Stravinsky Russian Period Analysis

Discuss the innovations in the music of Stravinsky’s ‘Russian Period’ with specific reference to The Rite of Spring and at least one other work. Igor Stravinsky, born in Russia 1882, is widely know as one of the most influential composer of the 20th century. Most notably, his composition The Rite of Spring is considered to be where his innovations in music come into perspective. I will discuss these innovations in detail using The Rite of Spring(The Rite) as a main reference and comparing it to some of his other works. Stravinsky’s compositions can be divided into three periods during his life; Russian Period, Neo-classicism and Post-war/Serialism. The Rite was composed during the Russian Period and it is here that we start so see a change in compositions throughout Europe as it set in motion towards Serialism. Rhythm, folk melodies, harmonies and form are all central points, it was through his innovative use of rhythms that Stravinsky came to be recognised by Sergi Diaghilev. The founder of Ballet Russes, Diaghilev discovered Stravinsky in Russia and invited him to compose for his ballets. It was here that Stravinsky developed his own style, which we see looming by his irregular rhythms in Firebird and Petrushka. Petrushka composed in 1911, is based on a story of

Stravinsky only used short motifs or excerpts from melodies rather than a complete phrase - this became much more apparent in his compositional style from The Rite onwards. While composers previously had attempted to extract motifs to some degree, none had taken it to this extent. More often there would be a section dedicated to the folk tune rather than Stravinsky’s two-three measure motif which he repeats as an ‘ostinato’. As many of the rhythms on folk music would be quite dancelike, Stravinsky almost ‘denounces’ western rhythms which becomes a common concept in