Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky, a Russian-American composer, was one of the mosst innovative composers of the 20th century. He led the way for other composers allowing them to break free from the traditional orchestral pieces and to follow their own path. He was composing in a time where impressionist art was being replaced with a new group of artists called Les Fauves (the wild beasts). Their distortions of raw, vivid color was violent and intense. This reformation was also apparent in Stravinsky's works as he led music back to the objectivism of the Classical period, from the subjectivism of the Romantic period which had a hold on the more recent compositions. He was composing in a time of political upheavel which also had great influences on his work. The difficult social and economic conditions that came along with the outbreak of World War I made it difficult to secure performances for large-scale works. This is the time period where he began composing a few smaller works such as The Soldiers Tale (1918). The disillusion of the war years can be seen in his work as well as the works of many other composers of the time.

As a child he discovered an intuitive joy in music, and wit

Two years later the public was hit with The Rite of Spring, subtitled "Scenes from Pagan Russia". The ballet is a presentation of primitive scenes built around the Spring fertility Rites of ancient Russia. Part 1 begins with The Adoration of the Earth. A group of girls and young warriors dancing in praise of the Earth's fertility. The tribal Sage is also present. In Part 2 titles "The Sacrifice", the Sage and the girls sit around the fire in front of the sacred mound choosing the girl who is to be sacrificed to ensure the earth's fertility. All begin dancing and the Chosen One begins a frenzied dance which lasts until she collapses and dies. Her body is then carried by the men to the foot of the sacred mound as and offering to the fertility gods.

h the enthusiastic approval of his parents, his path as a great musician was established. He came to study law at the University of St. Petersburg. It was there that he became acquainted with the son of the Russian composer Nikolay Rimsy-Korsakov, and his friends father guided Stravinsky's early compositional efforts. As he became more experienced he developed a style very distinct in which his music departed from the predictable lines and harmonies of the 19th century. The Russian impresario Sergei Diaghilev was impressed with Stravinsky's talent demonstrated in his orchestral works Scherzo fantastique and Fireworks and asked the composer to write for his Ballet Russes. This relationship with the Russian ballet led to the acknowledgment of his work and paved the road of his long career as a composer. During Stravinsky's association with Diaghilev, he wrote some of his most notable ballets. His talent and distinct style are very evident in his ballets. Two of which I find most intriguing are Petrushka (1911) and The Rite of Spring(1913

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)