The true mark of a NYCB devotee is how much they look forward to the all-Stravinsky programs. The leotard ballets and spiky scores can still bring the jitters in people who adore Jewels, Serenade or Theme and Variations, but if just the thought of that diagonal of soldier-girls in Symphony in Three Movements gives you the tingles, then I'd say you're all in. So it's fitting that NYCB ended its winter season with an excellent all-Stravinsky/Balanchine bill of the rarely performed Divertimento From Baiser de la Fée and long with repertory staples Agon, Duo Concertant, and Symphony in Three Movements. For one, it's a test of the company's resilience. It's also a test of the audiences' loyalty.
In Edmond Rostand’s play, Cyrano de Bergerac, written in 1897; is a dramatic play about a love triangle within the three characters, Roxane, Christian, and Cyrano. Edmond Rostand illustrates the aspect of appearance and communication throughout the play as it affects the decision made by the characters. In fact, Cyrano de Bergerac was written during the French Renaissance portraying valor and romanticism. The author points out how insecurities and platonic ideals can affect true love, through one’s values and ideals.
Another example for this imaginative story telling is the fictitious conversation between the imposter Arnauds du Tilh and Martin Guerre. “As a thought-experiment, let us imagine what might have taken place if the heir from Artigat became friends with the golden-tongued peasant from Sajas. […] they exchange confidences. Martin expresses his ambivalence about his patrimony and his wife, perhaps seems to imply to his look-alike “take her.” And Pansette says to himself, “Why not?”
Bookshelves with books everywhere about music and the arts, a desk with papers and papers galore, and a small figurine with a mask. I thought, “Just play in the moment with no boundaries.” The first song, Chopin’s Waltz in A flat Major Op.69 No.1, had a melancholy feel, and then slowly my fingers flew on the keys with a true waltz-like beat. The second song, Debussy’s Arabesque No.1, had a different style than the waltz. It had to be meticulously thought out, yet the hands had to look graceful and flawless with every movement.
Some of the other composers during this period are overpowering in the dynamics, rhythm, and tempo. Debussy’s music is more subtle. The piece of music I chose for the quite approachable is “Afro-American Symphony, IV” by William Still. Still’s work was quite approachable because his music related to so many people because of the subjects he chose. His music had this easy to listen to presence.
Jean Laffite was an American patriot, a famous pirate, and, a traitor to all. Laffite has spied for Britain, Spain, and America. Jean betrayed all but America. He was one of the best spies the united states had had at the time. He could hire other people to do his spying instead of risking his own life, but he did it all by himself.
The 33-minute ballet resembles a Pagan ritual from ancient Russia about a sacrificial virgin dancing herself to death for the arrival of spring. Vaslav
INTRODUCTION Debussy and his love for the mysterious realm of the antique are epitomized in his piano duets Six Épigraphes Antiques. The work evolved over an extended period to become a prime example of his style of composition. The poems Chansons de Bilitis written by his close friend Pierre Louÿs (1894) inspired Debussy to compose firstly Trois Chansons de Bilitis (1898) three songs for soprano and piano, then Chansons de Bilitis (1901) instrumental music to accompany the reading of a selection of Pierre Louÿs poems, and finally Six Épigraphes Antiques (1914) for piano four hands and eventually reduction for solo piano. These works contribute to a musical language that continues to influence and shape music today. Debussy was originally
Even if you are not a fan of classic ballet you get involved in the drama they are presenting. This music made me think about royalty; music you easily expect to hear when a king and queen are present. In The Rite of Spring the music is different from the Swan Lake because is non-traditional, is more ethnic, and appears to be spontaneous,
Western Literature serves as the foundation all literature. In Marie de France’s poetry, she incorporates the work of Homer, the Bible, and Ovid into her own poetry. Both Marie and Homer use detailed writing styles in order to portray their devotion to family and their Gods. Similarly, Marie borrows inspiration from the Bible in order to show her devotion to God as a savior. She also uses Ovid’s stories in order to depict morals throughout her fables.
The Rite was composed during the Russian Period and it is here that we start so see a change in compositions throughout Europe as it set in motion towards Serialism. Rhythm, folk melodies, harmonies and form are all central points, it was through his innovative use of rhythms that Stravinsky came to be recognised by Sergi Diaghilev. The founder of Ballet Russes, Diaghilev discovered Stravinsky in Russia and invited him to compose for his ballets. It was here that Stravinsky developed his own style, which we see looming by his irregular rhythms in Firebird and Petrushka. Petrushka composed in 1911, is based on a story of
Richard Wagner’s Influence on Claude Debussy The influence of Richard Wagner (1813-1883) in Europe was nearly inescapable, affecting both those musicians and composers who praised his music and those who rejected it. France was a country that tried to resist Wagner’s influence but ultimately failed because his music was so revolutionary. Even some of France’s finest composers were early Wagnerians such as Claude Debussy (1862-1918).
He chose to make a ballet blanc, which he composed for a refined instrumental force, manifested as a string orchestra of 34 instrumentalists: 8 first violins, 8 second violins, 6 violas, 4 first cellos, 4 second cellos and 4 double basses • Stravinsky had centered Apollo music in Greek mythology. • The prologue begins with dotted rhythms in the style of a French overture. • 1st Celliopes is a dramatic piece( muse of poetry – tablet) • 2nd polhymnia is a playful piece ( muse of acting and mime – mask) • 3rd
Debussy broke the mold so to speak in the 20th century of music by breaking away from the typical German style laid out by composers such as Beethoven as he often explored dreamy and distant sound worlds in an effort to stand out amongst his earlier peers of the classical period. He began to be drawn to the sounds of the pentatonic scales, whole tone scale, and sounds otherwise known in Asia as his music in comparison often contained a rather circular motion which broke away from the formers heroic cadential style of resolution. This breaks his music away as his was more of an ambient and distant much like the impressionist art movement happening at the same time being led by the likes of Monet and Van Gough. The Sunken Cathedral by Debussy exhibits many traits of the new impressionistic forum of 20th century composers as he exhibits many methods to place the listener into a dream-like state using melodic variation and connectivity amongst voice leading in order to achieve a watery type effect. This effect makes the listener feel as if they are floating along with the piece itself as he adds complexities to the music with the slow harmonic variation throughout the piece.
The female role in today’s society, is drastically different than the female role that took place in the 1800’s. The short story “The Kiss” by Kate Chopin gives an introspective look at a women in that time period deciding between wealth and lust. The two men in the story represent two extreme stereotypes, however their relationship with Nathalie is not quite so typical. How Nathalie interacts with the men in the story, as well as Nathalie’s thought process with each man, hints the reader to notice how Nathalie was a feminist in the beginning stages. Unlike a majority of Chopin 's stories, the main character Nathalie, is a strong willed women that possess no feelings of uncertainty or true mental conflict.
