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

$17.99 (CD)

Link to this CD

Classics Explained: STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (Siepmann) (more info)
Composed by: Jeremy Siepmann
Jeremy Siepmann, narrator


1.   Introduction, background and perspective - 5:03
2.   A gentle, other-worldly start; no sign of the violence to come - 1:33
3.   Music as mosaic; the composer as constructor - 1:57
4.   Two functions of metrical change: going with the flow... - 1:23
5.   ...or disrupting it: a sample of metrical violence - 1:02
6.   A stealthy entry (clarinets) - 0:34
7.   Detour: the destabilising properties of chromaticism - 4:04
8.   On melodies, themes and motifs - 1:03
9.   The new cor anglais motif dominates - 0:27
10.   The oboe's rhythmic motif takes over - 0:25
11.   A primeval awakening - 0:37
12.   A panoply of Stravinskyan birdsong - 0:58
13.   A matter of mode - 1:15
14.   Cue to Introduction - 0:08
15.   Introduction (complete) - 3:38
16.   Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: The Augurs of Spring / Dances of the Young Girls: The 'Rite of Spring' chord - 0:41


Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: The Augurs of Spring / Dances of the Young Girls (more info)
Composed by: Jeremy Siepmann
Jeremy Siepmann, narrator


17.   The great arrival: bitonality - 1:35
18.   Putting the boot in: a metrical mugging - 1:45
19.   The prevalence of ostinatos, and a righting of wrongs - 1:51
20.   Metre restores (briefly) but the 'savage motif' returns - 0:50
21.   The musical savages routed - 1:19
22.   An important new arrival (the 'horn motif') - 1:04
23.   Another new theme from the horns - 0:48
24.   A crowded conclusion - 1:43


Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of Abduction (more info)
Composed by: Jeremy Siepmann
Jeremy Siepmann, narrator


25.   A real study in contrasts - 1:31
26.   Panic and pandemonium as timpani open fire - 1:09
27.   Climactic melee haunted by 'fear motif' - 1:34


Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Spring Rounds (more info)
Composed by: Jeremy Siepmann
Jeremy Siepmann, narrator


28.   Suddenly another world, as flutes hover over harmonic vapour... - 0:59
29.   ...but a transient one: new movement arises from the deep - 0:50
30.   'Dragging feet motif' over ostinato violins, twice interrupted - 0:42
31.   'Marching motif' developed further by flutes and horns - 0:45
32.   A trilling commentary from piccolo and high clarinet - 0:25
33.   'Marching motif' theme goes polymetric in huge crescendo - 1:16
34.   An unexpected change of pace as tempo doubles - 0:53
35.   And an unexpected reversion, to a quiet close - 0:41


Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of the Rival Tribes (more info)
Composed by: Jeremy Siepmann
Jeremy Siepmann, narrator


36.   Violent onslaught from brass and timpani launches the 'Rival Tribes' - 0:25
37.   Rival Tribes, rival motifs - 0:22
38.   Sensational violence comes close to chaos - 0:38
39.   Effects, impressions and alteration - 1:39
40.   A surprise re-entry and a change of instrumental clothing - 0:54
41.   A thinning of texture, a new idea, and a rude interruption - 0:34
42.   The new idea developed: a minor earthquake - 0:41
43.   The use of tone colour as an agent of rhythm - 1:32
44.   An unusual climax... - 1:30
45.   ...and a sinister transition - 0:51


Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Procession of the Sage (more info)
Composed by: Jeremy Siepmann
Jeremy Siepmann, narrator


46.   Across the threshold into an instrumental population explosion - 1:29
47.   A sudden silence and then another world - 1:00
48.   Catapulted into the 'Dance of the Earth' - 0:38


Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Dance of the Earth (more info)
Composed by: Jeremy Siepmann
Jeremy Siepmann, narrator


49.   Tiny changes, unyielding ostinatos, massive tension - 3:19
50.   Cue to Part I complete - 0:07
51.   Part I (complete) - 16:08

Part II: The Sacrifice: Introduction (more info)
Composed by: Jeremy Siepmann
Jeremy Siepmann, narrator


1.   Again a muted, subtly coloured start - 1:09
2.   Tone colour as atmosphere - the strings' motif - 1:07
3.   Four solo violas, above gently rocking strings - 0:23
4.   A pregnant pause, and a new motif in muted trumpets - 1:14


Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls (more info)
Composed by: Jeremy Siepmann
Jeremy Siepmann, narrator


