The Neo-Baroque as hypostasis of the Neo-Classicism in the creation of

Igor Stravinski
Assistant Professor, PhD Gabriela Vlahopol
A visionary by excellence, Igor Stravinsky defined his aesthetic credo since the early
years of artistic affirmation, being fascinated by the perennial values of archaic cultures
!nlike his contemporaries, he rarely uses the resort of "uotation, having instead an ama#ing
capacity for invention, $hich allo$ed him to easily make transition from one $ay of
composing to another, from complex rhythmic, modal, polytonal and melodic folk structures
to various pre classical and classical musical structures, arriving even at research into %a## and
serial music
&he term Neo-Classicism, as it $as kno$n in the '()*s, has its roots in the political
movement manifested at that time, predominantly in the +rench space It has been developed
from the general anti,German attitude that $as dominating the -estern .urope after the
-orld -ar I and subse"uently to the -orld -ar II In the artistic circles, this anti,German
mentality had in sight the traditions of the romantic and expressionist art
At that time, in music, the /omanticism $as symboli#ed by the $orks of -agner and
0ahler, $hose creations $ere summari#ing the /omantic ideals of spirit and transcendent
&he music $as released from the rules and limits previously imposed by the classical age,
leaving space for the free forms, evoked by the imagination of composers &he music $as
becoming increasingly associated $ith literature and thus becomes programmatic in its
essence, based on the principle that music can express emotions more elo"uently than the
$ord itself
Stravinski1s vie$s on -agner1s music provide a clear direction on his conception of
composition and hence its current reporting to the neoclassical current2 The concept of
musical form does not exist in Wagers music: he reduces the formal structure to a complete
subordination to the text, although it should be reserved.
'

&herefore, all sentimental and emotional aspects, harmonies and forms associated $ith
the music of -ager $ere denied by the 3eo,4lassical movement 0oreover, one of the main
'
Scott 0essing, Neoclasscism in Music: rom the !enesis of the Concept Through the "choenberg#"travins$%
&olemic 5/ochester, 362!niversity of /ochester Pres, '(77, '))8 apud 9ames 9 -ood, 9r, :0, 00, '
(%storical and 'nal%tical )xamination of the "travins$% ;ctet for -ind Instrumens, *ith a !uide to
&erformance &reparation of the t*o Trumpets &arts, Dissertation Prepared for the Degree of Doctor of 0u#ical
Arts, !niversity of 3orth &exas, 0ay )**<, p <
reference points of 3eo,4lassicism is the one provided by the music of '<
th
,'=
th
centuries,
creating a so,called Neo-+aro,ue direction &he age of flo$ering of the autonomous
instrumental genres, called >pre,classic1 or >old1, also considered >the age of general bass1
instead of >:aro"ue age1, returns into the attention of creators &he ample 3eo,:aro"ue
openings are manifesting in terms of form and methods of composition &he symphonic and
chamber orchestral $orks are going a$ay from the programmatic principle, and the suite for
orchestra, the concert, the symphony, the cycles of plays or of symphonic variations, the
instrumental vocal genre of :aro"ue 5cantata, oratorio8 prevailing the symphonic poem
&he renaissance and the resi#ing of :aro"ue suite for soloist of orchestra instrument
represent the product of searching the simple forms, the preference for organi#ing the plays in
cycle, ordering the component movements by alternating the tempo, the musical character and
expression, but especially the means of disciplining the linear and polilinear $riting Another
phenomenon characteristic to the 3eo,:aro"ue orientation is marked by leaving the large and
developer forms in favour of the coordinate of chamber music and the one for small groups, a
phenomenon demonstrated by the large number of concerti grossi, "uartets, "uintets, and
octets ;ther forms are also in the public eye2 +ugue, &occata, Passacaglia or 4iaccona and
techni"ues of composition, $hich, combined, give rise to different instances of cycles2
variations and ugue, introduction, &assacaglia and ugue, Toccata and variations,
