Reactions to Stravinsky's Rite of Spring

I just watched the Rite of Spring sequence from Fantasia on YouTube. I hadn't watched it for years. Back when I was a kid, I just thought it was some cool sequence of things getting blown up and dinosaurs getting killed.

So, when I watched the creation of Earth, I didn't see volcanoes blowing up, I saw a massive wave of lava being vomitted by the Earth. I never appreciated the disharmonious music, either, but seeing and hearing the two really brought up feelings of nausea.

Then I got to the evolution. I never knew what that ink stain that covered up the fields of paramecium and ocean jungles was. I just assumed it was "a fog of evil" and moved on. It's funny how as a kid, I could just ignore anything threatening or evil. I suppose that's what people mean when they say children are innocent.

And the music. Oy. It was just boring music that accompanied the video. I never thought of it being the main purpose of ANY of the pieces. And the woodwinds during the pterodactyl dives. That was the epitome of it. The Rite of Spring was originally a ballet. The ballet's also on YouTube, but I have to write this down first.

So now I get to the third section. I was largely ignorant of death until middle school, and even then I ignored death until high school. It wasn't a weighty subject for me. Back then, people didn't die; things died. Those dinosaurs were things. Playthings. The Earth was the god. Smiting them to the ground, ripping up their bones in an earthquake. All I could think of was how awesome it would be to an earth god.

Ahem. But as a more mature human being, I realize that death, especially undeserved death, and cold disrespect are among the leading producers of human emotion. Here we have dinosaurs who are starving. They just want some food, Earth! Why did you have to be so cruel? And then, after all the dinosaurs have coalesced into a graveyard, the Earth just has to rip it apart. Have you no respect for the dead, Earth?

So, to summarize. Back then, stuff blowing up. Earth is awesome. Now, death and destruction. Earth sucks. That's the price we pay for sophistication.

Or is it?

P.S.: I should also watch the rest of Fantasia. I might be surprised what other reactions I get.

Also, happy 127th birthday, Stravinsky.