Igor Stravinsky Is One of the Greatest

Igor Stravinsky is one of the greatest composers in history. The purpose of this discussion is to provide basic biographical information and important musical contributions of the subject. In addition there will be a reaction to one of his musical works.

Biographical information

Igor Stravinsky was born in 1882 in Oranienbaum, Russia. Stravinsky's father was a bass player with the St. Petersburg Opera house and Stravinsky was exposed to music at an early age. In his autobiography Stravinsky writes that one of his first memories of music was women singing in his village. He recalls hearing them singing in unison as they walked home. Stravinsky also states that he would imitate their voices and was complimented on how accurate an ear he had for music. He writes of this experience,

To this day I clearly remember the tune, and the way they sang it, and how, when I used to sing it at home, imitating their manner, I was complimented on the trueness of my ear. This praise made me very happy...And it is an odd thing that this occurrence, trifling though it seems, has a special significance for me, because it marks the dawn of my consciousness of myself in the role of musician." (Stravinsky 1936)

He began to play the piano at the age of nine and quickly fell in love with the instrument. He admits in his book that he sometimes lacked the discipline required of the piano and enjoyed the art of improvisation instead. Stravinsky was often chastised for improvising, but in the end improvisation aided him in perfecting his craft. Stravinsky also explains that he was able to efficiently read music at an early age and spent much of his time reading his father's opera scores. (Stravinsky 1936)

Stravinsky explains that in his adolescence he was a poor student and despised school. He also explains that he did not have many friends and often felt lonely. He writes that he often felt socially isolated and that he lacked some essential element, which made his company undesirable to his peers. (Stravinsky 1936)

Stravinsky goes on to explain that one of the few places that he felt comfortable was in the company of his uncle, Lelatchitch. The composer explains that his uncle and his cousins were all music lovers and encourage him to compose and practice. Stravinsky explains that this environment exposed him to the exceptional German composers of the day. (Stravinsky 1936)

Although the composer was a poor student, as a young man, Stravinsky studied law at the University of St. Petersburg and eventually met the composer Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov. Korsakov was instrumental in shaping his early musical career of Stravinsky. ("Igor Statrvinsky")

Musical Contributions

One of Stravinsky's first works was Scherzo fantastique in 1908. An article in Encarta explains that many of the composer's first works were scores for ballets. The article asserts,

In 1908 the Russian impresario Sergey Diaghilev, impressed by Stravinsky's orchestral works Scherzo fantastique (1908) and Fireworks (1910), asked the composer to write for his Ballets Russes; thus began an association of many years. His first ballets for Diaghilev, The Firebird (1910) and Petrushka (1911), won immediate success and were greatly admired for their dramatic impact, rich orchestration, and melodies evoking Russian folk song. At the first performance of The Rite of Spring (1913), however, the unconventional choreography and the harsh dissonances and driving, asymmetrical, shifting rhythms of the music prompted a hostile uproar so noisy that the dancers could not hear the orchestra. Later concert performances were well received.("Igor Stravinsky")

In 1914 Stravinsky moved to Switzerland where he composed several musical pieces. These pieces included The Soldier's Tale written in 1918; Rag-time also composed in 1918 and Piano Rag-Music written in 1919. ("Igor Stravinsky") The composer made the move to the city of Paris in 1920. It was there that he composed such works as; Symphonies of Wind Instruments in 1920; the opera Mavra composed in 1922 and the ballet-cantata Les noces. ("Igor Stravinsky")

Stravinsky is also famous for his Neoclassical works which included, Oedipus Rex written in 1927; Persephone composed in 1934; and the ballet Apollo Musagete written in 1928. ("Igor Stravinsky") During his neoclassical period he also composed the Symphony of Psalms in 1930; Circus Polka in 1942; Danses concertantes in 1942; Scenes de ballet composed in 1944. Among his most acclaimed works were the Symphony in Three Movements in 1945; Mass composed in 1948 and the opera The Rake's Progress, which was composed in 1951. ("Igor Stravinsky")

The last time he recorded his music was 1967 as his health was failing. He died in 1971 in New York City and was taken to Venice to be buried. ("Igor Stravinsky") Encarta explains Stravinsky in this manner,

During his lifetime, Stravinsky used many musical styles -- a coloristic, Russian-influenced style, primitivism, jazz, neoclassicism, bitonality (simultaneous use of two keys), atonality, and serialism. To continue in one path, in his words, was "to go backward." Stravinsky's works both reflected and influenced the most important trends of 20th-century music. Their enduring significance stems from all the technical devices, originality, power, and rationality he brought to them." ("Igor Stravinsky")

Reaction to Music