Igor Stravinsky, whose biography is presented in this article, is an outstanding Russian composer, pianist and conductor. He is a representative of musical modernism. Igor Fedorovich is one of the largest representatives of world art.
Biography
In 1882, on June 17, Igor Stravinsky was born. A brief biography of the composer's parents gives an idea of where the boy has such a craving for music. His father - Fyodor Ignatievich - was an opera singer, soloist of the Mariinsky Theater, Honored Artist of Russia. Mother Anna Kirillovna was a pianist. She took part in her husband’s concerts as accompanist. The family hosted artists, musicians and writers at home. A frequent guest with the Stravinsky was F. M. Dostoevsky. Since childhood, Igor Stravinsky also joined the music. A photo of the composer's parents is presented in this article.
At 9 years old, the future composer began taking piano lessons. When Igor Fedorovich graduated from high school, his parents insisted that he receive a law degree. The future composer studied at St. Petersburg University and, at the same time, independently studied musical and theoretical disciplines. His only composer school was private lessons, which Igor Fedorovich took from Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov. Under the leadership of this great man I. Stravinsky wrote the first works. In 1914, Igor Fedorovich left with his family in Switzerland. Soon the First World War began, because of which the Stravinsky did not begin to return to Russia. A year later, the composer moved to France. Since 1936, Igor Fedorovich began to travel to the United States on tour. After the outbreak of World War II, he moved permanently to America. In 1944, I. Stravinsky made an unusual arrangement of the US anthem and performed the work at a concert. For this he was arrested. He was due a fine for distorting the anthem. The composer himself preferred not to advertise what had happened and always said that in fact there was nothing of the kind. In 1945, the composer received American citizenship. Igor Fedorovich died in 1971. The cause of death is heart failure. The composer was buried in the Russian part of the San Michele cemetery in Venice.
Creative way
As already mentioned above, under the leadership of Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov, Igor Stravinsky wrote his very first works. The composer presented them to the public, and Sergei Diaghilev attended one of these performances . He praised the music of Igor Stravinsky. Soon, the famous impresario offered Igor Fedorovich cooperation. He ordered him to write ballet music for his "Russian Seasons" in Paris. I. Stravinsky collaborated with S. Diaghilev for three years and during this time he wrote three ballets for his troupe that made him famous: “The Rite of Spring”, “Parsley” and “The Firebird”. In 1924, Igor Fedorovich made his debut as a pianist. His own work - Concert for piano and brass band - was performed on stage by Igor Stravinsky. The conductor appeared in him even before that. In this capacity, he performed from 1915 to 1926. He mainly conducted his own works. He was very demanding on musicians. In the years 50-60, an audio recording of most of his works was made. In 1962, I. Stravinsky came on tour in the USSR.
Personal life
In 1906, the composer married a cousin - Ekaterina Nosenko. It was a marriage of great love. The four Stravinsky had four children: Milena, Lyudmila, Svyatoslav and Fedor. Sons became famous artists. Fedor is an artist, and Svyatoslav is a pianist and composer. Daughter Lyudmila was the wife of the poet Yuri Mandelstam. Due to the fact that Catherine suffered from consumption, the Stravinsky went to Switzerland for the winter, the damp air of St. Petersburg adversely affected her health. In 1914, Igor Fedorovich and his family had to stay for a long time in Switzerland, they could not return to Russia because of the outbreak of the First World War, which was followed by a revolution. The family lost all their property and money that remained in Russia. This fact was perceived as a disaster by Igor Stravinsky. The composer's family was rather big, and all of them needed to be fed. In addition to his wife and four children, there was also a sister, nephews and mother. I. Stravinsky in this period stopped receiving royalties for the performance of his works in Russia. This happened due to the fact that he emigrated. All of his works published in our country were allowed to be performed without paying money to the author. To fix the financial situation, Igor Stravinsky made new editions of his works. The personal life of the composer was not without legends. He was credited with an affair with Coco Chanel. When I. Stravinsky had almost no means of subsistence, Mademoiselle helped him. She invited the composer and his family to live in her villa. Igor Fedorovich lived with Mademoiselle Chanel for two years. She sponsored the organization of I. Stravinsky's concerts and supported his family. When the composer no longer lived in her villa, Coco sent him money every month for another 13 years. All this gave rise to rumors about their romance. In addition, Coco was a loving woman. But it is unlikely that these rumors were true. I. Stravinsky was exclusively interested in the French money.
In 1939, the wife of Igor Fedorovich died. After some time, I. Stravinsky married again. His second wife was a longtime acquaintance of the composer - Vera Arturovna Sudeikina.
Russian period in the work
Igor Stravinsky, whose photographs are presented in this article, at the first stage of his career development - this is 1908-1923 - wrote mainly ballets and operas. This period of his career is called "Russian". All the works written by him at this time have much in common. In all there are motifs and themes of Russian folklore. In the ballet Firebird, the stylistic features inherent in the works of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov are clearly traced.
