Simultaneously an evocation of the most ancient past and the most modern of all modern works, Stravinsky’s Le sacre du printemps maintains a status unmatched by any other 20th-century musical work. Of course, that’s partly due to the riot its premiere incited. But though the prospect of a Sacre by one of Russia’s most prominent living conductors and one of its finest orchestras might put you in mind of a milestone recording, this one works only part of the time. Gergiev and his Kirov Orchestra obviously want to bring the work back to its visceral, primitive roots. It’s a good antidote to the tendency to make the work sound smooth and polished. Sometimes the results can be thrilling, as in the "Ritual of the Rival Tribes" or the inexorable rush of the "Dance of the Earth" section that concludes Part I.

But a great Rite must do more than be loud and fast, it must convey mystery and show off Stravinsky’s astonishingly original orchestration. Gergiev’s view of the piece lacks atmosphere, and at times the Kirov’s playing crosses the line from earthiness to vulgarity. In among the noise — a pounding bass drum and glaring brass — many details get lost, such as the horn call at the opening of the "Ritual of Abduction." The final "Sacrificial Dance" is slow and lugubrious — especially alongside Ben Zander’s athletic sprint in his Boston Philharmonic recording — and the painfully distended final chord ruins whatever effect was intended. Scriabin’s Poem of Ecstasy doesn’t fare much better — the winds crack and the percussion overwhelms again.

I hope that Gergiev will take another shot the Rite — his Firebird has been hailed as one of his most successful recordings. For now, stick to Boulez, Bernstein, Abbado, or Stravinsky’s own recording, against which the current version just doesn’t seem to stand up.