5.   Motif from the Introduction varied and extended - 1:27
6.   New motif, heralded by clarinets and violins, is introduced by alto flute - 0:34
7.   Variant of Motif No. 2 given out by two clarinets - 0:44
8.   Continued by oboes and bassoons; new motif in violins, cellos and bass clarinet - 0:33
9.   Main motifs yield to new idea from flutes - 0:38
10.   All change - direction, tone colour, metre - and two new ostinatos - 0:40
11.   Motif No. 1 returns in horn, then passed to flutes and strings - 0:46
12.   Texture, balance and tone colour keep changing - 0:26
13.   Instrumental enrichment, new counterpoint and a bleat of alarm - 0:40
14.   New derivative of Motif No. 2, a host of new sounds - and again the bleat - 0:48
15.   Into the finishing stretch, and we know we're in for something big - 0:40
16.   Putting the movement back together again - 0:07
17.   Mystic Circles of the Young Girls (complete) - 8:16


Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification of the Chosen One (more info)
Composed by: Jeremy Siepmann
Jeremy Siepmann, narrator


18.   On into one of the most sensational movements ever written - 1:36
19.   The violence is almost graphic. An example of musical terrorism - 0:35
20.   Motif No. 2: a terrible, off-beat com-pah from strings, horns and oboes - 0:13
21.   The air is filled with the fearsome baying of wind and violins - 0:20
22.   A variant of Motif No. 2, but now descending - 0:14
23.   A study in the bruality of suspense - a musical mugging - 4:12
24.   The middle section begins with a massive but unequal confrontation - 0:27
25.   Against the odds, the 'descending motif' comes out on top - 0:23
26.   In the midst of the fray, a new 'rising motif' emerges... - 1:02
27.   ...and undergoes a typcially Stravinskyan expansion and compression - 1:03
28.   A much-needed breath before the movement entire - 0:17
29.   Glorification of the Chosen One (complete) - 1:45


Part II: The Sacrifice: Evocation of the Ancestors (more info)
Composed by: Jeremy Siepmann
Jeremy Siepmann, narrator


30.   The next movement consists of a single, chordal motif, three times varied - 0:58
31.   The second statement: breaking the metrical flow - 2:13


Part II: The Sacrifice: Ritual Action of the Ancestors (more info)
Composed by: Jeremy Siepmann
Jeremy Siepmann, narrator


32.   At last the establishment of a clear and steady beat, but will it last? - 1:21
33.   A counterpoint of ostinatos lends continuity to changing time signatures - 0:42
34.   Horns introduce the first real motif, destabilised by multiple metres - 0:32
35.   The motif disappears, though the background ostinato continues - 0:32
36.   A change of mood, then the whole orchestra crashes in - 0:49
37.   The steady pulse gives way to a tossed salad of one-bar motifs - 1:06
38.   Lately abandoned, the steady pulse returns, as does the 'trumpet motif' - 1:06
39.   The movement ends with a varied reprise of the opening - 0:15
40.   Evocation of the Ancestors (complete) and Ritual Action of the Ancestors (complete) - 4:23


Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance (more info)
Composed by: Jeremy Siepmann
Jeremy Siepmann, narrator


41.   The last movement is based on two motifs, the first most motable for its rhythm - 0:20
42.   The second motif is likewise predominatly rhythmical in effect - 0:16
43.   Two variants: one a rhythmic simplification, the other an expansion - 0:20
44.   A new section, again with two main motifs, the first from wind and strings - 0:27
45.   This is joined by another bried but very striking motif from muted brass - 0:20
46.   Tension dramatically increased by a violent interruption from timpani and gong - 0:35
47.   Motif No. 2 is passed from bassoons to high wind and trumpets... - 0:34
48.   ...and is twice interrupted by horns - 0:41
49.   Motif No. 1 erupts in full orchestra, then all hell breaks loose - 0:48
50.   New ostinato, over implacable repetitions of Motif No. 1, offset by clarinets - 0:26
51.   A new section, kick-started by percussion: timpani, bass drum and gong - 1:11
52.   Horns, doubled by strings, introduce the main idea of this new section - 0:18
53.   The return of the movement's opening section - or so we may think - 0:54
54.   Dramatic compression of now-familiar material - 0:40
55.   A terrifying cocktail of motifs old and new confounds expectations... - 1:00
56.   ...and leads to the coda, the final flourish of the whole work - 1:45
57.   Cue to all of Part II and end of CD - 0:10
58.   Part II (complete) - 18:58

Reviews