Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Neoclassical Mask

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

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

After WW1 Stravinsky began to compose in a new way 鈥 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鈥檇 witnessed during the Great War? He described Pulcinella as a 鈥渂ackward look 鈥 first of many love affairs in that direction 鈥 but it was a look in the mirror, too.鈥 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
大象传媒 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: 大象传媒 Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Ilan Volkov.
    • HYPERION : CDA-67870.
    • HYPERION.
    • 2.

Broadcast

  • Wed 31 Jan 2024 12:00

Vaughan Williams Today

Vaughan Williams Today

Programmes, concerts and features celebrating Vaughan Williams's 150th anniversary.

Beethoven Unleashed 鈥 the box set

Beethoven Unleashed 鈥 the box set

The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems

Composers A to Z

Composers A to Z

Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod鈥檚 best stories from the last 20 years

Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem

What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?

A man out of time 鈥 why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...

The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.

Composer Help Page

Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.