historical images of the set design and costumes of the original ballet, by Nikolai Roerich.
The Movie Fantasia: This is NOT the Rite!
I was enthralled by this scene from Disney’s Fantasia (1940) as a child (little did I know I’d grow up to be an I.S. geek). I will be showing it to my youmng piano students today to tell them about Stravinsky. But it is *not* from Stravinsky’s original score; as the story goes (via Professor John Heiss @ NEC), Stravinsky arrived at Disney’s studio, with his score in hand, and was told (paraphrased), “Oh, Mr. Stravinsky, we won’t be needing that.” (They had of course hacked his Rite all to pieces.) Reportedly, he never collaborated on another film again.
I was enthralled by this scene from Disney’s Fantasia (1940) as a child (little did I know I’d grow up to be an I.S. geek). I will be showing it to my youmng piano students today to tell them about Stravinsky. But it is *not* from Stravinsky’s original score; as the story goes (via Professor John Heiss @ NEC), Stravinsky arrived at Disney’s studio, with his score in hand, and was told (paraphrased), “Oh, Mr. Stravinsky, we won’t be needing that.” (They had of course hacked his Rite all to pieces.) Reportedly, he never collaborated on another film again.
Clip from Fantasia here.
YouTube clip from the 1966 concert, London Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein conducting. Chills at 1:22 when the strings come back in.
Great story on NPR, with video clip of the documentary: Keeping Score: Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring
Cool interview (brief) with Igor himself.
Well, it’s been a great day of celebration for me, I had more fun today than I did on my own last birthday. I dressed for the occasion, had a great time researching, watching videos, posting. Highlight: teaching a student part of the Rite today, and thus turning her onto Igor—and it was her 72nd birthday! How cool is that?
See more clips on my Stravinsky playlist on YouTube: clevelandpianostudio
Cape Ann Piano Studio 