Stravinsky's legacy for romantics

[Kriton]

In addition to the new Schönberg topic, another composer "turned evil". I actually do appreciate the music of the 2nd Viennese school (Adorno follower...); the composer I dislike most of everyone "modern" (not counting after 1950...) is Stravinsky. I never try and miss an opportunity to bash him. I accept his Sacre as one of the greatest musical revolutions ever (it's right up there with the Eroica, Tristan and 4'33), but that's not to say I like it. And the later the Stravinsky, the worse it gets for me.

Early Stravinsky for romantics - recommendations, anyone? I like his 1st piano sonata in f sharp minor, his 1st symphony in e flat major and adore his firebird - although I have little appreciation for the butchered up suite that was created out of the ballet, which is more like a tone poem in itself. The Sacre may be (for me!) a smack in the face of music history, but there is some nice romantic music preceding it. Any more works like the ones I mentioned?

[JimL]

What do you think of Petrushka?  I've always considered the language of Firebird and Petrushka to be more Impressionistic that pure Romantic.  Rite gets into more polytonality and polyrhythm.

[Kriton]

I've never really warmed up to the piece, because it to my ears it sounds like a step back from romanticism - unlike the firebird, which is hyper-romantically excessive in every way. Polytonality is also present in his Petrushka. Call me old-fashioned...

[DennisS]

Re-Kriton 's comments re-early Stravinsky works, I have a very nice cd of Stravinsky works on Decca/ Charles Dutoit. Some of the works are early Stravinsky i.e. Scherzo fantastique, opus 3, symphonies of wind instruments (original version, 1920) , coupled with symphony in C and the later Symphony in three movements. I am very fond of this cd. I also have  a Anne-Sophie Mutter cd/DG with the charming Stravinsky violin concerto en ré - a delightful piece. I too, tend to like the early Stravinsky much more than the later. Le Sacre of course, holds a place to itself!
Cheers
Dennis

[Amphissa]

 
I have no particular works to mention that have not already been mentioned, but do have a comment about Stravinsky. I too have a difficult time enjoying much of Stravinsky. I never really cared for his neo-classical works and even less his turn to serialism. But I like better some of his early music. The reason, I think, is because it was so influenced by Rimsky-Korsakov -- not the R-K of Sheherazade, but the R-K of operas.

R-K is noted for his lush lyrical works, of course, but his judicious use of chromatic composition was a revelation to other composers. Even the intractable modernist, Harold Schonberg, recognized the brilliance of R-K. It is no wonder that Stravinsky's early work drew upon some of R-K's ideas, since R-K was his tutor, mentor and father-figure. Much like Schoenberg, Stravinsky went in directions that do not really appeal to me, but I know some people think of his later work as remarkable and consider him one of the great composers.

[mbhaub]

I really enjoy the bloated, highly derivative Symphony in E-flat. It's like weak Tchaikovsky, but very entertaining on its own. After that, the three big ballets (Rite, Firebird, Petrushka) then my taste for Igor goes down to zilch. I can tolerate Symphony of Psalms and Fairy's Kiss. But most of the other music is just dull or irritating. I despise Symphony of Winds and the Violin Concerto and will never sit through those dreadful things ever again.

[sdtom]

The only thing that I can think of that is somewhat romantic is the lullaby Cat's Cradle Song (Berceuse du Chat).
Thomas

[Alan Howe]

Funny: I rather like the VC and find the Symphony in C and Symphony in Three Movements rather exhilarating. It's his final period which I find difficult.

[Mark Thomas]

I have always enjoyed the early E-flat Symphony. Generic fin de siecle Russian music which could have been written half a dozen composers, but none the worse for that. The Firebird is a great favourite and also the Rite of Spring (for its sheer vitality), but otherwise Stravinsky doesn't figure on my playlist at all.

[albion]

I must admit to liking most of the ballet scores (besides the three early ones) including Apollo, Jeu de cartes, Orpheus and Agon. I also have a soft spot for Le Rossignol, the Symphony in C and the Symphony in Three Movements.

