Rite vs Riot of Spring
The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky, Riot of Spring by Dmitri Kourliandski
In 2013, the year of 100th Anniversary of Rite of Spring of Stravinsky, we were invited to perform this piece at the Ruhrtriennale Festival.
It was an incredible experience to hear 120 hand picked musicians (60 people from our orchestra and 60 guest musicians invited additionally from all over Russia and Europe) playing together this powerful piece, sliding in one breath through its layers, making every sound, every line transparent, light and yet solid in the mass of common sound.
In 1913 Sergey Diaghilev commissioned Rite of Spring to Igor Stravinsky for the premiere of his new ballet. Stravinsky composed a new, avant-garde, strong statement, which was perfectly align with Diaghilev’s vision. Although it caused many problems before the premiere. The orchestra refused to play this 25-minute piece, saying that it is technically impossible. Diaghilev personally had to argue with the whole orchestra and force them to play. The premiere (music by Igor Stravinsky and choreography by Vaslav Nizhinsky) took place in Theater Champs-Élysées in Paris but was booed. It was considered as a Riot, against existing rules of music making and choreography.
Following the story of the Rite of Spring, Ruhrtriennale Festival commissioned to Dmitri Kourliandski a new piece. That is how Dmitri wrote the Riot of Spring, a piece for an orchestra and electronic music. It was actually a sort of performance rather than a concert piece. Musicians played one note under the conduction of Teodor Currentzis. Teodor was playing violin as well, leading the sound. Gradually musicians were leaving the stage, merging with the audience, giving to people their instruments, showing how to play this one note (that was my first try how to play cello, violin, viola and even trumpet — while we were rehearsing). One note for everyone, for every of 120 persons.
In order not to risk expensive personal string instruments, we ordered around 50 new cheap string instruments, which could be destroyed. After the performances those of them, which were in a good state the Festival donated to a public music school.
People got very excited to be a part of this show, of something bigger than they were. It was beautiful to see how a tough and stiff german audience suddenly started to smile, trembling of excitement. They all were following Teodor’s bow, his conducting. At the end of the piece orchestra sound reached its catharsis, at the point when some of musicians even crushed their instruments, then abruptly stopped.
You can experience the project yourself watching the video:
Credits:
- Music by Igor Stravinsky and Dmitri Kourlianski
- Conductor: Teodor Currentzis.
- Orchestra: musicAeterna
