Igor Stravinsky
1882-1971


 

Igor Stravinsky (pronounced Eegore Stra-vin-skee) wrote music during most of the 20th century. His early works sound very different from the ones he wrote later in life.

Listen to some of his music:
The Rite of Spring: This piece sounded shocking to audiences when it was first played!
Orchestral version (original): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uMfXh4OOx8

Piano Duo Version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEbLOhYvsoY

Circus Polka - This was written for the elephants in the Ringling Brothers' circus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DMVRaN1UWk

Listen to his beautiful arrangement of the "Star-Spangled Banner": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxBVLceBT6Q
Check out page 6 of the May/June issue to find out what happened to Stravinsky in Boston because of his arrangement.

Piano in Orchestra
The piano is a member of the orchestra in some works. Listen to these pieces that have orchestral piano parts.

Saint Saens, Organ Symphony: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d0itDEs9uo

Stravinsky, Petrushka: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_2qbWVzxzw
Can you hear both the piano part and a celeste part? A celeste is a small high-pitched keyboard instrument. It is most famously heard in Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite during the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy."

"When the Saints Come Marching In": Louis Armstrong playing and singing (he was also a famous singer.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZNYMwgHIAg
Listen for the trumpet solos at the  beginning and end; other instruments play in middle while he sings.

Here is another version of that song in which Louis Armstrong and comedian Danny Kaye sing. Listen to all the names of Classical composers that they joke about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm6ktYq0Yxk 

This is a very different type of trumpet playing. Wynton Marsalis plays the Hummel Trumpet Concero in E 3rd movement with an orchestra.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6u22A_Xy2E

Here is Handel's Water Music on a piccolo trumpet (very high pitched!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPhUsGf2BiY

Scherzos
L. van Beethoven, Moonlight Sonata, 2^nd movement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDNsX4DtzZs

F. Chopin, Scherzo in B minor, Op. 20
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUOQJ7ukYrk

Wieniawski, Scherzo Tarantelle, Op. 16
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jktBuQgvu38

For fun, compare with the same piece transcribed for cello:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IWUJpZwpeQ

During the Classical period the scherzo replaced the minuet as one of the movements of sonatas or symphonies. Both have triple meter and may be in similar tempos, but minuets are more elegant, lighter, and smoother than scherzos. Compare the scherzos with this famous Minuet by Boccherini:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSE15tLBdso

Test what you learned about tempo in Beginner's Corner with this quiz.

1. Rallentando means_________.
    a. getting faster
    b. getting slower

2. Accelerando means_________.
    a. getting faster
    b. getting slower

3. Stringendo means_________.
    a. getting faster
    b. getting slower

4. Ritardando means_________.
    a. getting faster
    b. getting slower