I picked up a copy of the black-box Sony set of 22 discs for a ridiculous price (around £24) at Virgin about five years ago, but must admit that it has largely remained uninvestigated.

[Delicious Manager]

One of Stravinsky's most effective (yet curiously under-performed) is the symphonic poem The Song of the Nightingle (Le chant du rossignol). It uses themes from his opera Le rossignol, which itself was composed in two different periods of Stravinsky's creative life: the first act was written in 1908, before The Firebird. Stravinsky was then compelled to put it aside while his life became somewhat busy from commissions from that nice Mr Diaghilev for three ballets. The second act of Le rossignol was written in 1914, with the influence of the musical developments Stravinsky's music had taken through The Firebird, Petrushka and The Rite of Spring obviously (but not alarmingly for those with soft ears) apparent. I would recommend both the opera and (especially) the symphonic poem who like their Stravinsky 'Romantic'.

The Fairy's Kiss (Le baiser de la fée) is based almost entirely on themes by Stravinsky's beloved Tchaikovsky (a composer he adored) and is quite beautiful.

My final suggestion is one I'm surprised no-one else has mentioned - Pulcinella - the vocal ballet Stravinsky thought he was basing on music by Pergolesi (when, in fact, the music turns out to be by the Dutch nobleman-turned-composer Unico Willem van Wassenaer). I can't imagine why anyone would find Stravinsky's reworkings of this charming music offensive. Go for the full ballet rather than the purely instrumental suite.

[sdtom]

One of Stravinsky's most effective (yet curiously under-performed) is the symphonic poem The Song of the Nightingle (Le chant du rossignol). It uses themes from his opera Le rossignol, which itself was composed in two different periods of Stravinsky's creative life: the first act was written in 1908, before The Firebird. Stravinsky was then compelled to put it aside while his life became somewhat busy from commissions from that nice Mr Diaghilev for three ballets. The second act of Le rossignol was written in 1914, with the influence of the musical developments Stravinsky's music had taken through The Firebird, Petrushka and The Rite of Spring obviously (but not alarmingly for those with soft ears) apparent. I would recommend both the opera and (especially) the symphonic poem who like their Stravinsky 'Romantic'.

The Fairy's Kiss (Le baiser de la fée) is based almost entirely on themes by Stravinsky's beloved Tchaikovsky (a composer he adored) and is quite beautiful.

My final suggestion is one I'm surprised no-one else has mentioned - Pulcinella - the vocal ballet Stravinsky thought he was basing on music by Pergolesi (when, in fact, the music turns out to be by the Dutch nobleman-turned-composer Unico Willem van Wassenaer). I can't imagine why anyone would find Stravinsky's reworkings of this charming music offensive. Go for the full ballet rather than the purely instrumental suite.

Where did the Cat Cradle Song come from? I'm familiar with it because Roy Webb used the basic theme for the film The Cat People

[Delicious Manager]

Where did the Cat Cradle Song come from? I'm familiar with it because Roy Webb used the basic theme for the film The Cat People

There are actually four Cat's Cradle Songs (usually better known under the French title Berceuses du chat), which were written in 1915-16 for mezzo-soprano and three clarinets. Anton Webern was particularly taken with them, apparently.

[Amphissa]

I also have a soft spot for Le Rossignol ....

Oh, wow, I had completely forgotten about this. I had the great pleasure of seeing this performed in San Francisco a few years ago along with Oedipus Rex. I found the latter pretty turgid going, but loved Le Rossignol. The SFO, led by Michael Tilson Thomas, the singers and the dancers from the SF ballet presented a splendid staged production.

As is typical for me, I'm not especially interested in audio-only recordings of vocal music. Le Rossignol, like a lot of Russian "opera" is really quite a mix of orchestral music, dance and singing. I wanted to find something similar to what I had experienced in San Francisco.

Unfortunately, the only video I found was animated. The singing was fine, but it was nothing like the staged production. And so far as I can tell, that remains the only video version of the piece.