Stravinsky

Question 1

Context of Stravinsky

Answer 1

• 1882-1971, one of the leading Russian composers of the 20th century, was born in St Petersburg
• He studied with Rimsky-Korsakov (1884-1908), the leading Russian nationalist composer of the time
• While training with him, Stravinsky composed a number of orchestral works:

1. Symphony in Eb
2. Scherzo fantastique
3. Feu d’artifice

He attracted the attention of the celebrated impresario, Sergei Diaghilev, who commissioned a series of ballet scores:

1. The Firebird
2. Petrouchka
3. The Rite of Spring (1913)

• Stravinsky’s early works are fine examples of the Russian nationalistic style, drawing heavily on folk song and revealing influences from composers such as Borodin, Mussorgsky and Rimsky-Korsakov

In very general terms, the Russian national style differs from that of German composers of the time in a tendency to use:

• Varied repetition rather than motivic development
• Structures composed of contrasting blocks of sound
• Changing backgrounds (harmonic and orchestral)
• Vivid colouristic effects in general