Igor Stravinsky

Igor Stravinsky was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor, widely considered one of the most important and influential figures in 20th-century music. Born in Oranienbaum near St. Petersburg, he was the son of Fyodor Stravinsky, a principal bass at the Mariinsky Theatre. Although he initially studied law at St. Petersburg University, he turned to music under the guidance of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. His early career was defined by his collaboration with Sergei Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes in Paris, for which he composed three ballets that brought him international fame: The Firebird (1910), Petrushka (1911), and The Rite of Spring (1913). The premiere of the latter provoked a legendary riot and established him as a revolutionary force in music.

Following the outbreak of World War I and the Russian Revolution, Stravinsky did not return to Russia, living instead in Switzerland and then France, where he obtained citizenship in 1934. During this era, he transitioned into his Neoclassical period, moving away from the large orchestras and Russian folklore of his early works toward clarity, balance, and forms inspired by the 18th century. Notable works from this time include the ballet Pulcinella, the opera-oratorio Oedipus Rex, and the Symphony of Psalms. He also established himself as a performer, touring as both a conductor and pianist of his own works.

In 1939, after the deaths of his daughter, wife, and mother, Stravinsky moved to the United States, settling in Los Angeles and becoming a naturalized citizen in 1945. His American period initially continued his neoclassical style with works such as the opera The Rake's Progress (1951). However, in the 1950s, he underwent a significant stylistic shift by adopting serialism and twelve-tone techniques, influenced by the Second Viennese School. Major compositions from this final period include Agon, Threni, and Requiem Canticles.

Stravinsky remained active as a conductor well into his later years, recording the vast majority of his catalogue for Columbia Records, which remain important references for interpretation. In 1962, he made a historic return visit to the USSR, where he was warmly received. He died in New York in 1971 and was buried on the island of San Michele in Venice, Italy, near the grave of Sergei Diaghilev.

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