Pierre Boulez conducts Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring (Part 2, b)

[AfroDeezeeYak]

I really love how controlled this is under Boulez's baton.

[jlucb67]

Boulez. A rare genius focused on pure music.

[muslit]

boulez.  mr. boring.

[guidepost42]

Hmmm, is it just me or does this seem to generate a lot of light but no heat?

[juggarnatha]

@guidepost42 you're right. This is my favorite piece of music. Somehow, this performance is flat. This piece is deadly, frenetic, chaotic. Somehow, this interpretation is organized, surgical, cold. This is practice, and I don't think the conductor gets it, as it were. Ok, so you did something hard, but you didn't understand. This is about life and death, not the notes on the page.

[jazzydrums95]

@juggarnatha

I actually think besides how SLOW the Sacrificial Dance and the general absence of intimidation, it sounds fine.

[honron21]

Why in the beginning of the ritual action of the ancestors in almost every version the horns play staccatisimo? in the score it is written a very long note without any staccato.

[honron21]

10:00 it must be so exciting to play that! it is just the best therapy for stress relief.

[vinnypimentel]

@honron21 the percusion in this theme is simply amazing... really the spine of the work

[lednew2010]

Yes... having experience on both sides, I'll tell you the players are "watching" the conductor closely, and if/when a conductor makes a mistake, the orchestra will get thrown! As to it being "cold" Stravinsky himself was famous for saying "Please don't interpret me. Just play what I wrote." Thankfully, Le Sacre works well either way.

[millertime1089]

whats the point of the conductor? every ones looking down at their sheet music...

[calogria]

@millertime1089 You'd be surprised how well they see him even without actually looking up! Besides, the Sacre without conductor... not a chance!

[omargk]

10:23 the best final ever

[David0794]

9:40 lol @ concertmaster :P

[omargk]

@David0794 cool¡

[Huddiethegreat]

@David0794 "Ahh screw it"

[David0794]

lol from 0:51 on, i thought "wtf? why are there saxes?" xD

[64MDL]

Pardon the "Bloulez" typo.

[64MDL]

Yay! At about 9:25 in the Sacrificial Dance, Boulez sticks to trombones and bowed strings rather than the tension-sapping bassoons and plucked strings that robbed his Cleveland/DG Rite of impetus at that vital moment. Shame he didn't order the tam-tam player to give his instrument more of a wallop, perhaps with a harder beater. Whatever.. Great clip. Bloulez's Rite is always fascinating.