Basic+Overview+of+Igor+Stravinsky+and+his+Music

Basic Overview of Igor Stravinsky and his Music Igor Stravinsky was a Russian composer, conductor and pianist known for his stylistic diversity. Stravinsky composed many opera, ballet and orchestral pieces and is widely considered one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. The one genre Igor Stravinsky truly expressed himself was in Ballet.

Some of Igor Stravinsky’s most well known pieces include Rite of Spring, Berceuse, Finale, Tango, Sacrificial dance and Russian dance. Even today his rhythmic and harmonic innovations emerge in the works of composers music in a variety of styles. Some say the only consistency in most of his compositions is the stylistic inconsistency. Stravinsky changed his compositional technique and style multiple times over his career.

Stravinsky's major musical influences during his earlier years were the two great Russian composers Mussorgsky (1839-1881) and Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908), as well as cosmopolitan Glazunov (1865-1936).

Stravinsky made many technical innovations throughout his career, particularly with rhythm and harmony.

Stravinsky often used motivic development which is the use of musical figures that are repeated in different forms. He developed this further by adding and subtracting notes from this motif despite how they affect the timing. A similar technique to this is often seen in early sixteenth century music, with works of Cipriano de Rore or Carlo Geusaldo as examples.

One of his most famous pieces, ‘Rite of Spring’ is known for its extensive use of ostinatos particularly by the strings and horns. In certain passages the separate ostinatos clash and create a distinctive rhythm.

It was innovations like these created Stravinsky's iconic style.