variations, interlude and final, etc
&he composers like Stravinsky, :?la :art@k, Paul Aindemith, Serghei Prokofiev,
Darius 0ilhaud, ;ttorino /espighi, +erruccio :usoni, +rancis Poulenc and .rik Satie $ere
oriented to$ards a revival of traditional harmonies, considered less sentimental, but also
to$ards a reappraisal of the old modal intonations, $hether medieval or not, highlighting the
characteristic >in an old fashion $ay1 In the techni"ues of composition, the counterpoint $as
one of the processes that have captured the attention of many creators, o$ning a decisive role
in the Stravinskian creation2 it is the architectural base of all music, regulating and directing
the entire composition. Without counterpoint, the music loses its consistenc% and rh%thm
)

Despite these returns to these old forms and harmonies, clearly structured, these aspects $ere
combined $ith the dissonant melody, $ith the fre"uent use of ostinato, $ith rhythmic
complexes and uni"ue instrumental combinations, creating a personal style integrated to the
sound system of the t$entieth century
)
Scott 0essing, Neoclasscism in Music: rom the !enesis of the Concept Through the "choenberg#"travins$%
&olemic, ibidem, p 'BB
&he 3eo,4lassical orientation $as manifested in the Stravinkian creation in a
considerable number of $orks, starting $ith &ulcinella and ending $ith The -a$e.s &rogress
opera, considered the pinnacle and the end of the Stravinskian 3eo,4lassicism :ut the 3eo,
:aro"ue direction manifests itself mainly in a fe$ distinct $orks It is note$orthy the fact that
none of the 3eo,4lassical or 3eo,:aro"ue aesthetic $orks of Stravinski belongs exclusively
to one of t$o directionsC the composer combines the elements of the classical music thinking
5genres, forms, melodic, harmonic and rhythmic structures, construction methods8 $ith those
belonging to the :aro"ue aesthetics and modern elements
Stravinski1s first 3eo,4lassical $ork arose from Diaghilev1s re"uest to compose music
for one of his ballets, this time starting from the music of one of the music composer of the
eighteenth century, Giovanni :attista Pergolesi &ulcinella :allet 5'('(8 $as inspired by the
commedia dellarte characters, trend highly publici#ed at that time 5&ierrot /unaire of Arnold
SchDnberg $as composed also in that period8 &ulcinella $as conceived for three vocal
soloists 5soprano, tenor and bass8 and a relatively small chamber orchestra, divided into
concertino and ripieno, preserving thus the origins of :aro"ue music, although there is no
instrument $ith role of continuo Stravinski revised the plays that Diaghilev presented to him
as a starting point in a personal manner2 by fractionating the continuity of melodic lines by
using the repetition on phrases or by their extension and deformation of rhythmic harmony
&his approach did not result in a complete orientation of the composer to$ards 3eo,
4lassicism, but Stravinski admitted that this experience opened his hori#ons to a ne$ stylistic
direction 0&ulcinella *as the personal discover% of the past, the revelation through *hich m%
entire later creation became possible
B
&his discovery of the past $as about to become the
foundation of Stravinskian 3eo,4lassicism
Approaching the dramatic forms of :aro"ue, in order to transpose the ample and grand
sonority of the oratorio and cantata 5$hich, in their time of flo$ering, $ere sung in
cathedrals8 into the modern version, Stravinski composes 1edipus -ex opera,oratorio and
"%mphon% of &salms
1edipus rex 5'()<8 is made after the text of the tragedy $ith the same name by
Sophocles, the text being sung in Eatin 0ade in a ne$ scenic vision, the $ork provides a
narrator $hose role it to comment, to expose and to anticipate the stage action, and a series of
characters that remain almost immovable, in impressive costumes, symboli#ing the stiffness
B
/obert 4raft $ith Igor Stravinsky, Memories and Commentaries 5Eondon2 +aberF+aber, )**)8, 'B= apud
9ames 9 -ood, 9r, :0, 00, ' (%storical and 'nal%tical )xamination of the "travins$% ;ctet for -ind
Instrumens, *ith a !uide to &erformance &reparation of the t*o Trumpets &arts, Dissertation Prepared for the
Degree of Doctor of 0u#ical Arts, !niversity of 3orth &exas, 0ay )**<, p7
