Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring) & Petrushka

Igor Stravinsky

Recordings

Top Choice

Antal Doráti / Detroit Symphony Orchestra

1980-1981 Digital recording, fantastic quality, great depth.

First choice for the coupling. A demonstration disc. Very robust, dramatic, powerful interpretation, wonderfully paced. Can't go wrong.

Also Worth Hearing

Antal Doráti / Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

1959 Fantastic sound, vibrant and clear.

His biggest competition is himself. This one is a little more on the aggressive side, even 'barbaric' (which some love). Really exciting.

Label: Mercury Living Presence

Pierre Monteux / Boston Symphony Orchestra

1951 (Rite), 1959 (Petrushka) Rite sound is not great, Petrushka is better.

From the man who premiered them. Excellent orchestra. Monteux's gift for spontaneity is essential and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Interpretation tells the story well.

Leonard Bernstein / New York Philharmonic

1958 (Rite), 1969 (Petrushka) Very well recorded.

Legendary coupling. Bernstein milks the creepy sonorities in the Rite; slower in parts, not as aggressive as Doráti, but very powerful. NY Phil is on top form.

Pierre Boulez / Cleveland Orchestra (Rite) / New York Philharmonic (Petrushka)

1969 (Rite), 1971 (Petrushka) Excellent sound.

The opposite of Bernstein; almost held back, not milked at all. A steady, relentless interpretation (like the composer's own) that has a powerful cumulative effect. Fantastic virtuosity and clarity.

Igor Stravinsky / Columbia Symphony Orchestra

1960 Very good sound quality.

The composer's own, legendary recording. Obvious value. A stark, no-nonsense interpretation, especially of the Rite. Terrifying in its discipline, not overwhelming but powerful.

Leopold Stokowski / Philadelphia Orchestra

1929 (Rite), 1937 (Petrushka) Very old sound, but pretty good. Dim.

A personal favorite. The grand showman with his virtuosic orchestra. Spontaneity, confidence, showmanship. Dramatic and powerful. You forget the sound quality.

Igor Markevitch / Philharmonia Orchestra

Rite of Spring only. Recording quality is a bit rough, less brilliant.

This is just the Rite of Spring. Very powerful, dramatic, brusque, and rough-sounding. The interpretation is so powerful it makes up for the sound. One of the great Rites on record.