Stravinsky's life had encompassed most of the 20th Century, including many of its modern classical music styles, and he influenced composers both during and after his lifetime. The Firebird In , when Stravinsky was 27, he was commissioned by Sergei Diaghilev to write a ballet based on the Russian legend, the Firebird. The work was completed in and premiered at the Paris Opera.
Stravinsky attended the rehearsals, and actively helped in the preparation of the production. The ballet turned out to be a huge success and marked a major step in his career. The ballet was first performed in the United States in with costumes and sets designed by the famous artist Marc Chagall. The melodies of The Firebird are influenced by Russian folk songs. The ballet is a succession of five dances. The movement, Berceuse or Lullaby and Finale is the last dance.
The Firebird dances while plucking golden apples from a magic tree in the garden. Suddenly, the dance breaks off when the prince catches her. They struggle, and the Firebird gives in to the prince. The Firebird offers a feather to the prince as a pledge that she will help him if he were ever to need it.
He accepts it, and she flies off. Soon, 13 captive princesses of the king appear in the garden playing a game with the golden apples. The prince appears, and the princesses dance with him. However, the prince becomes enchanted with the leader of the princesses- the one who is to be his bride. In a panic, the princesses scurry back to the king's castle so as not to arouse his anger for their being late. The prince decides to rescue his bride and free the captive princesses.
So Ivan goes to the castle, opens the gates and attempts to start the rescue. The king is so infuriated that he begins to cast a spell which would turn Ivan to stone. But Ivan remembers his magic feather from the Firebird.
No sooner does he wave it above his head that the king's spell is rendered powerless by the appearance and the magic of the Firebird. Ivan and the princess may. The Firebird leaves with a feeling of hope and joy. The Phoenix Like the Firebird, the phoenix is a bird with beautiful gold and red plumage. At the end of its life-cycle the phoenix builds itself a nest of cinnamon twigs that it then ignites; both nest and bird burn fiercely and are reduced to ashes, from which a new, young phoenix arises.
The new phoenix is destined to live, usually, as long as the old one, and continue the cycle. Due to this, the Phoenix has become a symbol of rebirth. Leitmotif Another way a composer can use melody is through leitmotifs.
A leitmotif is a recurring musical theme that is associated within a particular piece of music with a particular person, place or idea. Although usually a short melody, it can also be a chord progression or even a simple rhythm. Leitmotifs can help to bind the work together into a coherent whole, and also enable the composer to relate a story without the use of words, or to add an extra level to an already present story. Carl Maria von Weber was the first composer to make extensive use of leitmotifs.
The first use of the word "leitmotif" in print was used while describing Weber's work. Beethoven also employed leitmotifs. For example, in his Fifth Symphony, a particular melody is said to be representative of "fate", after a critic famously described the recurring musical phrase as "The sound of fate knocking on the door".
It is Richard Wagner, however, who is the composer most often associated with leitmotifs, and his operas make liberal use of them.
The work of Howard Shore in his The Lord of the Rings scores includes extensive use of leitmotifs which occur throughout the length of the three films. The themes represent different characters, cultures, and places. The most popular example is likely the powerful pipe organ chord progression for the Phantom himself. In visual arts an example of leitmotif can be seen in the works of M.
She intervenes, bewitching the monsters and making them dance an elaborate, energetic dance the "Infernal Dance". The creatures and Koschei then fall into a deep sleep. While they sleep, the Firebird directs Ivan to a tree stump where the casket with the egg containing Koschei's soul is hidden. Ivan destroys the egg and with the spell broken, the magical creatures that Koschei held captive are freed and the palace disappears.
All of the "real" beings, including the princesses, awaken and with one final hint of the Firebird's music though in Fokine's choreography she makes no appearance in that final scene on-stage , celebrate their victory. Classical Music Wiki Explore. American composers British composers Swedish composers Polish composers French composers German composers Czech composers.
Baroque Compositions Brandenburg Concertos. Compositions by Johannes Brahms. Trending Discussions Latest Discussions. Explore Wikis Community Central. Register Don't have an account? Among the audience was the impresario Serge Diaghilev, who was intrigued by what he heard. Diaghilev — 10 years older than Stravinsky — was an impresario, whose self-avowed mission was to bring the arts of Russia to the attention of Western Europe in general and Paris in particular.
But even as the first season approached, Diaghilev and his people were making plans for the second, season of the Ballets Russes. Diaghilev wrote:.
Diaghilev first offered the commission to the composer Anatol Liadov, who turned it down. A frustrated Diaghilev fired off a telegram to his Chopin arranger: was Stravinsky willing to take on a major commission?
Stravinsky managed to turn out the minute score in under six months, lightening quick by his meticulous method of working.
Diaghilev, as usual, was right; The Firebird was a triumph. Podcast: Play in new window. Music History Monday: The Firebird.
Posted by Robert Greenberg on Monday , June 25 th , Stravinsky in , at the time of the premiere of The Firebird. Categories : Music History Mondays , Podcast. I consent to the storing of this data as outlined in the privacy policy. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Podcast Subscribe:. Latest Tweets My Tweets.
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