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Neoclassical Mask

Kate Molleson explores Stravinsky’s masks and myths, his love of rites and rituals. Today focusing on his neoclassicism – his turn to the past to make sense of the present.

Kate Molleson explores Igor Stravinsky’s multiple masks and myths. His love of rites and rituals. Today leaning into his neoclassicism – his turn to the past to make sense of the present.

After WW1 Stravinsky began to compose in a new way – a new style for a new age. Beginning with Pulcinella, refracting the music of Pergolesi. He described this period as a crisis, because like every modernist he was faced with a problem: how could art be meaningful after what they’d witnessed during the Great War? He described Pulcinella as a β€œbackward look – first of many love affairs in that direction – but it was a look in the mirror, too.” Through music that was fresh and fractured, arch and ironic, Stravinsky came up with a re-ordering of the past that was ultra-present.

Overture: Sinfonia, from Pulcinella Suite
Tapiola Sinfonietta
Masaaki Suzuki, conductor

Suite Italienne
Amalie Stalheim, cello
Christian Ihle Hadland, piano

Sonata for Piano
Oxana Shevchenko, piano

Symphonies of Wind Instruments
Nash Ensemble
Simon Rattle, conductor

Octet
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Neeme Jarvi, conductor

Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Ilan Volkov, conductor
Steven Osborne, piano

59 minutes

Music Played

  • Igor Stravinsky

    Pulcinella Suite (Sinfonia)

    Performer: Masaaki Suzuki. Orchestra: Tapiola Sinfonietta.
    • BIS : BIS-2211.
    • BIS.
    • 1.
  • Igor Stravinsky

    Suite Italienne

    Performer: Amalie Stalheim. Performer: Christian Ihle Hadland.
    • LAWO : LWC1260.
    • LAWO.
    • 4.
  • Igor Stravinsky

    Piano Sonata (excerpt)

    Performer: Oxana Shevchenko.
    • DELPHIAN : DCD-34203.
    • DELPHIAN.
    • 21.
  • Igor Stravinsky

    Symphonies of Wind Instruments

    Ensemble: Nash Ensemble. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • CHANDOS : CHAN-6535.
    • CHANDOS.
    • 1.
  • Igor Stravinsky

    Octet

    Ensemble: Eastman Wind Ensemble. Conductor: Mark Scatterday.
    • AVIE:AV2277.
    • AVIE.
    • 1.
  • Igor Stravinsky

    Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments

    Performer: Steven Osborne. Orchestra: ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Ilan Volkov.
    • HYPERION : CDA-67870.
    • HYPERION.
    • 2.

Broadcast

  • Wed 31 Jan 2024 12:00

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