Stravinsky's Firebird: Music, Myth, and Movement

Introduction to The Firebird

The story of The Firebird derives from an old Russian myth about a prince who finds a princess and confronts ancient mythological creatures to rescue her. Both survive with the help of the Firebird and ultimately find happiness. Igor Stravinsky scored his music for a very large orchestra, though today it is sometimes performed by a smaller one. In 1919 he rewrote the score to reduce the number of required instruments to those of a normal symphony orchestra, so that more ensembles would be able to perform it (Shoemaker, 18). Many people are familiar with the Firebird Suite, which is most often performed, since it does not require the large orchestra (Sherrane, 114). In the Suite, the brass, percussion, and woodwinds are used more sparingly, as they are less prominent. In the original 1910 version, scored for a large orchestra, these sections provide counterpoints and additional layers of sound (Stravinsky, 176).

The Introduction is slow and ominous — whether played by a full orchestra or in a piano arrangement, it foretells a dark and dangerous tale.

The Tableau, the second movement of the Suite, depends upon a highly rhythmical forward motion. The rich texture of the orchestra allows the listener to sense the complex structure of the music, in which harps and the celesta hint at a mystical landscape filled with exotic gardens and strange birds.

The tragic story begins as Prince Ivan is seen rapidly pursuing the flitting Firebird through the garden of Kastchei, an evil sorcerer. In the musical score, human characters are represented by "natural," or diatonic, scales, while mythological characters are represented by chromatic scales that emphasize the flattened fifth scale degree.

In this fiery movement, the instruments duel and scurry through the score, with percussion nearly dominating the texture. The Firebird dances through flitting and fluttering arpeggios and high notes played in the upper register, while the lower ranges provide percussion at counterpoint.

Movement-by-Movement Analysis

This section provides the climax of the chase, culminating in the capture of the Firebird by Prince Ivan. When he catches it, the Firebird — represented by fluttering arpeggios — offers Ivan, represented by lower and more "natural" tones, one of its shining golden feathers, along with a pledge to protect him if he will only let it go. Having little choice, Ivan agrees. This proves fortunate: later, together, the Firebird and Prince Ivan overcome evil demons and even Kastchei himself. Other characters in the ballet include a six-armed sorcerer, an ogre, a group of captive princesses, and a huge egg.

Set in a lower register, this section is sad and pleading — one can almost hear the Firebird weeping.

This is a revelation movement: the music, slow at first, gradually "reveals" the fragile and delicate thirteen princesses held captive by the cruel Kastchei.

In this section, Prince Ivan observes the princesses playing a game with the golden apples from the garden tree. The music is rapid and light, evoking the laughter and movement of the princesses as they run about.

Prince Ivan appears suddenly before the princesses. In this section, one can sense the princesses trembling while a hesitant happiness begins to break in upon them.

This movement is based on a popular Russian folk song that Stravinsky admired and incorporated into the Suite. To his dismay, the song was under copyright, and he was required to share the royalties with the Russian composer who held the rights every time the work was performed.

One can almost hear the sun rising and Prince Ivan tiptoeing into the Palace during this section. The music employs trills and arpeggios in the middle to upper registers to create a sense of cautious anticipation.

The lower registers nearly overpower the listener as the horrifying approach of the monsters draws near and Prince Ivan senses that capture is imminent. The upper registers depict the racing of the heart, while the lower ranges convey the threats that close in on the hapless Prince.

The horrible Kastchei appears, heralded by loud crashing percussion, followed by low, rhythmical, somber beats. Arpeggios and trills trade back and forth as the dialogue between the two characters progresses and then escalates into argument.

The Firebird flies in, typified by high and rapid notes, before shifting into sweet, singing phrases that convey its pleading intercession on behalf of Prince Ivan.

Enchanted by the Firebird, all of Kastchei's subjects begin to dance and respond to its fiery brilliance, depicted in the score through trills and arpeggios.

One can hear the stomping and labored breathing of the subjects as they dance faster and faster under the Firebird's spell. The music grows increasingly rapid and intense, interrupted by loud percussion and phrases of mounting menace.

This section is slow and rhythmical, lulling the listener as if drifting on a gentle tide out to sea. The sweet melody is a genuinely beautiful lullaby — calming and peaceful.

As Kastchei dies, the music portrays him sinking, then rousing in fear, then sinking again into death.

This section begins slowly, as trills herald the awakening of the petrified knights and the return of life to the kingdom as the Palace and its monstrous inhabitants dissolve. The repeated melody grows and grows — louder and louder — until it reaches a triumphant conclusion (Last, 2008).