Sacre du Printempts
The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky was (according to the New York Philharmonic) first performed by the New York Philharmonic in January of 1925. Evidence of this is shown at the end of the first page of programme. In tiny font and in parenthesis, the phrase “first time by the Philharmonic” is written. This was in its 83rd season under the direction of Wilhelm Furtwaengler. Furtwaengler was a guest conductor.
This performance of Stravinsky according to the programme does not seem to be a performance of the music instead of a ballet. This seems to be the last piece that the group was planning to perform for the two concerts. This was the piece that was doing to end after performing Schumann’s Symphony №4 in D minor and Berlioz’s Overture to “Benvenuto”. I find this to be a pretty intense concert.
The next pages fill the audience on the pieces that were performed. These notes give an idea of the audience to listen to and or consider. The fact that there is so much information that I am completely surprised. Someone must have spent time to write close to four paragraphs on Berlioz’s Overture and around the same amount for Schumann’s Symphony.
Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring gets more notes. One thing to consider is the fact that according to the programme, Nijnsky’s ballet was discarded and new choreography was added. I wonder if any record of Nijnsky’s ballet exists. I also wonder what Stravinsky really thought about the Rite of Spring.
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