Biography
Igor Stravinsky is a great domestic composer, performer and conductor, a bright representative of modernism in music. By right, it is considered one of the most significant leaders of world art of the XX century.Childhood and youth
In 1882, Igor Stravinsky was born near St. Petersburg. His parents had a direct relationship to music - Dad Fyodor acted in the Mariinsky Theater and was a deserved artist of the Russian Empire, Mama Anna - Pianist, accompanied the spouse. Igor grew up among the endless flow of guests, including writers, artists, musicians. The boy's father was friendly with Dostoevsky.
For the first time for the piano, the future genius sat at 9 years old. After graduating from the gymnasium, the parents arranged Igor to the University of St. Petersburg, where the young man studied at a lawyer. Alone Stravinsky studied music, then began to take the lessons in private from Roman-Korsakov.
Igor dating his son Vladimir, who studied also on legal. Roman-korsakov was impressed with the talents of Stravinsky, advised not to enter the conservatory, as the knowledge of the young man was enough. The mentor trained mainly Igor orchestration skills, adjusted his works. Thanks to its influence, he sought to make his discipler music.
Music
In 1908, two works of Stravinsky - "Favn and Custle" and "Symphony Mi-Barol Major" - were executed by the court orchestra. Next year, Sergey Dyagilev came to the performance of his orchestral Scherzo: he was so struck by the talent of a young composer, which immediately met him and ordered several arrangements for Russian ballet in Paris. A year later, Dyagilev again appeals to Stravinsky, ordering musical accompaniment for the new ballet "Fire-Bird".
The premiere took place in the summer of 1910: incredible success instantly turned Stravinsky in the most gifted representative of a new generation of musical authors. "Firebird" began the beginning of the fruitful joint work of Igor and Dyagilev troupes. Already the next season opens with a ballet "Parsley", with the score of Stravinsky and the magnificent Vaclav Nijinsky in the lead role.
Painted by success, the composer conceived to write a kind of symphony ritual, which in 1913 in the Paris theater made a lot of noise. This work was the "Spring Sacred". Spectators during the premiere were divided into two camps: some were outraged by ambiguous dance and bold music, the second greeted the original production. The witnesses said that the dancers did not hear the orchestra - such a strong hum was in the hall.
From this day of Stravinsky was called the composer of the very "sacred spring" and destructive modernist. Igor leaves his native city, together with his wife and children in 1910, justifies in France.
However, the First World War brought no "Russian seasons" in Paris, and generous fees ended. In 1914, Chet Stravinsky turns out to be in Switzerland with almost no livelihood. In those days, he often refers to Russian folk motifs, fairy tales.
By this time, the music he wrote Stravinsky became more ascetic, restrained, but incredibly rhythmic. In 1914, he began working on the ballet "Wedding", which was completed only in 1923. It was founded on rural Russian songs, which were performed at weddings and weddings. In 1920 in Russian style, the last masterpiece of the work was written - "Symphony for the wind."
After from his work, the national flavor disappeared, and he began to work in the style of neoclassicism. Next, the composer interprets old European music and other interesting historical styles. Since 1924, Igor Stravinsky ceases to write and acts as a pianist and conductor. At the end of the Second World War, his concerts began to enjoy extractive popularity.
Then the "Russian seasons" are renewed, but in a modest level. The last ballet, which was created by Dyagilev and Stravinsky, became "Apollo Musagyt", the premiere of which was held in 1928. A year later, Dyagilev dies, and the troupe disintegrates.
1926 - a turning point in the fate of Stravinsky, he experienced a spiritual transformation, which, of course, had an impact on creativity. Religious motifs appear in His "Tsar Edie", in Cantate "Symphony of Psalms". Libretto to these works are created in Latin. In 1939, he was invited to Harvard University in America, where he read the cycle of "Music poetics" lectures.
In the fifties, an avant-garde appears in Europe, which rejected the beloved Stravian neoclassicism, and Stravinsky is experiencing a musical crisis. A large depression, in which Igor was located, ended with several experimental work: "Cantata", "Memory of Dilan Thomas".
He continued to work, despite the stroke, until 1966, the last work became "Requiem". This is an incredibly subtle product written by the composer in 84, it became evidence of the great talent and the inexhaustible energy of Stravinsky.
Personal life
Igor Stravinsky in 1906 connected himself to the bonds of marriage with Kuzina Ekaterina Nosenko. The big love of young did not stop the presence of native blood, 4 children were born in marriage: Boys Svyatoslav and Fyodor and Girls Lyudmila and Milena. The sons were outstanding cultural figures: Svyatoslav - a virtuoso composer and pianist, Fyodor, an artist. The biography of Lyudmila Stravinskaya is interesting because she has become the spouse of the poet Yuri Mandelstam.
Catherine suffered from consumed, so the family went to Switzerland - the crude air of St. Petersburg did not give a woman to breathe. In 1914, the four Stravinsky could not return in the spring of Switzerland to Russia because of the first world, and then due to the revolution. The property and money that remained in their hometown, the family has selected.
Igor took this catastrophe close to heart: besides Catherine and children, he kept his mother, his sister and nephews. In Russia, lawlessness was created in the months of the revolution in all areas, and the composer ceased to pay the copyright for the execution of works due to its emigration. To at least somehow keep a family, Stravinsky had to produce new editions of his works.
Legends and rumors did not bypassed the personal life of Igor: he is credited with a love relationship with Coco Chanel. She extended to the Stravian hand of help at the moment when he was completely left without money. For two years, Igor lived on a villa at Mademoiselle, she sponsored his speeches, fed and dressed his family.
When the material state of Stravinsky was recovered, and he left the house of Chanel, she sent money for another 13 years every month - this unusual fact was the basis for the legend about the novel of the French designer and the Russian composer. In 2009, the feature film "Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky" was released on this relationship.
In 1939, Ekaterina Stravinskaya did not become, and a year later, moved to America, the musician marries the second time on the faith of referee, the actress of a silent movie. Together, Vera and Igor lived 50 years old, trying not to be separated for a minute. In 1962, the married couple visited the native country - in Moscow and Leningrad, the meeting was shown on television.
Death
The composer did not work on April 6, 1971, the cause of death is heart failure. The wife of Vera Arturovna buried him in Venice, in the Russian part of the San Michele cemetery, not far from the grave of Dyagilev. After 11 years, the spouse will be buried next to her husband.
The name of Stravinsky was repeatedly immortalized: he was wearing a music school in Oranienbaum, a tourist motor ship and aircraft airlines "Aeroflot". In honor of Stravinsky in Ukraine, the International Music Festival is held every year.
Discography
- 1906 - "Favn and Cowgirl"
- 1908 - "Fantastic Scherzo"
- 1910 - Ballet "Firebird"
- 1911 - Ballet "Parsley"
- 1913 - "Spring sacred, paintings of pagan Russia in 2 parts"
- 1914 - Fairy Tale "Solovy"
- 1918 - Fairy Tale "History of Soldier"
- 1920 - Ballet "Pulcinell"
- 1922 - Opera Mavra
- 1923 - choreographic scenes "Wedding"
- 1927 - Opera "King Edip"
- 1928 - Ballet "Apollo Musaget"
- 1930 - "Symphony of Psalms"
- 1931 - "Concert for Violin D-DUR"
- 1942 - "Concert Dances"
- 1954 - "4 Russian songs"
- 1963 - "Abraham and Isaac"
- 1966 - "Sunny chants"