Transcript Igor Stravinsky June 17, 1882- April 6, 1971

Igor Stravinsky
June 17, 1882- April 6, 1971
•Raised in St. Petersburg
•Father was an operatic bass
•Studied piano and composition as a child
•Parents expect him to become a lawyer
•1905- Lessons with Rimsky-Korsakov
•Also, married cousin this year (Katerina)
–Two children
Igor Stravinsky
June 17, 1882- April 6, 1971
• 1909- Working relationship with Serge Diaghilev
– Commissioned arrangements for Ballet Russe
– After success, new ballets commissioned:
• Firebird (1910)
• Petrushka (1911)
• Rite of Spring (1913)
• 1910-Traveled for Firebird premier and relocated to
Switzerland, and then Paris
– At this time, wife sick with tuberculosis
– Effected Stravinsky and daughter as well
Igor Stravinsky
June 17, 1882- April 6, 1971
• 1930’s- Living in Paris
– Katerina, Ludmilla (daughter) passed
– Sick
• 1939- Marriage to mistress Vera de Bosset
(since 1921)
• Moved to United States after onset of WW2
– Naturalized citizen 1946
• Settled in Los Angeles area
– Relationship with other artistic refugees
– Relationship with Robert Craft
Igor Stravinsky
June 17, 1882- April 6, 1971
•Died New York City, 1882
•Star of the Walk of Fame
•Posthumous Grammy for Lifetime Achievement
•Collaborated with Picasso, Cocteau, Balanchine
•Rumored affair with Coco Chanel.
•Three Stylistic Periods:
•The Russian Period
•The Neo-Classical Period
•The Serial Period
Firebird
• 1910 ballet composed for Ballet Russe
– First original score for Ballet Russe
• Choreographed by Michel Fokine
• Story
• Ballet score different from concert
“Suites” which are most often performed
• Established Stravinsky as a famous
composer
Rite of Spring
• Premiered May 29, 1913 at the Théâtre des ChampsÉlysées, Paris.
• Choreography by Vaslav Nijinski
– Stravinsky and Nijinski did not work well
• Depicts Pagan Russia’s selection of the girl whom
they will sacrifice to
the God of Spring, and the
praising of said God. (Act 1)
• The sacrifice dances herself
to death before the eyes of the
rest of the Pagan community.
Rite of Spring
• Dancing
– Sharp bodily bends
– Focus on pelvis
– Body curved inward, and down
– Heavy steps
• Many unorthodox treatment of musical
elements:
– Instrumental range
– Harmony
– Rhythm
Rite of Spring
• Content, dancing, and music, all focusing on
the grotesque, combined with a heightened
political atmosphere and focus on scandale:
– Rioting!
– Booing from initial bassoon solo (‘misuse’) growing
with added complication of harmony
– Arguments between supporters and objectors
resulted in fistfights
– Police had arrived by intermission