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?)
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
Play [0:44-1:34], Put the volume up. What part of the story does this music describe? (Is it the setting, meeting the hero, the dancing princesses, or the ending?)
The setting! The low creeping sounds capture the magical (and maybe spooky) garden in the woods
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 (This is the musical term for volume)
Play [26:33-27:02]. This instrument plays the music of a specific character in the story. Name the instrument and name the character.
The French horn plays the music of the Prince, the hero of the story.
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 cello, clarinet, and bassoon (and other solo instruments) play the Princesses music. What is the main tune of a song called (the part of the music you sing)?
Melody
What is folk music? A. music that was last sung or last heard 100 years ago, or B. music sung by common people and passed from generation to generation
B. Folk music can be heard today in communities around the world
Play [1:50-2:20]. What character is heard in this music? Is it the Prince, the Princesses, the Firebird, or King Kaschei?
This is the music of King Kaschei, when he and his men dance to exhaustion. (This is Igor Stravinsky conducting the New York Philharmonic.)
Firebird is a very Russian work. Stravinsky did all of these except which? A. He composed in the style of other Russian composers, 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, or D. double bass
D. The double bass does a great job of adding low, sometimes mysterious sounds. They are not as good as playing high and fast when compared to the flute, clarinet, and violin.
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
A. Leitmotif
Play [4:00-4:15]. What character do we meet in this music? Is it the Prince, the Princesses, the Firebird, or King Kaschei?
The Firebird
Why was the first performances of Firebird in Paris, France so successful? A. Parisians loved Russian art, B. Stravinsky was the most popular composer and people loved everything he wrote, C. nothing else happened in France that year
A. Parisians loved Russian art. (Stravinsky became popular AFTER Firebird was premiered)
Firebird’s premiere at Ballets Russes included many Russian artists. Who was a part of the Firebird's first performance? A. Sergei Diaghilev, or B. Coco Chanel
A. Sergei Diaghilev hired Stravinsky to write the music for Firebird. Coco Chanel was not a part of Firebird but 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
Play [5:15-5:41]. This music describes what character in the story? Is it the Prince, the Princesses, the Firebird, or King Kaschei?
This is the music of the Princesses.