Stravinsky - Melody Flashcards
Where did Stravinsky gain inspiration for some of the melodic material?
Some of the melodies are from Russian and Eastern European folk songs.
Why does he use Russian and Eastern European folk songs for some of the melodic material?
The subject matter of the ballet is set in Eastern Europe/Russia, so folk music from those regions helped to set the scene.
Where does the opening melody of the piece in the bassoon come from?
An anthology of Lithuanian folk songs.
What is an ostinato?
A repeated pattern or short musical idea.
Why is the use of ostinati important in the Rite of Spring?
Ostinati dominate the whole work.
Give an example of a recurring ostinato in the Rite of Spring.
The four-note ostinato idea in the cor anglais at figure 14 occurs at numerous points in the Augurs of Spring.
What is a ‘fragmented’ melody?
A melody broken up into pieces.
What common features do Stravinsky’s melodic material contain?
Repetition, fragmentation, and chromaticism (when the melody moves in semitone steps or contains notes not in the key of the piece).
Give an example of a melodic fragment typical of the piece.
Typical is the solo trumpet fragment at figure 15, which also shows other typical melodic features such as repeated notes and chromaticism.
What does ‘diatonic’ melody mean?
A melody that only contains notes from a specific major/minor scale - i.e. no chromatic notes.
What is noticeable about the solo horn melody at figure 25?
As well as being typically short, it is also surprising in its completely diatonic nature.
What is an acciaccatura ornament?
When a very short note is played before the main note. it is sometimes called a ‘crushed’ note.
Why do you think Stravinsky uses ‘acciaccaturas’?
They create a feeling of folk music - they are used in Russian peasant songs and the like.
Give an example of Stravinsky using an acciaccatura.
In the opening bassoon melody of the introduction section.
What are grace notes?
On a score these are printed in miniature. They are played quickly, before the main note. There may be 2, 3 or 4, prior to the main note!
