I fell down this one recently. Deeply.
I asked the Google Search Engine: "Who is the greatest composer of the 20th Century?"
Of course "greatest" is subjective, but I had a suspicion of what Google's answer would be: "Igor Stravinsky". No big surprise and I suppose I'm inclined to agree.
Which prompted me to listen to some YouTube-recorded live orchestral performances of "The Rite of Spring".
Which prompted me to look for recorded performances of the ballet.
Which prompted me to look for recorded performances of the ballet with its original choreography from the 1913 Paris premiere (which performance caused an actual riot in the theatre).
Which informed me that there is no explicitly complete written record of the original choreography,
and that the subject of the original choreography has been the subject of intense academic research for decades,
and that there are pretty good records of the original set design and costumes,
and that the principal dancer in the 1913 premiere provided extensive oral recollections in interviews later in her life, and provided a booklet of dancers' cue cards that, combined with her verbal testimony helped enable an academic reconstruction of the original choreography.
Which prompted me to look for a YouTube-recorded performance of the reconstructed original production, which led me to this video showing a performance by the Joffrey Ballet in 1987. This production may be the earliest modern reconstruction. The video is of poor quality, but tremendously enlightening. A warning: the first section of 'Rite' is an orchestral prelude. Soldier on through the credits until you reach the next segment of the score.
Here's a recording of another reconstructed production, on the occasion of the ballet's 100th anniversary. I prefer this video because it is of better quality and shows the orchestra during the prelude and interludes, and the camera work is much better. I will not embarrass myself by disclosing how many times I've viewed it since finding it.
