ModernismIgor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky was born in Russia.
Igor Stravinsky’s life
The big moments of this life, and what was happening in the world at the same time.
A life at a glance
- 1882👶 Birth
Born on 17 June in Oranienbaum; his father sings at the Mariinsky
- 1901📚 Trainingage 19
Studies law in St Petersburg
- 1910🎼 Workage 28
The Firebird for Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in Paris
- 1911🎼 Workage 29
Petrushka
- 1912🌍 Meanwhile
The Titanic sinks
- 1913🎼 Workage 31
The Rite of Spring: the premiere turns into a riot
- 1945🌍 Meanwhile
End of the Second World War; United Nations founded
- 1948🌍 Meanwhile
The long-playing record (LP) goes on sale
- 1962🧳 Journeyage 80
Triumphant return to Russia after 48 years away
- 1964🌍 Meanwhile
Robert Moog presents his synthesizer
- 1971🕯️ Deathage 89
Dies in New York on 6 April; buried in Venice
Listen to the music
Press the big button to listen. Close your eyes: how does it make you feel?
Igor Stravinsky’s music is still recent: it belongs to its creators and their families. Ask a grown-up to play it for you on the radio or at a concert!
Once upon a time…
Igor Stravinsky was born in Russia. His dad was a famous opera singer. His parents wanted him to become a lawyer, but Igor preferred music! He took lessons with Rimsky-Korsakov.
He wrote ballets for a Russian company dancing in Paris. The Firebird tells the story of a magic bird. In Petrushka a fairground puppet comes to life.
But on the day he presented The Rite of Spring, the audience was so shocked by its wild rhythms that people shouted, whistled and argued in the hall! Today it is one of the most famous pieces of music of the twentieth century.
He lived in Russia, Switzerland, France and the United States, and was in turn Russian, French and American.
Igor Stravinsky’s instruments
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