This is a sound and video discography of Igor Stravinsky's ballet The Rite of Spring. The work was premiered in Paris on May 29, 1913, at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. It was presented by Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes with choreography by Vaslav Nijinsky and was conducted by Pierre Monteux. The list includes many of the most noted recordings of the work but is by no means exhaustive. The avant-garde character of the music, combined with Nijinsky's innovative choreography, caused a near riot at the first performance. It has since gained wide acceptance both as a ballet and as a concert piece.Hill, pp. 29–31
The discography is not exhaustive; new recordings frequently appear, as do reissues of older recordings. In the tables, the year given is not necessarily an accurate guide to the time of the actual performance, since sometimes recordings are held for many years before release.
On BBC Radio 3's Building a Library, music critics have several times surveyed recordings of The Rite of Spring. On 22 March 2008 Rob Cowan recommended the 2004 recording by the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie, Péter Eötvös (conductor), as the best available choice. On 6 July 2019 Jonathan Cross chose the version by Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Philharmonia Orchestra as his recommendation.
The Columbia Symphony Orchestra/Igor Stravinsky version from 1960 is the recording that was sent into space as part of the Voyager Golden Record.
Discography
Audio recordings: (orchestral)
YearOrchestraConductorLabel and formatNotesReferences1928Hollywood Bowl OrchestraEugène GoossensCambria CD (2004)Recording of rehearsals for west coast premiere, August 19281929Orchestre Symphonique de ParisPierre MonteuxHMV 78 rpm (4 discs); Pearl CD (release date not indicated)First recordingHill, p. 1621929Walther Straram Concerts OrchestraIgor StravinskyColumbia 78 rpm (5 discs); Pearl CD (release date not indicated)Recorded 4 months after Monteux's version1930Philadelphia OrchestraLeopold StokowskiVictor 78 rpm (4 discs); Sony CD (2013)First US recording1939–40Philadelphia OrchestraLeopold StokowskiAbridged and adapted for Walt Disney's Fantasia1940New York PhilharmonicIgor StravinskyColumbia/CBS 78 rpm (4 discs). Sony CD (2013)1945San Francisco Symphony OrchestraPierre MonteuxRCA Vinyl1946Concertgebouw OrchestraEduard van BeinumDecca 78 rpm1950Orchestre de la Suisse RomandeErnest AnsermetStravinsky: Le Sacre du printemps: 100th Anniversary Collector's Edition
CD (2012)1951Boston Symphony OrchestraPierre MonteuxRCA mono LP; Sony CD (2013)Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1993.1951Philharmonia OrchestraIgor MarkevichHMV mono LP; Testament CD (2004)First British recordingHill, p. 1631951New York PhilharmonicLeonard BernsteinLeonard Bernstein: Historic Broadcasts, 1946–1961 CD (2013)Recorded live in Chicago, 19511952Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester BerlinIgor MarkevichAudite CD1953Minneapolis Symphony OrchestraAntal DoratiMercury Records LP; The Dorati Edition CD (2012)1953Pittsburgh Symphony OrchestraWilliam SteinbergCapitol Stereo LP1954RIAS Symphonie-Orchester BerlinFerenc FricsayDeutsche Grammophon LP1955Philadelphia OrchestraEugene OrmandyColumbia/CBS LP; Sony CD (2013)Uses 1943 version of Danse sacralehttp://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Sony/88765454312 Presto Classical, The Rite of Spring, Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra1955Orchestre National de FrancePierre MonteuxPierre Monteux in France CD (2012)Live 19551956Paris Conservatoire OrchestraPierre MonteuxRCA Victor1956Orchestre National de l'O.R.T.F.Jean MartinonIna CDLive March 19561956Orchestra des Cento SoliRudolf AlbertStravinsky: Le Sacre du printemps: 100th Anniversary Collector's Edition
