Hear a first...  The first commercial recording by a student orchestra of the ultimate orchestral wonder of the early 20th century, The Rite of Spring.  Originally released on LP in the early ’70s, this recording is now available for the first time on CD.  On a night over twenty years ago — at a time when this work still held terrors for even some major orchestras — 95 nervous young New England Conservatory musicians and one dauntless conductor embarked on a daring musical journey. 

Now hear the result of this digitally updated original live performance as MacArthur Award winning composer/conductor Gunther Schuller confidently guides and inspired group of youthful conservatory virtuosi through the formidable demands of Stravinsky’s seminal work, with its fearsome meter and tempo changes and myriad of orchestrational and dynamic elements.  In his program notes, Schuller traces the fascinating 80-year performance history of Stravinsky’s masterwork and offers a touching ‘where are they now?’ tribute to many of his key performers.

Hear many of today’s finest orchestra performers at the moment their professional careers were beginning to take flight.   Hear the first in a new GM Recordings series of historic performances from the 1970s, conducted by Gunther Schuller at the New England Conservatory.  Hear a first.