Neoclassical period in creativity
This is the next stage in the development of the creative path of the composer. It lasted until 1954. The opera "Mavra" laid the foundation for him. The basis of this period was the rethinking of styles and trends in 18th century music. At the end of this period, in the development of his work, the composer turns to antiquity, to the mythology of Ancient Greece. The ballet Orpheus and the opera Persephone were written. The latest work of I. Stravinsky, relating to neoclassicism, is “The Adventure of the Hang”. This is a sketching opera by W. Hogarth.
The serial period in the work
In the 50s, Igor Stravinsky began to use the principle of seriality. The transitional work of this period was the Cantata, written on the verses of unknown English poets. The total polyphonization in music is obvious in it. Subsequent works of this time were completely serial, in them the composer abandoned the key completely. “The Crying of the Prophet Jeremiah” is a completely dodecaphone composition.
Works for musical theater
List of operas, ballets, fairy tales and scenes written by composer Igor Stravinsky:
- “Wedding” (libretto by Igor Stravinsky).
- "Ballet scenes."
- “Parsley” (libretto by A. Benoit).
- "Agon."
- "Playing cards" (libretto by Igor Stravinsky).
- "Apollo Musaget."
- “The Firebird” (libretto by M. Fokine).
- Persephone.
- “Kiss of the Fairy” (libretto by Igor Stravinsky).
- The Pulcinella.
- "Mavra" (libretto by B. Kokhno based on the poem by Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin).
- "The flood".
- “The Tale of the Fox, the Rooster, the Cat and the Sheep” (libretto by Igor Stravinsky).
- "Orpheus".
- “The story of a soldier” (libretto by Sh.F. Ramu based on Russian fairy tales).
- "Sacred spring".
- “The Adventures of the Hang” (libretto by C. Collman and W. Auden based on paintings by W. Hogarth).
- "King Oedipus."
- "The Nightingale" (libretto by S. Mitusov according to the tale of H. H. Andersen).
List of works for orchestra
- "The funeral song."
- Symphony in C.
- Scherzo in the Russian style.
- "Concert Dances".
- Congratulatory foreplay.
- Symphony Es-dur.
- Dumbarton Oaks.
- Concert for violin and orchestra in D major.
- "Fireworks".
- "Circus polka for a young elephant."
- Divertissement.
- “Firebird” - a suite from the ballet.
- Capriccio for piano and orchestra.
- "Four Norwegian moods."
- Basel concert.
- Fantastic scherzo.
- Suite from the ballet Pulcinella.
- Variations dedicated to the memory of Aldous Huxley.
- Oh yeah.
- Concert for piano, brass band, timpani and double basses.
- "Movement" for piano and orchestra.
- Symphony in three parts.
For the choir
Igor Stravinsky wrote many choral works. Among them:
- "Introit memory."
- "Psalms Symphony" (for choir and orchestra).
- "The Cry of the Prophet Jeremiah."
- Cantata "Sermon, parable and prayer" (for viola, tenor, reader, choir, as well as the orchestra).
- “Symbol of Faith” (composition for choir without musical accompaniment).
- Cantata to the poems of K. Balmont "Star-faced".
- “Our Father” (for choir without musical accompaniment).
- "Memorial hymns."
- “Hail Virgin Mary.”
- Cantata "Babylon" (for reader, male choir and orchestra).
- Holy hymn in the name of St. Mark.
- "Mass" (for mixed choir, accompanied by an ensemble of wind instruments).
- Cantata to verses of anonymous poets of England of 15-16 centuries.
- "Observers" - Russian peasant songs for a female choir.
- Hymn to verses by T. Eliot.
List of chamber works
- Ebony concert.
- Elegy for viola.
- Three pieces for clarinet.
- “The Story of a Soldier” - a suite from the opera for violin, clarinet and piano.
- Symphony for wind instruments, dedicated to C. Debussy.
- Concert duet.
- Three Pieces for String Quartet.
- Epitaph to the tombstone of M. Egon.
- Prelude for a jazz band.
- Concertino for string quartet.
- Ragtime.
- Double canon in memory of R. Dufy.
- Fanfare for two pipes.
- Septet for strings, winds and piano.
- Lullaby for two recorders.
- Octet for winds.
In memory of the composer
The name of Igor Stravinsky is the music school, which is located in Oranienbaum. In honor of the composer, stamps and coins were issued. In the French city of Montreux, there is a musical audience named after Igor Stravinsky. On the planet Mercury there is a crater named after him. The name “Igor Stravinsky” is carried by a tourist ship and an Aeroflot A-319 aircraft. In honor of the great Russian composer are named: a street in Amsterdam, a fountain in Paris, an alley in Lausanne, a square in Oranienbaum. In Ukraine (Volhynia) opened the museum of Igor Stravinsky. And since 1994, an international music festival named after this composer, conductor and pianist has been held there.