Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring & The Firebird Suite Park Avenue Chamber Symphony & David Bernard

• Igor Stravinsky (1882 - 1971): The Rite of Spring, Pt. 1 "Adoration of the Earth":
• 1 I. Introduction 03:34
• 2 II. The Augurs of Spring - Dances of the Young Girls 03:11
• 3 III. Ritual of Abduction 01:22
• 4 IV. Spring Rounds 03:55
• 5 V. Ritual of the River Tribes 01:56
• 6 VI. Procession of Sage 00:42
• 7 VII. The Sage 00:21
• 8 VIII. Dance of the Earth 01:21
• The Rite of Spring, Pt. 2 "The Sacrifice":
• 9 IX. Introduction 04:00
• 10 X. Mystic Circles of the Young Girls 03:10
• 11 XI. Glorification of the Chosen One 01:35
• 12 XII. Evocation of the Ancestors 00:38
• 13 XIII. Ritual Action of the Ancestors 03:40
• 14 XIV. Sacrificial Dance 04:49
• The Firebird Suite (1919 Version):
• 15 The Firebird Suite (1919 Version) 21:42
• Total Runtime 55:56

Info for Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring & The Firebird Suite

David Bernard leads the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony in this pair of world premiere recordings, showcasing new editions of two extraordinarily popular works by Igor Stravinsky- his monumental ballet “The Rite of Spring” and his 1919 suite from “The Firebird.” Bernard has worked closely with Clinton F. Nieweg, former librarian of the Philadelphia Orchestra, on developing newly edited and corrected editions that resolve thousands of errors and omissions in the orchestral materials. The auspicious beginnings of The Rite of Spring, a scandal erupting from the combination of outrageous costumes and choreography with Stravinsky’s glorious innovations, paved the way for the work’s identity as a keystone in the history of Western music, with ongoing influence on composers through this very day. Stravinsky’s Firebird, the composer’s breakout hit in 1910 Paris, never ceases to capture the imagination of audiences with its alluring melodies, transparent textures and magical narratives. Hear both of these captivating scores in the premiere recording of their new editions performed by the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony directed by David Bernard.

Park Avenue Chamber Symphony
David Bernard, conductor

David Bernard
has gained recognition for his dramatic and incisive conducting in the United Stated and in over 20 countries on four continents. He serves as Music Director of the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony and the Massapequa Philharmonic. A multiple First Prize winner of the Orchestral Conducting Competition of The American Prize, Bernard was described in the judges’ remarks as, “a first-rate conductor…phenomenal performance…masterly in shaping, phrasing, technique and expressivity.” lucidculture praised Bernard’s recent Lincoln Center performance of Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring”: “Conducting from memory, David Bernard led a transcendent performance. Segues were seamless, contrasts were vivid and Stravinsky’s whirling exchanges of voices were expertly choreographed.” Bernard’s complete recorded Beethoven symphony cycle was praised by Fanfare magazine for its “intensity, spontaneity, propulsive rhythm, textural clarity, dynamic control, and well-judged phrasing” (Fanfare). His recent premiere recording of a new edition of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring was praised by Gramophone as “committed and forceful…(with) thrilling moments”.

Particularly active throughout the greater New York City area, David Bernard has appeared as a guest conductor with orchestras including the Brooklyn Symphony, the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Litha Symphony, Manhattan School of Music, the Massapequa Philharmonic, the New York Symphonic Arts Ensemble, the Putnam Symphony and the South Shore Symphony. Devoted to the music of our own time, he has presented world premières of scores by Bruce Adolphe, Chris Caswell, John Mackey, Ted Rosenthal and Jake Runestad, and distinguished concert collaborators have included Anna Lee, Jeffrey Biegel, Carter Brey, David Chan, Catherine Cho, Adrian Daurov, Pedro Díaz, Edith Dowd, Stanley Drucker, Bart Feller, Ryu Goto, Whoopi Goldberg, Sirena Huang, Judith Ingolfsson, Yevgeny Kutik, Anna Lee, Jessica Lee, Kristin Lee, Jon Manasse, Anthony McGill, Spencer Myer, Todd Phillips, Kristin Sampson and Cameron Schutza.

David Bernard is an acclaimed orchestra builder and is sought after for his artistic leadership and innovation in community engagement. Under his leadership as Music Director, both the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony and the Massapequa Philharmonic have thrived—with growing audiences, expanded ensembles and increased critical acclaim. Bernard’s approach to growing new audiences for classical music include engaging families in the community through schools, presenting multi-media concert presentations and developing a new concert format—“Classical Music from the InsideOut” where audiences sit inside the orchestra during concerts. David Bernard’s InsideOut concerts with the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony and the Massapequa Philharmonic have been acclaimed by WQXR, Newsday, ClassicalWorld and the Epoch Times, bringing an unsurpassed experience and level of engagement for the audiences of all ages.

Booklet for Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring & The Firebird Suite