STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (LAM 91)
This page was last edited on 16/01/06
Topics To Research
- Stravinsky - works and style
- Diaghilev and the Russian Ballet
- The importance and influence of "The Rite"
- Primitivism, Neoclassicism
- Importance of folk influenced styles in the 20th century
- Cross rhythm, Polyrhythm
- Polytonality, Bitonality
- 20th century orchestration
Bibliography
- Grout - pp.662-664, 691-701.
- CMG - pp.438-448.
- Exploring 20th Centiry Music - Otto Deri
Questions
1. Define and precisely illustrate the following:-
- Ostinato
- Bitonality
- Ritornello
- Syncopation
- Heterophony
- False relation
- A superimposed chord
2. Give the meaning of the following:-
- Tempo giusto
- arco (non div.)
- sempre stacc.
- senza sord.
- come sopra
- Flttzg.
- The signs over the chords in bar 76
3. Describe the chord in bar 76 in as much detail as you can. How is the music in bars 84-87 related to this chord?
4. What is "primitivism"? Why was this extract so disturbing to audiences in 1913?
5. In what ways does this extract illustrate Stravinsky's destruction of "the tyranny of the bar line"? [Hint: this is a question about rhythm and metre]
A brief summary of the music
Rhythm
Note the importance and the novelty
Stravinsky is free from the " tyranny of the bar line".
Explosive, elemental, primitive.
Unexpected, unpredictable.
Displaced accents.
Rhythmic ostinati.
Superimposing different rhythmic patterns.
Cross rhythms - 3/2.
Rhythmic diminution of ideas.
Some sounds mechanical - unfeeling.
Complexity.
Polyrhythms.
Additive construction.
Repetition of, leads to continuous pulse, leads to sense of inevitability, leads to momentum.
Melody
Unmelodic.
Fragmented.
Repetitive.
Ostinati.
Built around harmonic patterns.
Arabesque, arpeggio figures - patterned.
Chromatic fragments.
Angularity.
Octave displacement.
Folk song influence.
Germinal ideas.
Harmony
Superimposed diatonic chords.
Bitonality.
Pedal
Harmonically static.
Juxtaposition of unrelated chord complexes.
Major/minor effects.
Chords built of other intervals than 3rds - 4ths + 5ths.
Harmony used to create barbaric effect - sounds basic.
Free treatment of dissonance.
High level of dissonance.
Consecutive 5ths - parallelisms.
Influence of modality?
Texture
Thick.
Homophonic.
Polyphonic combination of melodic fragments.
Abrupt changes of.
Growing in complexity.
Timbre
Massive orchestra.
Unusual effects.
Down bow strings.
Divisi.
8 horns.
Low cor anglais.
Novel groupings.
Shrill use of woodwind.
Importance of wind instruments.
Muted trumpet.
Oboe pedal.
Bassoon trill.
Tremolando viola - thick sound.
Heavy brass.
Number or flutes.
Antiphony between sections.
Creates novel effects.
Percussive use of the orchestra.
Brilliance.
Harsh orchestral sonority.
Individual instrumental timbres stand out (a non-blended sound).
Form
Episodic.
Ritornello effect.
Motivic juggling - modification.
Mosaic effect.
Repetition.
Other
Anti-Romantic.
Anti-expressive.
Rhythm of unprecedented drive.
A singularly influential work.