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Author
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971: Russian)
- father was the leading bass singer at the (Russian) Imperial Opera
- parents wanted him to study law, pursued musical studies on the side at University of St. Petersburg
- received his first major commission in 1910
- became an American citizen in 1945
- considered the most celebrated figure in twentieth century music
- Wikipedia Article
About the Piece
(much of the description comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)
- Genre is ballet, though it is often performed as a concert piece for orchestra
- harsh, percussive chords set rhythm that doesn't quite fit into any clear time signature (since accents are in weird places)
- melody smooths out a very little bit before tensing up again
- strange time signatures throughout, including 9/8 and 7/8
- uses strings for percussive effect, brass and woodwinds to eek out a melody of sorts
- this particular selection gains speed throughout
- more irregular accents and trills end the movement
Purpose
- entertainment
- perhaps he wanted to make a statement?
- perhaps he felt this was the next step in progression?
- perhaps he wanted to honor old Russian traditions?
- no one really knows what exactly Stravinsky was thinking
Reflections
I actually really like what Stravinsky is doing here. The huge, awkward sounding chords and strange folk melodies with weird time signatures keeps me on the edge of my seat wondering what will come next. The strange time signatures (9/8?!?) also contribute to the sound of foreignness of the piece. Overall quite enjoyable.