Stravinsky’s masterpiece. Popular classical music.
Among his signature works are the ballet scores The Rite of Spring and The Firebird, and when it comes to a Russian composer who epitomizes the 20th century in the classical world, that would be Igor Stravinsky.
Stravinsky’s style is often marked by technical complexity and challenging harmonies and rhythms; many of his pieces are not easily embraced by general audiences.
Yet his avant-garde approach has continued to shock with each listening and made him one of the musicians who exerted a wide-ranging influence on the arts from the 20th century onward.
Here, I’ll list and introduce Stravinsky’s works—from the most representative to those that might make you think, “Wait, this is by Stravinsky too?”
Whether you find them accessible or not is up to you—do give them a listen!
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Stravinsky’s masterpieces. Popular classical music (41–50)
Piano Sonata in F-sharp minorIgor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky, one of the most innovative composers of the 20th century, created energetic and audacious music that continues to be loved by many today.
The Piano Sonata in F-sharp minor is an early attempt from his youth, in which one can sense traces of Neoclassicism within a Romantic style.
Its four movements—marked by heightened emotion and tension-filled harmonies—are each imbued with a richly gifted sensibility.
It is a masterpiece recommended not only for classical music aficionados but also for piano enthusiasts.
Stravinsky’s masterpieces: Popular classical music (51–60)
Russian Dance from Petrushka, Suite No. 3, 1st Movement, Scene 1Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky, one of the defining composers of the 20th century, is renowned for innovative works such as The Firebird and The Rite of Spring, but the pieces he wrote for piano are also highly original.
Three Movements from Petrushka is an arrangement of his ballet music, and in the first movement the dancing of the puppets is vividly portrayed.
Filled with complex rhythms and virtuosic passages, this work represents Stravinsky at his finest in exploring the piano’s possibilities.
It is recommended not only for pianists with advanced technical command but for all classical music fans who enjoy avant-garde music.
From Petrushka, 3 Movements: Movement II, Scene 2 “Petrushka’s Room”Igor Stravinsky
Three Movements from Petrushka, based on the ballet music Petrushka by Igor Stravinsky, one of the genius Russian composers who defined the 20th century.
The work was arranged for piano by the composer himself in 1921 and premiered the same year by pianist Arthur Rubinstein.
The second movement, Petrushka’s Room, vividly depicts the protagonist Petrushka’s complex emotions and inner turmoil, featuring the striking dissonance known as the “Petrushka chord.” It is an ambitious work that showcases Stravinsky’s innovative rhythms and harmonies, as well as exceptional pianistic technique.
From Petrushka, 3 Movements: Movement III, Scene 3 ‘The Shrovetide Fair’Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky, one of the most innovative composers of the 20th century, is known for his energetic and daring works, including the ballet scores The Firebird and The Rite of Spring.
Three Movements from Petrushka is an arrangement for solo piano of his ballet Petrushka.
In the third movement, “La Semaine Grasse” (Shrovetide Fair), the bustling excitement of the festival is vividly portrayed, making it a bold attempt to express an orchestral work on a single piano.
Its score—demanding left-hand trills, wide leaps, and highly intricate techniques—bristles with transcendental difficulty and is truly overwhelming to hear.
It is a masterpiece that advanced pianists with formidable technique are especially encouraged to take on.
From Igor Stravinsky’s choreographic cantata “Les Noces” (The Wedding)Igor Stravinsky
This piece is performed as a dance tune.
As dance music, it features a somewhat fast tempo, but the lyrics and overall tone evoke a pastoral landscape.
The audio and visuals are very clear and crisp, so the work is highly polished as a video production.
The Rite of SpringIgor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky’s masterpiece The Rite of Spring—known in Japan under the title “Haru no Saiten”—is one of the most highly acclaimed works of 20th-century modern music and is also renowned as a landmark of ballet music.
Though a staple of the ballet repertoire, the piece itself is strikingly unconventional, featuring frequent use of polyphony and dissonance.
It is highly recommended for those who want to explore contemporary ballet music.
Suite from the ballet “The Firebird”Igor Stravinsky
The Russian composer Igor Stravinsky, who originally aspired to become a lawyer, had an unusual background and is celebrated as a “chameleon composer.” Not only did he write the famous trilogy of ballets, but he also shifted to a neoclassical style and, in his later years, continued composing traditional sacred music.
As a multifaceted, unorthodox composer, he exerted a profound influence on the musical history of the 20th century.
Stravinsky’s The Firebird is, as mentioned, a pivotal work that forms one corner of that ballet trilogy.
In fact, there’s an anecdote that Osamu Tezuka’s famous work Phoenix (Hi no Tori) was inspired after Tezuka saw this very ballet, The Firebird.
Reflecting on that story while savoring the arts in autumn—it’s an exquisitely luxurious way to spend one’s time, isn’t it?
