Sometimes I listen to the Rite in its orchestral garb, but 19 out of 20 times, it's a piano version I reach for. Somehow, hearing it played by a team of trained athletes seems less interesting to me. I'll never forget seeing Dickram Atamian on TV, playing the Raphling version for solo piano. By the end of a movement, he'd move his head to get his hair back, and there'd be a spray of water from it. After a short pause, we'd resume, and he'd be neat and dry again. I'd like to have seen what he went through between sections.

Not that effort alone is enough -- if it was, Larry Coryell's guitar version would be listenable. He tries hard enough, but that's all he does.

Then again, I also enjoy the pianola version that Stravinsky supervised. It does one or two things that are maybe humanly impossible. What I'd really enjoy would be a pianola version using the techniques of Conlon Nancarrow.