Igor Stravinsky

Late last night, I was driving home from yet another recording session with the band formerly known as Jive Market, and I got to hear something that blew me away.

First, some History:

I first learned to appreciate Stravinsky at the age of 19, when a music professor played “The Rite of Spring” at full volume in its entirety. At the time, I perceived it as primordial speed metal. That was a stupid assessment, but there are a few choice excerpts from his works that chunk chunk chunk in true metal form. I know now that this is where the comparisons end. Those chunks were but small rhythmic ripples in a vast sea of genius. Stravinsky burned every rule of musical form, structure, and composition, and from the ashes rose some of the greatest music ever written. Stravinsky is a huge branch on the musical tree that eventually sprouted the likes of King Crimson, Yes and Tool. He was the godfather of modern progressive music.

Anyhoooo, I’ve acquired a few choice CD’s through the years, and one of my favorites has long been his “Symphony in C”. The CD I have is great, but I have no idea who played or conducted it. Last night I turned on NPR and heard this, “Here is Stravinsky’s Symphony in C as conducted by the composer himself.” I had goosebumps the whole dam time. I need to find this CD.

On a side note: My musical fantasy is to assemble a band to play “The Rite of Spring”. The recipe is as follows: 6 ripping guitarist with sounds ranging from clean and beautiful to superchunky and distorted; 3 bass players, 2 drummers, and a psychopathic virtuoso pianist with an insane keyboard. All strings and wind instruments in Stravinskys arrangement would be played with multi-guitar, bass, and keyboard arrangements. The best way to accomplish this would be to take all the guys in Tool, King Crimson, Rush, Metallica, and Return to Forever, throw them in a studio, lock the doors, and not let them out until they're done. I don't think they'd appreciate that, but I'd have a hell of a CD to listen to. And when they finish “The Rite of Spring”, I’ll make them do “The 4 Seasons” by Vivaldi and “Brandenburg Concerto #5” by Bach.