Stravinsky. Fireworks

Author: (American) Stravinsky
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-01
Features: Stravinsky was born in Russia in 1882, and his father was a musician. He initially followed his father's advice to study law at university but later turned to music after meeting Rimsky-Korsakov and studied under him. His early works, whether the Symphony or the Fantastic Symphony and the symphonic poem Fireworks, exhibited a strong German Romantic influence and were also regarded as works influenced by Russian nationalism and French Impressionism. The first person to discover this unknown young man's early works was the manager of the Russian Ballet Company, Diaghilev. He was one of the great figures in 20th-century dance music. His ballet company, centered in Paris, became famous across Europe and even went on tours to South America. His musical achievements included discovering many emerging composers and commissioning them to write ballet scores. Diaghilev and Stravinsky had such a close relationship that today, when discussing the two, they are often inseparable. In 1909, Diaghilev heard Stravinsky's orchestral works Fireworks and The Firebird performed in St. Petersburg and, already famous in Paris, commissioned him to create the ballet The Firebird. The ballet was a resounding success, bringing Stravinsky international acclaim.