The Rite of Spring

Personally, I think the concept alone deserves five stars just for its sheer brilliance. To address some of the comments of some more critical reviews: Creativity: Again, in my opinion, the way they arranged this for jazz trio is enough. They certainly didn't NEED to reinvent the wheel with something as massive as the RoS. Emotion: From how much I've listened to it, what seems to be the lack of emotion is more due to the recording itself rather than the players. The recording quality certainly could have been better. This particular recording lacked dynamic range, which is hugely responsible for creating a sense of emotional highs and lows. Certainly, I felt emotion and conviction from the style of playing. I imagine hearing it live would convey much more contrast and intensity. And I think a jazz trio is a different, but wonderful setting for this piece. I don't think RoS is "too large" for a jazz trio, the trio version just caters to a different taste for music. Personally, I find the piano solo and duet transcriptions "large" in their own ways, though they feel smaller than the original. Overall, I think the place it really falls short is in its recording which fails to capture the dynamic contrast of the piece. Other than that, I believe that one's view of this arrangement is more based on personal tastes rather than actual quality, so try and get an idea of how it sounds before buying. In my opinion, this is one of the best arrangements of anything, EVER.

This version should not be made. Jazz musicians, please stop spoiling great pieces. Just keep playing songs in realbooks or your tunes.

This record it's amazing, it's not obvious, no so classic no too jazzy finally something fresh!

but uneven account. The work is too lare for a jazz trio. The show little creativity in this transcription which is rare for them. The better parts one the album would have served better in as an abbreviated commentary. For a better idea on how to do this, check out Thomas Gansch's "Der Swing Von Nieberlungen" to hear how it's done right. -Bz

There have been over a dozen piano versions of Le Sacre Du Printemps (The Rite of Spring) since 1969. Most have been for 4 hands. My favorite is a BIS 1987, 2 hand performance and arrangement by Dag Achatz on a Bösendorfer Model 275. This performance starts strong and is technically very good. It needs a missing emotional connection that carries the listener through to the end.

Some 25 years ago Larry Coryell did a jazzers version. His solo guitar rendition had more conviction and emotion.

I have long believed that The Bad Plus can do no wrong, so my review is admittedly biased. When I saw on their tour schedule years ago that they'd be covering Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, I thought it was the perfect fit. I'm so thrilled it is now available for me to hear. I listened to it straight through two times today, while doing laundry and other chores around the house, and couldn't be happier. Hearing those familiar, haunting themes get the Bad Plus treatment is a dream come true. I imagine that Stravinsky himself would love hearing what these three madmen managed to do with his groundbreaking work.