Everyone seems to want a piece of May 1st. Is it just about spring, or is it a religious festival, or day to celebrate the labor movement?

It’s a bit confusing, but then again, so is the Second Symphony of Dimitri Shostakovich. Written when the composer was barely 21 (which means, as a Russian, he was had been drinking vodka legally for only 9 years), it portrays the story of the October Revolution – not about May, but about the Soviet revolution, and therefore the labor movement. Shotakovich himself was a bit confusing, too, since he started his career as the Bolshevik poster boy, then he was shunned by the Soviets, then he was loved again, then he was hated again. Then he joined the communist party. Whatever, I’m confused; but so were audiences when the Second Symphony was first performed. The Russian laborers were baffled by the modernist, murmuring beginning that was void of any traditional melody or harmony – but were moved by the rousing revolutionary chorus that concludes the piece. Meanwhile, western European audiences loved the progressive beginning part, but were turned off by the cheesy revolutionary chorus.

Now I’m completely confused. I’m going to go back to circling a Maypole.

To round off two weeks of Spring-related music, we’re returning to Glazunov, whose ballet “The Seasons” we heard last Monday. Besides that ballet, he wrote another Spring-themed piece earlier in his career. It’s lush, it’s green, it’s sweet, it’s warm, and it’s imperial Russian!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Goick97CYIU

What Spring celebration would be complete without a romp through pagan ritual?

Igor Stravinsky‘s Rite of Spring is one of a few modern pieces that doesn’t require an introduction. (but if you need an short introduction – it’s a ballet piece that depicts ancient Russian equinox rituals of fertility, war, and human sacrifice.) I’d say it has already become the stuff of legend; there are many anecdotal stories about it. Its premiere ended in somewhat of a riot – but the music and the primal dancing were more of a spark that ignited the fuel laid by early 20th-century French social issues and class warfare. I’ve read both that Stravinsky was hurt that people laughed at the introductory bassoon solo, and that he himself laughed at “knock-kneed Lolitas” who were dancing.

And then there’s the dancing dinos of Disney. Copyright law wasn’t strong in 1940, and there’s a story of Walt Disney calling Stravinsky and demanding permission to use The Rite in his film, Fantasia – because Disney was going to use it regardless of Stravinsky’s answer, he had little choice but to agree. Having a film which included this score lead to lawsuits by the Philadelphia Orchestra and a music publisher, who sued Disney for a share of their massive profits.

Nowadays, The Rite continues its crazy influence. My favorite is a new cult of hosting Rite Dance Parties – bring your glow stick and your drugs.

So here it is, with a Ballet performance which attempts to recreate the legendary 1913 Paris premiere.