NPR Music has produced a concert performance of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, with Marin Alsop conducting the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and musicians from the Peabody Institute. The orchestra's performance is strong and convincing, and Alsop takes a spirited, forward moving approach to pacing and tempo. Alsop and the orchestra avoid the traps of previous recordings and performances where the music's primitive angst often bogs down the music. This program offers you an opportunity to give your listeners a Rite of Spring with notable interpretative contrasts to recordings in your Music Library.

You have two presentation options:

a. The music-only version is suitable for afternoon classical programming (depending on your station's day-parting policies), weekend afternoon programming and would also work well within your evening classical music block. Think of it as a CD with a recent live performance rather than one of the concerts you would hear on a traditional orchestra broadcast series.

Total music time is 34:36, with the need for stations to provide a front and back announce.

b. Your other on-air option is to include a Scott Simon interview (9:55) with Marin Alsop. Using appropriate musical examples, they talk about the work's opening night controversy, its innovations and historical fine points without going overly academic. Though longer than stations may prefer, the interview length is justified by the relevance and quality of their conversation and use of musical examples. Total time with the Simon/Alsop two-way is 44:30.

In the context of some station's on-air sound, Scott may be a bit over the top at the beginning as he introduces the music in the interview segment.

With or without the Alsop/Simon discussion, stations will need additional music to compete the hour.