Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring

A pianist himself, Shostakovich performed in concert halls, in lean times even gigging as an accompanist for silent films. Perhaps inspired by those long nights at the movies, this witty work cuts back and forth between musical “quotes” of classics by Haydn, Beethoven, and Rossini alongside popular music including an Odessa street song and Al Jolson’s “California, Here I Come.” With his “luminosity and fresh individuality of spirit” (Financial Times), pianist Seong-Jin Cho makes charming work of this classic.

Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring was written in the heady days of the early 20th century, when “new” seemed to explode from all sides of the arts. Composed for Diaghilev’s scandalous Ballets Russes, this seminal work introduced shifting rhythms and dissonant harmonies. Audiences accustomed to the order and symmetry of classical music expressed their displeasure by hurling objects at the stage and engaging in fistfights with those who defended the innovations. It was a rocky beginning for a work that has become a classic, as beloved now as it was despised in its first performances. The raw energy, driving pulse, and visceral imagery of a pagan world make it an exhilarating experience for the listener.

Inspired by fairy tales, Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite brings five charming stories to vivid life, including “Pavane of Sleeping Beauty,” “Tom Thumb,” and “The Conversations of Beauty and the Beast.” Though the titles may seem Disneyesque, this is no child’s play. Drenched in shimmering color and ravishing in skillfully layered orchestration, it is the work of a composer at the peak of his powers, whose innovations would inspire composers for generations to come.