Listening Chart 20 Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring, from Part I, “The Adoration of the Earth”

Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring, from Part I, “The Adoration of the Earth”

Ballet score. 10 min., 45 sec.

0:00 Introduction Bassoon “fanfare,” p, twice interrupted by English horn image
1:04 Fanfares in oboe, high (E♭) clarinet, bass clarinet
1:40 Buildup
2:04 New motive in the oboe and E♭ clarinet
2:33 Stop; return of the bassoon fanfare, p
2:41 Omens of Spring “Dance of the Adolescents” is foreshadowed; trill; the music stops and starts, ending with a high violin chord.
3:02 Tempo is established; image rhythm introduced.
3:08 Dance of the Adolescents Loud rhythmic passage with irregular accents (French horns); various motives are introduced. image
3:44 Rhythmic passage again
3:53 Folk-song fragment no. 1 — bassoons and contrabassoon, etc. image
4:21 Abrupt interruption of the regular rhythm
4:30 Return of the introductory “Omens” music image
4:46 Folk-song fragment no. 2 — French horn, flutes
5:20 Folk-song fragment no. 3 — trumpets (triangle) image
5:44 Folk-song fragment no. 2 — piccolos; big buildup
6:16 The Game of Abduction Faster; frantic rhythms. Brass is prominent; sliding horn calls.
7:12 Ending passage: alternation between scurrying figures in the winds and heavy booms in the drums image
7:33 Round Dances of Spring Slower; introduction: flute trills, clarinet melody
8:08 The main slow dance rhythm is introduced; woodwind motive. image
8:45 Folk-song fragment no. 3 (slower than before) — violas, mf
9:39 Folk-song fragment no. 3, ff, with cymbals
10:01 Climactic passage — brass
10:19 Short coda: faster, with violent rhythmic interjections
10:34 Brief return of the slow introduction, p