Idea Transcript
Nationalism, Primitivism,
& Neoclassicism"
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)! Biographical sketch:!
§ Born in St. Petersburg, Russia.! § Studied composition with Mighty Russian Five composer Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov.! § Emigrated to Switzerland (1910) and France (1920) before settling in the United States during WW II (1939). ! § Along with Arnold Schönberg, generally considered the most important composer of the first half or the 20th century.! § Works generally divided into three style periods:! • Russian Period (c.1907-1918), including primitivist works! • Neoclassical Period (c.1922-1952)! • Serialist Period (c.1952-1971)!
§ Died in New York City in 1971.! Pablo Picasso: Portrait of Igor Stravinsky (1920)!
Ballets Russes" History:!
§ Founded in 1909 by impresario Serge Diaghilev.!
§ The original company was active until Diaghilev s death in 1929.!
§ In addition to choreographing works by established composers (Tschaikowsky, RimskyKorsakov, Borodin, Schumann), commissioned important new works by Debussy, Satie, Ravel, Prokofiev, Poulenc, and Stravinsky.!
§ Stravinsky composed three of his most famous and important works for the Ballets Russes: L Oiseau de Feu (Firebird, 1910), Petrouchka (1911), and Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring, 1913).!
§ Flamboyant dancer/choreographer Vaclav
Serge Diaghilev (1872-1929) !
Nijinsky was an important collaborator during the early years of the troupe.! !
Ballets Russes"
Serge Diaghilev and Igor Stravinsky.!
Stravinsky with Vaclav Nijinsky as Petrouchka (Paris, 1911).!
Ballets Russes" Petrouchka—Synopsis:!
§ Originally conceived as a Konzertstück for piano and orchestra; Diaghilev convinced Stravinsky to recast the work as a ballet.!
§ Set in 19th century Russia.! § Primary characters include The Magician and three puppets: Petrouchka, The Ballerina, and The Blackmoor.!
§ Presented in four tableau:! • Outer tableau set at The Shrovetide Fair, and feature many varied characters.! • Inner tableau set in Petrouchka s room and the Blackmoor s room.!
VIDEO!
Stravinsky with Vaclav Nijinsky as Petrouchka (Paris, 1911).!
16th-century Italian Commedia dell arte characters—e.g., Harlequin, Pulcinella (Punch, Petrouchka), Pedrolino (Pierrot)— were popular in early 20th-century art, literature, and music.!
Pablo Picasso: Harlequin Sitting on a Red Couch (1905)! Pablo Picasso: Leaning Harlequin (1901)!
Primitivism" Although elements of primitivism ( exoticism ) may be traced back to JeanJacques Rousseau s noble savage of the 18th century Enlightenment period, there was a resurgence of interest at the beginning of the 20th century.! Characteristics:!
§ Exploration of cultural concerns from outside of the European tradition: e.g., overt sexuality, violence.!
§ Non-western elements often applied in a simplistic or superficial way.! § Crudeness and rawness of materials.! § Abstraction of the figure in visual arts.! § Emphasis on rhythm and percussive elements in music.! § Representative artists include Paul Gauguin, Henri Rousseau, and Pablo Picasso.! § Representative composers include Igor Stravinsky and Béla Bartók.!
Primitivism"
Henri Rousseau: The Dream (1910)!
Paul Gauguin: Two Tahitian Women (1899)!
Primitivism" Pablo Picasso:
Les Demoiselles d Avignon
(1907)!
African masks!
Igor Stravinsky:
Le Sacre du Printemps (1913)! Sacrificial Dance! (The Chosen One) !
Note percussive use of strings, halting rhythms, and irregular meters. !
Ballets Russes" Costume and stage designs from Ballets Russes production of Stravinsky s Le Sacre du Printemps (1913)!
Le Sacre du Printemps: Caricature of Stravinsky by Jean Cocteau (1913) !
From Abstraction to Neoclassicism" Pablo Picasso:
Woman in Armchair (1913)! Pablo Picasso:
Woman and Child (1921)!
Neoclassicism"
Members of Les Six , standing: Darius Milhaud, Georges Auric, Arthur Honegger, Germaine Tailleferre, Francis Poulenc, Louis Durey; seated at piano: Jean Cocteau.! Erik Satie (1866-1925)!
Polytonality"
Tonal Concepts" n Tonality! n Key! n Modulation! n Consonance! n Dissonance! n Diatonicism! n Chromaticism! n Pandiatonicism! n Polytonality!
Darius Milhaud: Saudades do Brasil (1921-22)— Botofogo ! A
RH: F# minor"
LH: F minor"
(convergence)"
Darius Milhaud: Saudades do Brasil (1921-22)— Botofogo ! (convergence)"
B RH: Quintal arpeggiation"
LH: A minor"
Darius Milhaud: Saudades do Brasil (1921-22)— Botofogo ! A
(convergence)"
Béla Bartók: 44 Violin Duos, No. 33— Song of the Harvest ! A minor"
A
D# minor"
B
D minor" G# minor"
A"
F minor"
B minor"
B"
E minor"
A minor"
A" E minor"
Igor Stravinsky: Petrouchka Chord! Derivation from octatonic scale:! C major triad"
F# major triad"
Pitches may be rearranged and spelled enharmonically as a dominant minor ninth with an augmented eleventh:!
Igor Stravinsky: Petrouchka Chord!
Reduction of p. 60 from 1911 version of Petrouchka:! C major"
F# major"
F# major + C major "
Igor Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps (1913)— Augurs of Spring ! a. mm. 1-4 after No. 13:!
E dominant 7"
F major"
Igor Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps (1913)— Augurs of Spring ! b. mm. 1-4 after No. 14:! E dominant 7"
E minor"
C major"
E major"
C major"
Igor Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps (1913)— Augurs of Spring ! c. mm. 1-4 after No. 16:! E dominant 7"
C major"
Quintal arpeggiation"