The Rite of Spring - Paperback

by Gillian Moore (Author)

The story behind the scandalous first performance of one of the most influential works in the history of music, as part of the stunning Landmark Library series.
On 29 May 1913, at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, a new ballet by Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky, received its premiere. Many of the cultural big names of Paris were there, or were rumoured to have been there: Debussy, Ravel, Proust, Gertrude Stein, Picasso. When the curtain rose on a cast of frenziedly stamping dancers, a near-riot ensued, ensuring the evening would enter the folklore of modernism. While it was the dancing that triggered the mayhem, Stravinsky's score contained shocks enough, with its innovations in form, rhythm, dissonance and its sheer sonic power. The Rite of Spring would achieve recognition in its own right as a concert piece, and is now seen as one of the most influential works of the 20th century.

Author Biography

Gillian Moore is Director of Music at London's Southbank Centre. She writes and broadcasts regularly about music and can often be heard on BBC Radio 3. She was awarded a CBE for services to music in 2018.
Gillian Moore is Director of Music at London's Southbank Centre. She writes and broadcasts regularly about music and can often be heard on BBC Radio 3. She was awarded a CBE for services to music in 2018.