Igor Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring / Alexander Scriabin: The Poem of Ecstasy

Igor Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring / Alexander Scriabin: The Poem of Ecstasy - Valery Gergiev / Kirov ... | Alexander Scriabin, Igor Stravinsky, ... | A wild ride, and a sonic spectacular

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Igor Stravinsky: T...

	Igor Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring / Alexander Scriabin: The Poem of Ecstasy - Valery Gergiev / Kirov ... Alexander Scriabin, Igor Stravinsky, ... Philips, 2001 average customer review:based on 20 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Gergiev's is a Rite of Spring with a difference. He stresses the primitive barbarism of Stravinsky's groundbreaking score--the strange wheezings of the winds, the wild yawps of the tubas, and the deep rumblings of the bass drum. It's a Rite that stands out at a time when so many internationalized western orchestras give the piece an overlay of sophisticated polish that can rob it of the shock factor that drove the audience at the Paris premiere to riot. There are also numerous personal touches that can be controversial, such as the pause before the final chord, which may bother some but which work in the context of the interpretation. Gergiev's Rite faces strong competition from recorded versions by Markevitch, Dorati, Monteux, and Stravinsky himself, but it's definitely among the top choices. The Scriabin's less compelling, though still fascinating. Gergiev's approach tends to sound sectional, as the overall line is subordinated to momentary thrills. --Dan Davis

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The Pinnacle

This is it -- if you are looking for a "perfect" 'The Rite of Spring', you owe it to yourself to buy this cd -- especially if you have a reference audio system. It will blow your socks off.

Deserves a "10" star rating.

A wild ride, and a sonic spectacular

Gergiev clearly aims to bring back the visceral impact of Le Sacre, and he is aided by extremely clear, detailed sonics that pull us directly into the texture of the orchestration. Sheerly in terms of the noises coming out of one's loudspeakers, this performance rivets the listener's attention. The impact of the bass drum, tam tam, and tuba, for example, is unprecedented. Gergiev has other cards up his sleeve. He re-invents Stravinsky's cross-rhtyhms, ever so slightly throwing off one's expectations. Sometimes this happens through minute pauses and underlinings, sometimes by raising and lowering the temperature unexpectedly. The softer passages sound nuanced and sophisticated, the barbaric ones deafeningly loud and assaultive.

The overall effect is intriguing, so I must agree with every reviewer who praises Gergiev for finding his own way. At the same time, however, there's an air of too much study, of mannered phrasing for its own sake. Every listener will have to decide for themselves, but personally, this sonic spectacular doesn't propel me forward the way Bernstein and Markevitch do in their classic recordings.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4

Tracks
Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Introduction | Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Harbingers of Spring (Dances of the Adolescents) | Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of Abduction | Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Spring Rounds | Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Games of the Rival Tribes | Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Procession of the Wise Elder | Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Wise Elder | Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Dance of the Earth) | Part II: The Sacrifice: Introduction (Pagan Night) | Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls | Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification of the Chosen One | Part II: The Sacrifice: Summoning of the Ancients | Part II: The Sacrifice: Ritual of the Ancients | Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance (Chosen One)

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