All about Stravinsky
What was Stravinsky’s first name? A. Ivan, B. Igor, or C. Nikolai
Igor Stravinsky
Where does this story take place? What is the setting of the story?
A magical, spooky garden in the woods
What instrument plays the music of Prince Ivan in the Firebird?
French horn
What is the musical term for the person who writes music?
The composer
Where did Stravinsky live during his lifetime? A. Russia, B. France, C. USA, or D. all of the above?
all of the above
Who is the hero of the story?
Prince Ivan
Describe the music of the Firebird character.
Answers will vary. Fast, colorful, high, and bright are possibilities.
What word refers to how loud or soft the music is?
Dynamics
What subject did Stravinsky study before focusing on composition? A. medicine, B. law, or C. astrology
He studied law at university
Who is the villain of the story?
King Kaschei
The oboe first introduced the Princesses music. What is the main tune of a song called (the part of the music you sing)?
Melody
Which is not folk music? A. music only heard in the countryside more that 100 years ago, B. music sung by common people, C. music passed from generation to generation
A. music only heard in the countryside. (Folk music can be heard in the countryside and in the city. Folk music is also sung today in communities around the world)
Firebird is a very Russian work. Stravinsky did all of these except which? A. He composed in the style of his Russian teacher, B. he used traditional Russian melodies, C. he only ate Russian food while composing
C. Food doesn't affect the sound of the music!
Which character in our story has magical powers?
Firebird and King Kaschei both have magical powers
Stravinsky uses all of these to play music of the Firebird character, except which one? A. Flute, B. clarinet, C. violin, D. trombone, or E. double bass
E. Double bass (Trombones are a good guess but their loud, fast slides add to the music of the Firebird.)
Characters like Prince Ivan and the Firebird are represented by specific instruments and specific types of sounds. What is the word for a short, musical idea that represents a character or an idea? A. leitmotif, B. syncopation, or C. rhythm
Leitmotif
Why was the first performances of Firebird so successful? A. Parisians loved Russian art, B. Stravinsky was the most popular composer before then, C. nothing else happened in France that year
A. Parisians loved Russian art. (Stravinsky became popular AFTER Firebird was premiered)
All of the following were on the creative team for the Firebird’s premiere at Ballets Russes, except who? A. Mikhail Fokin, B. Sergei Diaghilev, or C. Coco Chanel
C. Coco Chanel was not a part of Firebird. She designed costumes for Stravinsky's later ballet Apollo
Name one spooky sound Stravinsky asks for in this piece. These sounds help describe the setting.
Answers will vary. Correct answers include glissando (slides), harmonics, stopped or muted French horn, low rumbles in the basses and cellos
What is the word for the unique sound color of an instrument or “personality of sound”? A. tempo, B. timbre, or C. leitmotif
B. timbre