Composition - The Rite of Spring - p. 120-124

Question 1

What is the definition of choreography?

Answer 1

Choreography is the art of designing the dance steps and movements in a ballet (or musical).

Question 2

What is the title of the section this music excerpt is from?

Does this have a modal or tonal melody?

What instruments play the short melody?

Answer 2

This is Dance of the Adolescents and the excerpt has a modal melody.

This is a modal melody.

The French horn play the melody.

Question 3

What is the name of this music excerpt?

What is the story for this excerpt?

Describe the orchestration.

Answer 3

The music excerpt is the Game of the Abduction.

The young men control the women.

The orchestration has string pizzicato and staccato.

Question 4

What is the definition of primitiveism?

Answer 4

Primitivism is an effect created mostly through rhythm. It has strong accents, syncopation, polyrhythms and an orchestra has a large percussion section.

Question 5

What is the title of part I of The Rite of Spring?

What are the titles of the three selections from part I that we studied?

Answer 5

Part I is called the Adoration of the Earth.

The three selections are: Introduction, Dance of the Adolescents and game of Abduction.

Question 6

Name a type of dance that tells a story, first developed in the 17th century and became extremely popular in the 19th century Russian court.

Answer 6

Ballet

Question 7

What is polyrhythm?

Answer 7

The simultaneous use of two or more conflicting rhythms.

Question 8

Name one innovative orchestrations (less common choice of instruments or unusual ways of playing an instrument) in the Dance of the Adolescents.

Answer 8

Innovative orchestration in The Dance of the Adolescents includes emphasizing bassoons and contrabassoon (less common instrument) and percussive string techniques such as col legno technique.

Question 9

How is primitivism created in the introduction?

Answer 9

Primitivism is created using different rhythmic techniques, including changing meters and polyrhythms.

Question 10

What is changing meter?

Answer 10

Changing meter means shift of metrical groupings and it is shown through changes of time signatures

Question 11

Answer the following question for the music excerpt.
- Name of complete work
- Genre of the complete work
- Composer
- What is the title of this excerpt?

Answer 11

• Name of complete work - The Rite of Spring
• Genre of the complete work - ballet
• Composer - Stravinsky
• What is the title of this excerpt? Dance of the Adolescents

Question 12

What is the title of the section this music excerpt is from?

What wind instruments play the melodic fragments?

What instruments are in the background, playing a strong syncopated music?

Answer 12

The music excerpt is part of Dance of the Adolescents.

Bassoons and contrabassoons play the melodic parts.

Strings play a strong syncopated background.

Question 13

What is the title of the section this music excerpt is from?

Describe the dancers dancing to the music excerpt.

How is primitivism created in the Dance of the Adolescents?

Answer 13

This is the Dance of the Adolescents. The dancers are divided into groups of young men and women. They stomp their feet and move their arms wildly.

The primitivism created in the Dance of the Adolescents with a strong, pounding rhythm.

Question 14

What was Vaslav Nijinsky?

Answer 14

He was the choreographer for the Rite of Spring

Question 15

What is the effect created mostly through rhythm? It has strong accents, syncopation, polyrhythms and an orchestra has a large percussion section.

Answer 15

Primitivism

Question 16

Who was the choreographer for The Rite of Spring?

Answer 16

Vaslav Nijinsky

Question 17

What is the title of the section this music excerpt is from?

Which family group play the music excerpt?

Answer 17

The music excerpt is the Game of the Abduction.

The woodwinds and brass play the excerpt. The music excerpt is bold and fan-like.

Question 18

What is the definition of ballet?

Answer 18

Ballet is a type of dance that tells a story. It was first developed in the 17th century and became extremely popular in the 19th century Russian court.

Question 19

What is the word for the art of designing dance steps and movements in a ballet (or musical)?

Answer 19

Choreography

Question 20

Answer the following question for the music excerpt.
- Name of complete work
- what is the solo instrument?

Answer 20

• Name of complete work - The Rite of Spring
• G
• what is the solo instrument? bassoon

Question 21

Who hired Stravinsky to write the Rite of Spring?

Answer 21

Diaghilev hired Stravinsky to write music for Ballet Russes, including The Rite of Spring.

Question 22

What is the summary of the entire work?

Answer 22

The music is set in pagan Russia. The ballet describes the tribal games and rituals took place to ensure the fertility of the earth. The end of the ballet the Sacrificial Dance in which a chosen girl dances herself to death.

Question 23

What is the term that means shifting of metrical grouping by changing the time signatures?

Answer 23

Changing meter

Question 24

What is the term for the simultaneous use of two or more conflicting rhythms?

Answer 24

polyrhythm

Question 25

Who was Sergei Diaghilev?

Answer 25

Diaghilev was a famous ballet impresario (a person who organizes and finances art and music events). He hired Stravinsky to write music for Ballet Russes, including The Rite of Spring.

Question 26

Answer the following question for the music excerpt.
- Name of complete work
- Genre of the complete work
- Composer
- what is the solo instrument?
- Who is the choreographer?
- What is the structure of the entire work?
- What part of the structure does the solo belong to?

Answer 26

• Name of complete work - The Rite of Spring
• Genre of the complete work - ballet
• Composer - Stravinsky
• what is the solo instrument? bassoon
• Who is the choreographer? Nijinsky
• What is the structure of the entire work? Two parts (part 1 - Adoration of the Earthy and Part 2 - the Sacrifice)
• What part of the structure does the solo belong to? The bassoon solo is part of the Introduction.