Rite Of Spring By Igor Stravinsky example essay topic

Igor Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring (Le Sacre du Printemps), Part II, excerpts Introduction The piece discussed in this paper is The Rite of Spring (Le Sacre du Printemps) by Igor Stravinsky. It is music written for ballet, which is sometimes performed in concert by an orchestra. It was first performed at the Theatre Des Champs-Elysees in Paris on May 29, 1913. The outrageous costumes, unusual choreography and bizarre story of Russian pagan sacrifice as well as the piece's musical innovations that tested the patience of the audience to the fullest, made its premier scandalous. The impact on music ever since has been tremendous. The choreography that contributed to the infamous premier was created by Vaclav Nijinsky.

The excerpts addressed in this paper include three scenes from Part II: Glorification of the Chosen One, Evocation of the Ancestors, and Ritual Action of the Ancestors. In the Rite of Spring, the composer declares a modernist style combining folk melodies from Russia, combinations of sound never heard before and hard-driving complex rhythms. One cannot miss the huge orchestral forces, contrasts in volume and polyrhythms that give this work its individuality among ballet music. However, most people will have met the Rite of Spring through Walt Disney's Fantasia, a 1941 animated movie showing imaginative illustrations to classical music. The Rite of Spring is the fourth piece to be played, illustrated by a "a pageant, as the story of the growth of life on Earth" according to the narrator. The sequence shows the beginning of simple life forms, evolution up to the dinosaurs, and their eventual destruction.

This paper focuses on the timing of this work by paying special attention to rhythm (the combination of longer and shorter durations), meter (the creation of regular groups by placing an accent or stress on a pattern of beats), and tempo (speed). Discussion of Musical Elements Rhythm, meter, and tempo In "The Rite of Spring", Stravinsky's composition contains three parts: "Glorification of the Chosen One, Evocation of the Ancestors, and Ritual Action of the Ancestors". In the first portion it begins loudly, moderato, in duple meter. The second part is softer, adagio, in duple meter. The last part is loud again, moderato, in duple meter. It begins violently with orchestral focus on percussion, woodwinds, and brass then proceeds into a blast of timpani then fades into a quiet, march-like theme.

It has a complex rhythmic palette, shifting accents, changing rhythms and polyrhythms. Stravinsky had a lifelong exploration of rhythm. He explored its energy, complexity and drive. This is evident in "The Rite of Spring". It is full of all three of these things, thus making it a great challenge to break the piece down and grasp a good understanding of it.

This piece could be considered to be slightly difficult depending on the level of music appreciation you are capable of. Having to read Stravinsky's piece for rhythm, tempo, and meter is an exciting challenge. Form Summary and Conclusions In this paper, we have focused on the timing of this infamous work. Stravinsky's music is harmonically adventurous, with an emphasis on dissonance used for its own sake.

Rhythmically, it is similarly harsh, with a number of sections having constantly changing time signatures and unpredictable off-beat accents. Stravinsky employed many ideas such as atonality, rhythmic ambiguity, and freedom of form. The riot that ensued on opening night was nevertheless an indication of the great impact the work was to have on society.