Concertgebouw Orchestra Essentials: Stravinsky's Rite of Spring

Essentials

The Essentials series introduces you to the masterpieces you will be happy to know, performed by the world-famous Concertgebouw Orchestra and complete with a lively introduction by the incomparable Thomas Vanderveken. At Essentials we welcome a new generation of music lovers, and the concerts typically have a pleasant informal atmosphere.

Stravinsky's Rite of Spring

In 1913, Igor Stravinsky’s ballet music for The Rite of Spring shook the world of music to its core. After a famously riotous concert in Paris, this innovative work quickly assumed its rightful place on the concert stage. Stravinsky’s bold sound collages, pounding, angular rhythms and sharp contrasts were not only ultramodern but also very catchy. And The Rite of Spring, as it’s known in English, continues to capture the hearts of successive generations of music lovers. Gustavo Gimeno began his career as a percussionist with the Concertgebouw Orchestra. But he has gone on to become a highly sought-after conductor, at the helm of orchestras in Luxembourg and Toronto.