Chapter 20:The Twentieth Century: Early Modernism

Stravinsky: The Primacy of Rhythm

Key Terms

Ballet

Fauve

Ostinato

Stravinsky: The Primacy of Rhythm

Stravinsky began as Russian nationalist• Influenced by his mentor, kuchka member

Rimsky-Korsakov

Three famous early ballets for Paris•Steady progress from nationalism to a

powerful, hard-edged avant-garde style•More & more abstract use of folk material•The Firebird – beautifully colored folk music•Petrushka – hard, satirical portrait of carnival

barker & his puppets with folk & pop tunes•Rite of Spring – pagan rites brutally depicted

Igor Stravinsky(1882-1971)

Influence of mentor Rimsky-Korsakov

First success with Ballets Russes in Paris•The Firebird, Petrushka, & Rite of Spring•Wrote many ballets – Pulcinella, Agon, etc.

Leading Neoclassical composer after 1920•Symphony of Psalms, Rake’s Progress, etc.

Moved to Los Angeles in the 1930s•Assisted by Robert Craft from 1950s to death

Remarkable group of late 12-tone works!•Requiem Canticles, Threni, etc.

Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring

Used a deliberately barbaric style•To depict primitive rites & ritual sacrifice•Crude use of folk-tune fragments•“Unemotional,” grindingly dissonant music•Draws remarkable colors from huge orchestra

Rhythm is the lifeblood of this work•Visceral, unpredictable rhythms

First performance caused a riot•Provocative, non-balletic choreography•Violent, brutal, dissonant sounds

The Rite of SpringIntroduction

“Fanfare” for bassoon in very high range•Extreme registers exploited for new tone colors

Many short melodic fragments•Fanfares for oboe, piccolo & bass clarinet•Frequently repeated, but never the same twice•Piled on top of each other to create dissonant

climax of activity

Bassoon “fanfare” returns at the end

The Rite of SpringDance of the Adolescents (1)

Dancers entered with accented chords•32 repetitions of dissonant chord with heavy,

irregular accents played by 8 French horns•1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 …•Chords alternate with 4-note ostinato

The Rite of SpringDance of the Adolescents (2)

Folk song motives are laid over rhythm•Motives repeat, & new ones pile on top of old•Different length & rhythm for each repetition –

an irregular ostinato•Creates climax by piling more & more motives,

ostinatos, & rhythms on top of each other

The Rite of SpringThe Game of Abduction

Brutal, violent rhythms here•Asymmetric, with frequently changing meter•LOUD – heavy brass, sliding horn calls, &

frantic pounding on the timpani•Alternation between scurrying figures & heavy

booming ones

The Rite of SpringRound Dances of Spring (1)

Desolate, empty feeling in introduction•Piccolo clarinet & alto flute two octaves apart

Slow, dragging dance follows•Hypnotic meter created by heavy downbeat &

added or skipped beats•Uses folk tune fragment from earlier section

The Rite of SpringRound Dances of Spring (2)

Relentless buildup to overpowering climax•Trombone glissandos with gong, cymbals, &

bass drum•Sudden, fast coda with violent interjections•Brief return of p bassoon fanfare

Conclusions

New language based on rhythm•Exhilarating, irregular rhythms & meter•Complex textures pile up rhythms & motives

Strong reaction against Romanticism•Tough, precise, barbaric music with no

Romantic sentiment or emotionalism•Melody reduced to motives & fragments•Frequent dissonance as motives pile up•Tonality anchored by ostinato & pedal tones,

not by diatonic scales

Extraordinary ear for new colors