Questionnaire on "Music Appreciation Stravinsky, the Rite of Spring"

Questionnaire 5 pages (1420 words) Sources: 1

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Music Appreciation

Stravinsky, the Rite of Spring

) the Rite of Spring was written and composed in year 1913. The musical period and the artistic movement that this piece of music belonged to was the modernist period. The artistic movement was a part of the 20th century music which persisted from 1900-1950.

) the purpose for the composure of this music stemmed from the idea behind the rite of spring as being a pagan rite. During this ritual the elders watch a young girl sacrifice herself to the spring god by dancing herself to death.

) the Ballet Russe was the Russian ballet which performed between the years of 1909 and 1929. This Russian ballet originally performed the Rite of Spring with Vaslav Nijinsky's choreography.

) the opening of the Rite of Spring opens with the highest tones of a solo bassoon; it is this that makes it immediately identifyable as a 20th century composition. However, most of Stravinsky's work is reflective of the music during the 18th century. He does not put an emphasis on tone, which would normally be the case in 20th century music. His version of neoclassicism is obvious through the exaggeration of his musical gestures Stravinsky abandons traditional phrasing, by grouping his rhythms in a 9+2+6+3+4+5+3 pattern. The tonal dissonance is used to depict a different picture of humanity, evoking feelings of primitivism. Primitivism is the purposeful suggestion of basic power through constant sounds of percussion and persistent rhythms. Stravinsky attempts to portray the Introduction to Part I as representing the awakening of nature, such as the scratching, gnawing, wiggling of birds and beasts; this can clearly be heard in his piece.

5. ) as the Dance of the Adolescents starts, the string instruments pounding out a dissonant chord can be heard. There are unprecedented and asymmetrical accents whose violence is noticeable by the jabbing sounds from the eight horns. The new passage may be counted in this format: 1-2-3-4. 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, etc. The bassoon can also be distinctly heard as being a part of the unchanging dissonant harmony. Two different traditional chords are combined to form this sound. After these sounds are heard, melodic fragments soon accompany this piece with the repetition of the pounding chord and other figured. The melodic fragments, which are essential being played by the brass and the wood-wind instruments begin to oscillate, before once gain introducing the bassoon, however with slight variations at times. The rhythmic activity is tough and constant has a gradual transition where more instruments are then added.

6. ) Stravinsky's work had an influence attributed to Russian folk music and Russian pagan rituals. Therefore, his inclusion of Russian cultural influences is a manner of showing nationalistic/cultural pride.

7. ) at the end of Part 1 of the Rite of Spring, the ending seems to conclude in an abrupt manner. It does not have a convincing final cadence, as it simply just stops without warning or expectation, sounding simply like a last minute noise. The effect of composing his ending in this sort of way allows for listeners to immediately discuss the reasons for his particular ending.

Schubert, the Erlking

1. ) the piece of work was composed in the year 1815 and it belonged to the historical time period called the Romantic Period. This particular musical period lasted approximately from the years 1820 to 1900.

2. ) the genre of this piece of music is called Lied in German or art song in English. The usual instrumentation of this genre consists of a singer and the playing of the piano. The music was composed by Schubert and is based upon the poem written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

3. ) Program music is described as being instrumental music associated with poems, stories, ideas or scenes; it is deemed as being the story behind the musical piece. The nonmusical component is detailed by a title or explanatory comments. The program of this music is about a son who gets touched by the king of death, and as the father attempts to take his son away on horseback, the Erlkonig, which is the equivalent of the devil or of a ghost of death, is trying to pry the son away from the father.

4. ) Before the… READ MORE

How to Reference "Music Appreciation Stravinsky, the Rite of Spring" Questionnaire in a Bibliography

Related Questionnaires:

Music Appreciation Essay

Music Appreciation

Describe the characteristics of the twentieth-century concept of melody. Refer to at least one listening example in your response. (Textbook p.301-302, 309-310)

Melody only seems to have taken… read more

Essay 15 pages (4564 words) Sources: 0 Topic: Music / Musicians / Instruments

---

Music and History Thesis

Music

Michael Tilson Thomas, the musical director of the San Francisco Symphony, describes Igor Stravinsky's 1913 "Rite of Spring" as a "burst of creative power that shook music to its… read more

Thesis 5 pages (1500 words) Sources: 3 Style: APA Topic: Music / Musicians / Instruments

---

Rhythm, Dynamics, Melody, Harmony and Texture Essay

rhythm, dynamics, melody, harmony and texture, and timbre into a composition to add interest and character. Remember to discuss what each of these elements does.

There are many elements to… read more

Essay 19 pages (5737 words) Sources: 0 Topic: Music / Musicians / Instruments

---

Connection Between Music and Politics Essay

Music and Politics -- the Connections

Music has been used to promote particular political and ideological messages for many years. In the 20th century and well before, there are myriad… read more

Essay 5 pages (1635 words) Sources: 5 Topic: Music / Musicians / Instruments

---

Music Make You Fee Strung Out Granted Essay

Music Make You Fee

Strung Out

Granted, I am by no means a fan of classical music. Yet as a music aficionado, I have found that there is very little… read more

Essay 3 pages (920 words) Sources: 0 Topic: Music / Musicians / Instruments

---

View 100+ more related papers  >>