Comments on: On Music: Le Sacre du printemps

By: Nick

Nick — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 06:30:27 +0000

I LOVE this post. I want more of it. I love how each conductor does his own take on a work. Orchestra doing covers…great analogy.

I like Bernstein’s version. It’s very methodical and suspenseful. Mehta’s is also great and has the fast-paced thriller feel to it.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 01:46:55 +0000

I’m personally a big fan of the overly amped, mechanical ring tone version that came with my phone. ;)

… it suffices as an alarm, at any rate.

But really, it’s a fantastic piece of work.

By: McKee

McKee — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 00:49:45 +0000

Watch MTT and the San Francisco Symphony DVD “Keeping Score”, the episode about Le Sacre. Available on SFSymphony website
with great stuff, including clips of the reconstructed ballet done by the Joffrey Ballet. Highly recommended.

By: Vorple

Vorple — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 20:50:25 +0000

I still prefer The Cleveland Orchestra as conducted by Pierre Boulez in 1969.

By: tapirspoop

tapirspoop — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 20:29:23 +0000

There was a great episode of Radio Lab that mentioned the premier that caused everyone to riot and an interesting theory as to why that happened.

By: Tom E

Tom E — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 18:41:58 +0000

I like Stravinsky’s the best, with Mehta a close second. I had trouble deciphering the pocket in the other versions, whereas Stravinsky’s version holds the bottom end, which seems to be the key to the section.

It sounds a lot like experimental jazz -a bizarre, angry sound.

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:50:58 +0000

For me it’s Gergiev and the Kirov. I recently saw them perform “Rite” in Philly (along with “The Firebird”), and it’s the best version I’ve heard yet.

By: Trent

Trent — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:44:20 +0000

Very good post.

By: Alice

Alice — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:34:02 +0000

Zubin Mehta has it spot on for me. I’ve listened to this piece for forty five plus years and it still thrills me. I prefer my Beethoven by Herbert Von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic above all others for the same reason. Lenny always adds too much sappiness to his interpretations. To me, he’s the Pops, he’s the Broadway vision. Thanks for sharing the covers!