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wenz8
wenz8
Student
College - Freshman

Explain the rhythm in Igor Stravinsky's piece "The Rite of Spring"

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Posted by wenz8 on Sunday July 19, 2009 at 6:44 AM and tagged with igor stravinsky, rite of spring.

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  1. parkerlee
    parkerlee Teacher

    eNotes Editor

    The best way to describe this rhythm is 'a repeated "interfacing" of an anapestic (UUI) and dactylic (IUU) stress pattern' where the stressed note is shared between the two. This is a break from the listener's expectation, which is exactly the disturbance or cacophonic irritation Stravinsky was striving for.

    Meter in music is much like meter in poetry, and an intentional interruption from the natural flow helps sustain interest and even increase anticipation or suspense.

    If you are doing in depth research on the subject, you might check out the fourth chapter of Robert Craft's biography 'Stravinsky:Glimpes of a Life' which also provides an analysis of his compositional techniques.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/stravinsky-salem/stravinsky

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    Posted by parkerlee on Wednesday July 22, 2009 at 5:34 AM