Igor stravinsky musical style

Avant garde music composers

For the Record …. Few composers have made such dramatic breaks from the status quo in classical music as Igor Stravinsky did in the twentieth century. As Harold C. His shift to Neo-classicism after World War I resulted in a series of compositions hallmarked by simplicity and restraint that were often critically praised but not favored by the public.

Stravinsky stressed that music was notes and nothing more, and that composition should be an expression of form and logic rather than passion.

Neoclassicism music 20th century

He also had a tremendous influence on other composers who followed him, although he had little interest in discussing his own music. As the son of a renowned singer at the Imperial Opera in Russia , Stravinsky was surrounded by classical music while growing up. He began taking piano lessons at the age of nine, and also studied composition as a child.

Trips to the ballet and opera were commonplace for the young Stravinsky, but his early training did not reveal any significant talent, nor did his compositions foreshadow his musical explorations of the future. As a teenager he became more interested in improvisation and began dabbling in composition. Stravinsky agreed. Studied piano and composition as a child; began taking private lessons with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov while attending law school, ; composed first major work, Symphony in E-flat Major, ; wrote Firebird for Ballet Russe, Paris, France , ; created major furor with The Rite of Spring, ; made first public appearance as a conductor, ; composed series of Neo-classical works that featured polytonal features; became known as leader of avant-garde music, s; made first tour of U.

State Department Medal, Nothing Stravinsky had done before prepared the pubic for his legendary next work, Le Sacre du Printemps The Rite of Spring , which was also choreographed by Nijinsky. Prevented from returning to his native land due to World War I , Stravinsky and his family moved to Switzerland. After the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, he lived in France and soon encountered financial trouble, as funds had been cut off from Russia.