and hardness of the ancient times At the sound level, the composer calls the past models,
$hich tone of incantation could be exploited musically &he language used is generally
composed of common melodic formulas, tono,modal harmonic se"uences, moulded in
traditional architectonic forms 0usic is mostly dominated by the minor mode, although is
trying to achieve the brightness of the ma%or mode in many of its moments -hile music
makes full use of the elements of traditional tonalities, at the same time, they seem detached
from the context of the drama, almost depersonali#ed 5for example, 4reon1s Aria in C ma2or
contains a strange sounding, out of the dramaturgic context8 0oreover, the composer
abandons in this $ork those rhythmic changes characteristic to the previous $orks in favour
of a pulsation of ostinato All these combined elements create for the listener a vivid musical
description of an impersonal fate, $hich forces ;epid until its abandon
"%mphon% of &salms 5'(B*8 for mixed choir and orchestra is made up of three parts2
prelude, double fugue and 'llegro, each based on a Eatin psalm Although it is called
s%mphon%, the composer provides an explanation of his intentions about the $ork2 34t is not a
s%mphon% in *hich 4 have included Psalms in order to be sung, but 4 s%mphoni5ed this singing
of the PsalmsG
H
Although done in a modern manner of architectural chaining, the $ork is in
line $ith the neo,baro"ue aesthetics through the polyphonic mastery 5imitations, stretto,
multiple countersub%ects8, through the monumentality of the construction and the austere,
sober, archaic expression
Concerto for &iano and Wind 4nstruments 5'()B,'()H8 marks the return to the
concerted style, to the instrumentalism of the preclassical era Divided into three parts, the
$ork highlights the stylistic paths that originate in the :aro"ue monumentality of Aandel, in
the structures of :ach and Scarlatti 5from the allegro sections8
&he con"uest of the chamber coordinate, the rediscovery of the sonority of the
ensembles reduced as number of instrumentists should determine the creation of some
original $orks that sho$ a conservative attitude, an ob%ectification of the expression,
cultivating polyphonic $ritings and traditional sonorous expressions In this respect, 4oncerto
in 6 73+asle38 for string orchestra 79:;<8, Capriccio pour piano et orchestra 79:=<-9:=:8
and Concerto in )-flat 6umbarton 1a$s >-v-9:?> 79:?@-9:?>8 are re,editations of the
:randenburg :ach type of concert &he $ork is placed in the category of chamber concerts,
the modern correspondent of the concerto grosso genre, dominant for the typical neo,baro"ue
sonorous expression, having as trade mark the rule of the tonal factor, the rhythmical,
melodical density specific to baro"ue and the massiveness of the architecture
Concerto per due pianoforti soli 5'(BI8 integrates in the same concerting spirit, but
only at the level of sound and $riting complexity, not in terms of instrumentation, its four
parts marking the affiliation of the composer to the :aro"ue polyphony, and $ell as to the
rigorous formal spirit of classical and ante,classical periods2 Con moto, Notturno2 'dagietto,
Auattro varia5ioni and &reludio e fuga
The Octet for $ind instruments 5'()B8 is entirely impregnated $ith the :ach1s music,
but oriented to$ards the >bouffe1 style by /ossini means &he $ork directs the sound speech
to$ards a dimension ob%ectified in a net manner $ith profiles aiming the hardness, the
searches in timbre and colour field being eliminated in favour of linearism Speaking about
the choice of instrumentation, the composer said2 The *ind instruments seem to me more
capable than other instruments to impose a certain rigidit% of the form that 4 have in mind B
the *ind instruments, for example, *hich are less cold and vague. The gracefulness of the
string instruments can itself lead to more subtle nuances and can serve better to the
individual sensibilit% of the performer in *or$s designed on 0emotional basis. M% 1ctet is not
an 0emotional *or$, b% a musical composition based on ob2ective elements *hich are
sufficient in themselves
;

-e $ill further highlight some aspects sho$ing the affiliation of 1ctet to $ind
