Stravinsky Context Flashcards
Explain Stravinsky’s connection to Diaghilev.
After the great Russian ballet impresario Diaghilev had heard some early pieces by Stravinsky in St Petersburg, he invited the young composer to write a piece for his Ballets Russes company who were then about to perform in Paris.
What were the 3 main ballets that Stravinsky wrote music for in the early 1910s?
‘Firebird’ was the first ballet, which brought Stravinsky instant success (1910). In 1911 with a larger orchestra still, he wrote ‘Petrushka’ and then in 1913 Rite of Spring was performed.
What was the initial reception of ‘Rite of Spring’?
The piece caused a scandal, partly because the audience found the music too dissonant and violent and partly because they were offended by Nijinsky’s choreography. People were protesting before the curtain had even raised. Najinsky had to shout cues to the dancers, because of the row from the audience! The audience were shouting ‘Ta gueule’, meaning ‘shut up’!!!
Why is ‘Rite of Spring’ seen as so important in the history of Western Classical music?
Together with ‘Pierrot Lunaire’ by Schoenberg, it can be described as the starting point of twentieth-century music. I.e. the beginning of the end of the romantic style.
What aspects of earlier music (Stravinsky’s own and Romanticism) does the ‘Rite of Spring’ possess?
The Rite derived many of its orchestration devices and some other compositional elements from the two earlier ballets (Firebird & Petrushka) and in turn from Stravinsky’s’ teacher Rimsky-Korsakov (Russian from teh Romantic Period).
How is the ‘Rite of Spring’ performed today?
The music rapidly became popular as an orchestral piece and it has become one of the most important works in the orchestral repertoire. It was thought that it couldn’t work as a ballet. But it is still sometimes set to ballet to magnificent effect.
What does the story of the ballet concern?
It is centred on Pagan (ancient religious ideas, not standard ones like Christianity and Islam,)rituals and ancient Slavic (central and Eastern Europe, including Ukraine and Russia) tribes. The ballet evokes the return of the season of Spring. A girl is sacrificed by dancing herself to death.
When and where was the ‘Rite’ first premiered (performed).
Theatre Champs-Elysees Paris 1913.
Who choreographed the first performance and why was it sensational?
Nijinsky - a famous ballet dancer of the time. he included non-classical techniques, such as walking, stamping and heavy jumps!
Who conducted the first performance?
Pierre Monteux
How did the reception of the piece change just 1 year later, performed without ballet?
A standing ovation!
Which parts of the ‘Rite of Spring’ do you need to study?
You have to learn features from the following sections: ‘Introduction’; ‘Augurs of Spring’; ‘Ritual of Abduction’.
