How Russian Is Stravinsky?

382 Words2 Pages
Introduction Introduce Stravinsky and his noted works. Briefly introduce the idea of opposing forces throughout his life and his works as to whether he was a Russian through and through or whether he was a man who was trying to shed his Russian culture and adopt a new one? In favour or Stravinsky’s Russian musical ideals Discuss his Russian roots and how these affected him. Explore his personality, how he liked a vodka! and his religious beliefs. Discuss how he manipulated these Russian roots in his music and where these are evident. Discuss his use of Russian folk tunes in Rite and also discuss his use of Russian folk songs such as Boris Gudanov. Also explore his return to Russian influences in his latter words. Use quote from phaidon to demonstrate his love for St. Petursburg in latter life. Discuss Les Noces, was this a homage to his Russian roots and is he celebrating Russian culture? Discuss Diaghilev and how he was part of a project that was aimed at taking Russian culture and high art to Europe. He must have been proud of his heritage to do so? Against Stravinsky’s Russian musical ideals Was Les Noces aimed to be a fascist attack on Russian culture and discuss how the music can be said to paint lament this this girl is being forced to marry against her will. Discuss use of a Spanish paso doble in The Soldier’s Tale. Why did he feel the need to abandon his roots and adopt new culture and music? – was this merely to survive or was there more? Discuss the view of Stravinsky trying to fit in and adapting to be a ‘Cosmopolitan in Paris’ Discuss his journey to America and how this changed him – he was an outsider? Did his use of non-Russian collaborators affect or change him? Why can Stravinsky’s work be catalogued into his ‘Russian’ works and his ‘European’? Why did Stravinsky become a French citizen? Conclusion Was Stravinsky just a
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