Ep 4. Russia and Igor Stravinsky

  • TV-PG
  • March 2, 2018
  • 42 min

As the fourth episode of Great Music of the 20th Century's first season, "Russia and Igor Stravinsky" explores the life, career, and influences of one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century: Igor Stravinsky. Against the backdrop of Russia's tumultuous history, the episode delves into Stravinsky's artistic evolution, from his early works that reflected the influence of his mentor Rimsky-Korsakov and the Russian folk tradition to his later groundbreaking compositions that defied convention and paved the way for modern music.

Viewers will follow Stravinsky's journey from his early years in St. Petersburg, where he first encountered the music of Rimsky-Korsakov and became enamored with the folk music of his homeland. From there, the episode touches on his early successes in Russia - including the premiere of his masterful ballet The Firebird - before his career was effectively halted by the outbreak of World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution.

The episode then explores the period of Stravinksy's life that saw him evolve into a truly revolutionary composer, thanks in no small part to his move to Paris in the 1920s and the influence of the city's artistic avant-garde. His collaborations with filmmaker and artist Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, including works like Petrushka and The Rite of Spring, cemented Stravinsky's place in musical history as a pioneer of modernism.

Great Music of the 2oth Century also highlights Stravinsky's development of "neoclassicism," as the cultural world moved away from modernist movements such as Futurism and Dadaism. Stravinsky's listening to old records soon led him to an interest in the baroque era and its strict compositional rules, which he began to employ in his own compositions. Stravinsky's eventual shift towards incorporating a more strict compositional technique into his work marked a stark departure from his earlier, more freewheeling approach to music.

Throughout the episode, there are interviews with contemporary composers and music historians, as well as musical snippets and full performances of some of Stravinksy's most beloved compositions. Additionally, the episode touches on the various controversies that surrounded Stravinsky over the course of his career, including his perceived disloyalty to Russia and his collaboration with the Ballets Russes.

"Russia and Igor Stravinsky" is not only a must-watch for classical music aficionados but also for those interested in the cultural history of 20th century Russia. The episode does an excellent job of presenting Stravinksy's music within a historical context and showing how his work both reflected and responded to the political and artistic changes unfolding around him. Overall, it makes for a fascinating exploration of an endlessly captivating composer, with plenty of insights into his legacy and influence on modern music as a whole.

Description
Watch Great Music of the 20th Century - Russia and Igor Stravinsky (s1 e4) Online - Watch online anytime: Buy, Rent
Great Music of the 20th Century, Season 1 Episode 4, is available to watch and stream on The Great Courses Signature Collection. You can also buy, rent Great Music of the 20th Century on demand at Amazon, Kanopy online.
  • First Aired
    March 2, 2018
  • Content Rating
    TV-PG
  • Runtime
    42 min
  • Language
    English