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Give a description of Stravinsky’s very personal use of Schoenberg’s 12-note method, examining what the continuities are (if any) between his 12-note works and his earlier works. (Part 3)
In 1959 Stravinsky composed Movements for Piano and Orchestra , which is a unique combination of dodecaphony and medieval isorhythmic techniques. Highly organised serialism is not so noticeable because of the changes of meter and polyrhythmic combinations. In this piece, Stravinsky gives the leading role for piano that links five movements full of changes of instrumentation with four interludes for an orchestra alone. Moreover, it is a first composition in which he used twelve-tone row, but it is presented in its complete form only few times. It usually breaks up into smaller groups (tetrachords and groups consisted of four notes) and slightly changes the order. One year later Stravinsky wrote Monumentum pro Gesualdo di Venosa in the 400-anniversary of the birth of one of the most individual and the most original musicians that was born for my art. Stravinsky only orchestrated and partially recomposed three of Gesualdo’s madrigals but we can notice his personal dodecaphonic involvement by adding passing notes, variations and repeats. In 1962 year Columbia Broadcasting stations broadcasted Stravinsky’s first song written specifically for television. Although the contract was for the piece Noah and the flood, Stravinsky called it simply The Flood.
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Igor Stravinsky spent all his life constantly surprising everyone with his innovative and original compositions. He was a very individual artist that was looking for his own artistic way without dissociating from the old tradition. Because of the wealth of stylistic evolution and references in Igor Stravinsky’s music, it is difficult to distinguish the characteristics of his style. However the individual sound of his music is clearly noticeable. His music is characterised by a form-shaping role of metrorythmic (traction, asymmetry of rhythm, polyrhythm), anti-romance (even in the works referring to music of the Nineteenth century), stiffness, allusion, emotional discretion, expressive melodic and rhythmical contours and attention to details. In his compositions we can also notice a dominance of short melodic motifs representing a reaction to Unendliche Melodie by Richard Wagner, influence of Slavic folklore, masterful instrumentation and opposition to the Neo-Romantic tradition.
Dodecaphonic technique did not affect the aesthetics and style of Stravinsky’s compositions. Although he was inspired by Schoenberg, Webern and their compositional achievements, he still remained innovative and did not lose the characteristic expression of his works. He still used stylizations and the rhythm remained in the foreground. Stravinsky broadened and adapted the usage of 12-note method by e.g. serial forms (prime, retrograde, inversion, retrograde-inversion). Moreover Stravinsky remains loyal to his previous achievements and the continuity is visible in his previous compositions e.g. Symphony of Wind Instruments, Agon as well as to the previous centuries in technique and text (Canticum sacrum ad sancti Marci nominis hono). Although the compositions differ in style, the aforementioned continuity binds together the portfolio of this most prominent 20th Century composer.
Bibligraphy:
1. B. Boretz, Perspectives on Schoenberg and Stravinsky (Princeton, 1968)
2. J. Cross, The Cambridge Companion to Stravinsky (Cambridge, 2003)
3. H. Keller, Stravinsky seen and heard (London, 1982)
4. I. Strawiński, Kroniki mojego życia (Kraków, 1970)
5. P. van den Toorn, The Music of Igor Stravinsky (New Haven, 1983)
6. S. Walsh, The Music of Stravinsky (Oxford, 1988)
7. E. W. White, Stravinsky: The Composer and his Works (London, 1979)
8. R. Vlad, Strawiński (Kraków, 1974)
Websites:
Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, Movement for piano and orchestra,
(http://www.laphil.com/philpedia/music/movements-for-piano-and-orchestra-igor-stravinsky)
Blair Johnston, Movements for piano & orchestra, All music
(http://www.allmusic.com/composition/movements-5-for-piano-orchestra-mc0002361575)
Discography:
I.Stravinsky, Agon, SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg, Michael Gielen ( Hänssler Classic), CD 7703, 93226
I. Stravinsky, Cantata, Columbia Chamber Ens, Igor Stravinsky (Sony), CD 4689, M2K 46 301
I. Stravinsky, Canticum sacrum ad honorem Sancti Marci nomini, Irène Friedli, Frieder Lang, Michel Brodard, Orchestre de la Suisse romande, Neeme Järvi, Choeur pro arte de Lausanne (Chandos Chan), CD 2259, 9408
I.Stravinsky, Movements, piano, orchestra, Charles Rosen, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Igor Stravinsky (Sony Classical), CD 4683, SMK 46 295
I.Stravinsky, Octet, European Solists Ensemble (Decca), CD 6652, 473 810-2
I.Stravinsky, Septet, Israel Baker, Columbia Chamber Ensemble, Igor Stravinsky (Sony ), CD 4685, SM2K 46297
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