The experimental week on musicAeterna digital platform continues with the world premiere of “The Riot of Spring” by Dmitri Kourliandski. The piece was created in a dialogue with one of the most revolutionary works in academic music — Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring”. In the year of the latter’s 100th anniversary, musicAeterna took part in the Ruhrtriennale festival to perform both “Springs”. The shock that the first audience of “The Rite of Spring” experienced back in 1913 can only be imagined from the memoirs of Stravinsky’s peers. The audience’s first taste of “The Riot of Spring”, on the other hand, was captured on video and became part of the unique event.
Coming back to that piece today, we see it not just as a powerful image of tradition and modern times blending together but also as a unique experience of removing any borders among listeners, musicians and instruments — the experience of being within a single sonic space. The experience that we are particularly longing for in the spring of 2020.
Dmitri Kourliandski.
The Riot of Spring
musicAeterna orchestra
Teodor Currentzis
October 2013, Ruhrtriennale
Shooting and editing: Alexey Romanov