CD (2012)1957Orchestre de la Suisse RomandeErnest AnsermetDecca mono/stereo LP: Decca CD (1999)1957Orchestre National de l'O.R.T.F.Lorin MaazelIna CDLive January 19571957Baden Baden Radio SymphonyJascha HorensteinVox LPReissued as a recording by the "Vienna Festival Orchestra & Albert Wolff"1958New York PhilharmonicLeonard BernsteinColumbia/CBS LP. Sony CD and LP (2013)1958NDR Sinfonie OrchesterIgor StravinskyArkadia CD (1992)Live 19581959Minneapolis Symphony OrchestraAntal DoratiMercury Living Presence1959Philharmonia OrchestraIgor MarkevichEMI LP1959Czech Philharmonic OrchestraIgor MarkevichThe Prague Spring Festival CD (2006)Live 19591960Columbia Symphony OrchestraIgor StravinskyColumbia/CBS mono/stereo LP: Sony CD (2013)Uses 1943 version of Danse sacrale1960Czech Philharmonic OrchestraKarel AncerlSupraphon LP1960London Symphony OrchestraEugene GoossensEverest mono/stereo LP; Everest CD (2008)1960Royal Philharmonic OrchestraRené LeibowitzReader's Digeststereo LP. Chesky Records CD (1993)Recorded as "London Festival Orchestra"1962USSR State Symphony OrchestraRobert CraftAkkord stereo LP1962Dresden StaatskapelleOtmar SuitnerEterna Stereo LP1962London Symphony OrchestraIgor MarkevichBBC Legends CDLive at the Edinburgh Festival, 19621962Warsaw Philharmonic OrchestraIgor MarkevichWarsaw Philharmonic Archive CDLive, January 19621963Berlin Philharmonic OrchestraHerbert von KarajanDeutsche Grammophon mono/stereo LP. DG CD (2007)1963Czech Philharmonic OrchestraKarel AnčerlSupraphon stereo LP; Supraphon CD (2002)1963Orchestre National de l'O.R.T.F.Pierre BoulezConcert Hall stereo LP1963London Symphony OrchestraPierre MonteuxBBC Radio BroadcastRecorded on May 29, 1963; 50th anniversary of premiere (The orchestra was prepared by David Zinman)1963London Symphony OrchestraColin DavisPhilips LP1966USSR Symphony OrchestraYevgeny SvetlanovMelodiya LP1966Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI di MilanoBruno MadernaSTR LP1967Philharmonia OrchestraRafael Frühbeck de BurgosEMI stereo LP.1967Polish Radio Symphony OrchestraBohdan WodiczkoPolskie Nagrania Stereo LP1968Chicago Symphony OrchestraSeiji OzawaRCAstereo LP. Sony CD (2013)1969Plovdiv State PhilharmonicDobrin PetkovDDD CD1969The Cleveland OrchestraPierre BoulezColumbia/CBS stereo LP. Sony CD (2005)1969Los Angeles PhilharmonicZubin MehtaDecca stereo LP1970Orchestre National de Belgique Andre VandernootSoundtrackUsed as the background recording for Maurice Bejart's 'Sacre du Printemps' film (1970)1971New England Conservatory Symphony OrchestraGunther SchullerNEC stereo LPRecorded live October 19711972London Symphony OrchestraLeonard BernsteinColumbia/CBSLP. Sony CD (2013)(Bernstein Century Collection)1972Boston Symphony OrchestraMichael Tilson ThomasDeutsche Grammophon LP1972Berlin Philharmonic OrchestraHerbert von KarajanTestament CD (2009)Recorded live, May 19721973London Philharmonic OrchestraBernard Haitink PhilipsLP1973London Philharmonic OrchestraErich LeinsdorfLondon Records LP1974Chicago Symphony OrchestraSir Georg SoltiDecca1974Vienna Philharmonic OrchestraLorin MaazelLondon Records Stereo LP1975London Symphony OrchestraClaudio AbbadoDeutsche Grammophon stereo LP. 1976Concertgebouw OrchestraColin DavisPhilipsstereo LP. Philips CD (2003)1976ORF SymphonieorchesterLeif SegerstamORF LP1977Berlin Philharmonic OrchestraHerbert von KarajanDeutsche Grammophon stereo LP. DG CD (2000)1977National Youth Orchestra of Great BritainSir Simon RattleAcademy Sound and VisionCD1977Minnesota OrchestraStanislaw SkrowaczewskiCandide Stereo LP1977Tanglewood Music Center OrchestraSeiji OzawaBoston Symphony Orchestra ArchivesRecorded Live July 28, 19771978New York PhilharmonicZubin MehtaCBS Masterworksstereo LP, quadrophonic LP, 4-Track Reel-to-reel1978Berlin Philharmonic OrchestraHerbert von KarajanPalexa Records Audio CD (2004)Recorded live, 19781978London Symphony OrchestraEduardo MataRCA LP1979Boston Symphony OrchestraSeiji OzawaPhilips LP1979Philadelphia OrchestraRiccardo MutiEMI/Angelstereo LP. EMI CD (2002)1980The Cleveland OrchestraLorin MaazelTelarcstereo LP: Telarc CD (2005)1980Japan Philharmonic OrchestraIgor MarkevichJapan Philharmonic Orchestra CDLive November 19801981Detroit Symphony OrchestraAntal DoratiDecca/Londonstereo LP; CD Winner, Grand Prix du Disque;First digital recording of the work1981Moscow Radio Symphony OrchestraVladimir FedoseyevHMV Melodiya Concert Classics LP1981Czech Philharmonic OrchestraZdenek KoslerSupraphon LP1982Israel Philharmonic OrchestraLeonard BernsteinDeutsche Grammophonstereo LP; DG Virtuoso CD (2012)1982Orchestre de la Suisse RomandeIgor MarkevichCascavelle CD1982Toronto Symphony OrchestraAndrew DavisOrpheum Masters CD1984Montreal Symphony OrchestraCharles Dutoit DeccaCD1985The Cleveland OrchestraRiccardo ChaillyLondon CD1985Vienna Philharmonic OrchestraZubin MehtaOrfeo International Music CDLive August 21, 19851987City of Birmingham Symphony OrchestraSimon RattleEMICDHill, p. 1641987London Philharmonic OrchestraCharles MackerrasEMICD1987Swedish Radio Symphony OrchestraSixten EhrlingBIS CD 1987Orchestre de ParisDaniel BarenboimErato CD1987London Symphony OrchestraGennady RozhdestvenskyNimbus Records CD1987Tanglewood Music Center OrchestraLeonard BernsteinBoston Symphony Orchestra ArchivesRecorded Live August 11, 19871987Orchestra of the National Theatre PragueAllan LewisSoundtrackUsed as background recording for the Joffrey Ballet's video of reconstructed choreography 1988London Symphony OrchestraRafael Frühbeck de BurgosCollins Classics CD1988Joven Orquesta Nacional de EspañaEdmon ColomerHarmonia Mundi France CD1989Philharmonia OrchestraEsa-Pekka SalonenSony Classical CD1990Boston Philharmonic OrchestraRex Lawson (pianola)Benjamin ZanderInnovative Music ProductionsCDPiano roll version from 19211990BRT Philharmonic Orchestra, BrusselsAlexander RahbariNaxosCD1990Philharmonia OrchestraEliahu InbalTeldec CD1990New York PhilharmonicZubin MehtaTelarc Digital CD1990Sinfonieorchester Des SüdwestfunksErnest BourNaïve classique CD (2016)1990Saint Louis Symphony OrchestraLeonard SlatkinRCA Victor CD1991Atlanta Symphony OrchestraYoel LeviTelarcCD1991Cleveland OrchestraPierre Boulez Deutsche GrammophonCD1991Dallas Symphony OrchestraEduardo MataDorian Recordings CD1991Concertgebouw OrchestraSir Georg SoltiDecca CDRecorded live1991Orchestra of St. Luke'sRobert CraftMusicMasters Classics CD1992Metropolitan Opera OrchestraJames LevinePolygram Records CD1992London Philharmonic OrchestraKent NaganoVirginCD1992City of Birmingham Symphony OrchestraSimon RattleSoundtrackUsed as background recording for BBC's "Rattle's Rite" (1992)1993Oslo PhilharmonicMariss JansonsEMI Classics CD1993Orchestre National de Bordeaux-AquitaineAlain LombardValois CD1993Orchestre Philharmonique des Pays de LoireMarc SoustrotForlane CD1993Redwood SymphonyEric KujawskyClarity Recordings CD1993Royal Philharmonic OrchestraYuri SimonovCenturion Music CD1994Deutsche Symphonie Orchester BerlinVladimir AshkenazyDecca CD1994Orchestre de la Suisse RomandeNeeme JarviChandos CD1994BBC National Orchestra Of WalesDavid AthertonBBC Music Magazine CDLive at the BBC Proms August 22, 19941995London Symphony OrchestraRobert CraftNaxosCD 1913 version1995Berlin Philharmonic OrchestraBernard HaitinkPhilips CD1996San Francisco SymphonyMichael Tilson ThomasRCA/BMGCD1996Minnesota OrchestraEiji OueReference Recordings CD1996Rotterdam Philharmonic OrchestraValery GergievRadio Broadcast1997Pasadena Symphony OrchestraJorge MesterNewport Classics CDA binaural recording1997Yale Symphony OrchestraShinik HahmYale Symphony Orchestra ArchivesLive February 8, 19971998Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen RundfunksLorin MaazelBr Klassik CD1998Tanglewood Music Center OrchestraRobert SpanoBoston Symphony Orchestra ArchivesRecorded live August 1, 19981999Kirov OrchestraValery GergievPhilipsCD2000Oregon SymphonyJames DePriestTelarc CD2000Chicago Symphony OrchestraDaniel BarenboimTeldec