Invisible Hands

Igor StravinskyGoogle Igor or
Happy Father’s Day
Igor by Pablo Picasso (via)

Youtube Tango for Piano

Igor Stravinsky was born in Oranienbaum, Russia in 1882. We can celebrate his birthday on two days, June 17 and 18. The Orthodox Eastern religion had a different calendar than North America. (via)


Played here by Fazil Say

Found video (interesting work) The Rite Spring – (Pina Bausch version here)

Stravinsky was committed, disciplined and precise.
Because each piece is different, and none is derivative, there are no “major” and “minor categories in Stravinksy’s output. Apollo is polyphonic, Persephone homophonic: Le Sacre uses huge orchestra, Hitoire du soldat a very small one: Threni is triadic, Movement is not: the Rake’s Progress lasts two and a half hours, Epitaphium lasts one and quarter minutes. All are equally part of the total ouput: each has its own, unique, aesthetic raison d’etre. (from Master Musicians – Stravinksy by Francis Routh)

Balanchine and Stravinsky

One of the most fertile partnerships in all of ballet wasn’t seen on stage, but was danced behind the scenes – the collaboration of composer Igor Stravinsky and choreographer George Balanchine. Both Russian artistic émigrés to the West, together they defined neoclassical ballet throughout the 20th century by forging an amazing creative bond that spanned 50 years and resulted in the creation of 30 ballets. As Charles M. Joseph shows in his fascinating study, Stravinsky and Balanchine: A Journey of Invention, both were also great showmen.