Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part. 1. Adoration of the Earth. Introduction. Lento
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part. 1. The Spring Divinations - Dances of the Young Gi
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part. 1. Mock Abduction
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part. 1. Spring Round Dances
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part. 1. Games of the Rival Tribes
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part. 1. Procession of the Wise Elder
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part. 1. Dance of the Earth
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part. 2. The Sacrifice. Introduction. Largo
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part. 2. The Sacrifice. Mystical Circles of the Young Gi
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part. 2. The Sacrifice. Glorification of the Chosen Vict
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part. 2. The Sacrifice. Summoning of the Ancestors
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part. 2. The Sacrifice. Ritual of the Ancestors
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), ballet in 2 parts for orchestra: Part. 2. Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen Victim)
L'oiseau de feu (The Firebird), concert suite for orchestra No. 2: Introduction
L'oiseau de feu (The Firebird), concert suite for orchestra No. 2: The Firebird and its Dance
L'oiseau de feu (The Firebird), concert suite for orchestra No. 2: Variation of the Firebird
L'oiseau de feu (The Firebird), concert suite for orchestra No. 2: The Princesses' Round
L'oiseau de feu (The Firebird), concert suite for orchestra No. 2: Infernal Dance of King Kaschei
L'oiseau de feu (The Firebird), concert suite for orchestra No. 2: Lullaby
L'oiseau de feu (The Firebird), concert suite for orchestra No. 2: Finale
Scythian Suite, for orchestra, Op. 20: I. The Adoration of Veles and Ala
Scythian Suite, for orchestra, Op. 20: II. The Enemy God and the Dance of the Black Spirits
Scythian Suite, for orchestra, Op. 20: III. Night
Scythian Suite, for orchestra, Op. 20: IV. The Glorious Departure of Lolli and the Procession of the Sun
Considering that Stravinsky's Rite of Spring has been around for nearly a century, it's surprising that even today, conductors literally get lost while attempting to beat through it--and that goes for some of the biggest n... more »ames. Difficult as the piece is, conductors have no excuse for major lapses, now that this recording is available for study. Bernstein not only keeps complete control of the complex rhythms and constantly-switching meters throughout the work but he also interprets it with fire and sweep and emotional versatility. The Firebird is equally breathtaking. It's priceless, too, for the fabulous horn solo played by the New York Philharmonic's legendary James Chambers. --Gwendolyn Freed« less
Considering that Stravinsky's Rite of Spring has been around for nearly a century, it's surprising that even today, conductors literally get lost while attempting to beat through it--and that goes for some of the biggest names. Difficult as the piece is, conductors have no excuse for major lapses, now that this recording is available for study. Bernstein not only keeps complete control of the complex rhythms and constantly-switching meters throughout the work but he also interprets it with fire and sweep and emotional versatility. The Firebird is equally breathtaking. It's priceless, too, for the fabulous horn solo played by the New York Philharmonic's legendary James Chambers. --Gwendolyn Freed
"It's a pity for me for this album to put the 70s recording Lenny did with the LSO on Stravinsky's revolutionary "Rite of Spring" instead of the performance he did with the NYPO about a decade earlier.
The 60s recording (which sadly may be only available in the "Royal Edition" series) remains on of my favorite performance of the "Rite" (along with the "Fast and the Furious" Ozawa's with the CSO on RCA), because it has more brashness in the music, more savagery, more tension. His interpretation is far more extraordinary compared to this recording in this album. The extra "ornaments" Lenny added to further exxagerate the wildness and primitiveness in the 60s recording has competely disappeared in this performance, making a more commonplace, even tamed, performance. Same goes with the 80s performance on DG with the Isreal Phil.
Lenny's performance "Firebird" Suite, on the other hand... is an electrifying 5 Star performance... THE main attraction of the album, not the 70s "Rite". This recording was done in the 60s with the NYPO, so there is more youthness and vigor in the performance. While the sound quality is not at its best, the performace is as hot as it can get. You will especially love the climax of the "Infernal Dance" and the "Finale". The only other recording I equally love is Claudio Abbado's performance with the LSO on DG, powerful in its own way... and more crystal-clear).
Proikofiev's "Scythian Suite" (the Bonus tracks) is another plus in this album. The "Dance of the Dark Spirits" is especially thrilling, as Lenny actually takes the tempo a bit faster compared to most other performances, including Abbado on DG and Jarvi on Chandos.
P.S. - Do you notice the "Jaws" theme hidden under the movment?"
WOW.
John Herman | New York, USA | 09/12/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This recording really is something. Considering how old this rendition is, the depth at which bernstein controls the LSO is remarkable. There are moments when he lets the LSO loose, like letting the animals come out of their cages. He knows exactly how and exactly when to create, what I can only describe as "chaos". Bernstein's love for this arresting piece shines through the second half.
I only complain of the sound quality and the firebird. It is NOT A GOOD FIREBIRD.
BUY IT"
Three Le Sacres from Bernstein
Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 10/01/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"In the Royal Edition of Bernstein's recordings with the NY Phil., there was a hair-raising Le Sacre dating from 1958 in vivid sound with lots of impact and incredibly virtuosic playing. This was followed by a surround-sound remake with the London Sym. in 1972 as the fflagship for Columbia's attempt to promote "quadraphoonic sound," which never cuaght on.
The first recording occasioned a "wow" from Stravinsky in one of his memoirs (no doubt in part being ironic). The second recordingt is just as splashy and extroverted, although I prefer the 1958 version as the more flexible and less blatant. Both are wonderful and show off Bernstein's exuberance at its best.
This is the second reading from 1972, now in stereo, the 1958 being out of print. The Israel Phil. version made for DG in the Eighties--I don't have the exact date since I threw away the CD--is a parody of the young Bernstein by the old one, and the orchestra is far from being able to master the score."
Still One Of The Top Readings of "The Rite of Spring"
J. Rich | 09/13/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Leonard Bernstein turns an absolutely scorching reading of "The Rite of Spring" in this recording for Sony. What this reading manages to do is leave the listener on the edge of his/her chair anticipating the next phrase. It's savage, it's brutal, it's completely raw, this is where Bernstein excelled in my opinion. This is "The Rite.." with a kind of high-octane engine. The London Symphony Orchestra should be commended for their performance. It will leave you breathless.
The other selections Stravinsky's "The Firebird Suite" and Prokofiev's "Scythian Suite" are also fantastic performances, but it's "The Rite" that steals the show here. I still return to this one and I own most of them: Chailly, Ozawa, Tilson Thomas, Dutoit, Ansermet, Boulez, Salonen, and Stravinsky's own conducting performance. Highly recommended."
My first classical album
L. Powell | Waldorf, MD, USA | 02/05/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Up until now, I had never owned a classical album, or ever been interested in one. But a few days before I got this amazing album, I noticed that the "Finale" of "The Firebird Suite" served as an introduction to one of my favorite live album, Yes's "Yessongs". I thought that the song was great, so I started looking more into Stravinsky, and ultimately found this album.
The sound quality is astoundingly good, considering that "The Firebird Suite" was recorded in 1957, "Scythian Suite" in 1964, and "The Rite of Spring" in 1972. All of the songs were great, but the surprise for me was the bonus song, "Scythian Suite". At many points in the song, it is actually more intense than Stravinsky's songs.
Overall, this is a great album, especially if this is the first classical album you are looking into."