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 (51–60)
Cat LullabyIgor Stravinsky
This is a song cycle composed by Igor Stravinsky from 1915 to 1916, scored for contralto and three clarinets.
The lyrics are in Russian and French, and it consists of four songs: “On the Fireplace,” “In the Room,” “Lullaby,” and “The Cat’s Master.”
Concerto for Piano and WindsIgor Stravinsky
This is a concerto written for the wife of Serge Koussevitzky, a Russian conductor who was active in the United States.
It consists of three movements and has a performance time of about 22 minutes.
The premiere, conducted by Koussevitzky, took place in 1924.
PhoenixIgor Stravinsky
Stravinsky is also one of the composers who represent modern music.
Although his style changed over time, one of the hallmark works from the period when he created highly impactful “primitivist” music—incorporating multiple tonal centers into his pieces and using rhythms rarely found in classical music—is The Firebird.
In conclusion
How was it? We presented the music of Igor Stravinsky alongside some of the world’s great performances.
Some videos even include the score, but I’m sure there were many pieces where, even if you can read the notation, it’s hard to grasp what’s going on.
Yet when you notice the unexpectedly playful moments or the passages full of emotion, you catch a glimpse of his humanity and suddenly feel much closer to the music.
And of course, this is only a small part of Stravinsky’s oeuvre—whichever piece you listen to, the shocks keep coming.
I hope you’ve found a favorite and will continue listening from here on out.