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