instruments at the 3eo,:aro"ue orientation, aspects that are presented in a great measure in
all $orks of the composer included in this stylistic orientation
1. Sound architectures
&he first part of the $ork is entitled "infonia, $ith the old sense of the term >singing
together1, of an extended consonance on timbre level In formal terms, the composer uses the
pattern of sonata in its modern stance, $here the t$o themes are freely follo$ing each other,
$ithout tonal impositions &he idea of expressive contrast bet$een the t$o thematic
articulations is much diminished by the imitative process used in their exposure 5the first in
stretto, the second in fugato8, thus, the character of sonata is taking more from the
characteristics of a double +ugue, $here the developer segment contains no thematic reprise
Another 3eo,:aro"ue characteristic is marked $ith the choral character of the
introduction that precedes the first part of the $ork, segment that ends on a cadence on the
dominant position of the basic tone, preparing the start of the main theme in unison

H
.ric -alter -hite, "travins$%: The Composer and his Wor$s 5:erkeley, 4A2 !niversity of 4alifornia Press,
)nd .d, '(<(8, p I<H apud 9ames 9 -ood, 9r, :0, 00, ' (%storical and 'nal%tical )xamination of the
"travins$% ;ctet for -ind Instrumens, *ith a !uide to &erformance &reparation of the t*o Trumpets &arts, p
'*
In the second part, Tema con Caria5ioni, Stravinski uses a combination of several
principles of form, overlapping the variability, the rondo and the association of variation $ith
finality in +ugato &he principle of alternation is not based on the theme itself, but its first
variation, $hich occurs freely bet$een its different variants &hese are obtained by treating
the variation principle in a modern manner, recreating the pattern by rhythmic transformation
5var A8, rhythmic,melodic transformation, using the dotted rhythmic cell and eliminating the
leaps 5var :8, transposition in $alt# rhythm 5var 48, rhythmic augmentation 5var D8,
metrical and intervallic change 5var .8 &he last variation is a +ugue $ith an intense
chromatic character, C ma2or being settled on the basic centre to finally It is the slo$est
variability of the $hole movement, allo$ing the chromatic harmony to create a sober and
strange tone
&he last part, inale is a pseudo,rondo, a free implementation of the principle of
alternation, $hich combines the imitative polyphony, rhythmic ostinato and choral structure
&he freedom of the form is given by the free chaining of the refrain and couplets, $ith a
boundary of great moment of the form marked in terms of $riting and texture Ao$ever, the
theme $ill not hold uni"ue exposures, but it $ill be holding moments of variational type or
varied or concentrated reprises, so that the entire structure ac"uires the character of ritornello
form used extensively in the :aro"ue period
&able ' J Igor Stravinski , 1ctet, structure of Part III
',B<
&heme A
/epeating theme A
Variation of theme A
A
B=,I7
&ransition
&heme :
I7,I(
7*,('
Interlude
/eturn to &heme A
(),')<
&heme 4 Phrygian 4 ma%or
&heme A1
&heme 4 partial
4horal 5m '*(8
')=,'I(
&heme A fragments
'7*,'=7
4onclusion , 4horal
2. Construction methods
&he thing that approaches the 1ctet for $ind instruments to :ach1s music is the
melodic construction based on the continuous se"uencing of rhythmical and melodic cells, the
pulsating character printed by the obstinance of forms $ith identical structure, ascending and
descending scalar structure of many melodic segments, sometimes even arpeggios, in
compliance $ith the norms of melodic construction specific to :aro"ue 5leap solved by
$alking slo$ly to the contrary8, motivic se"uencing
Ex. 1 sequencing 5part III, mark <' m ),78
Ex. 2 scalar isorhythmic passages 5part III, mark 7B m ',78
Ex. 3 arpeggios figurations 5part I, mark 'B m ',H8
3. Polyphonic methods
I

&he three basic categories of polyphonic methods used by Stravinski in 1ctet,
imitative, non,imitative and rene$ed traditional methods, represent the sum of the means of
I
&he sub%ect is discussed in detail in the article ModalitDEi de prelucrare polifonicD Fn ;ctetul pentru instrumente
de suflat de 4gor "travins$i 5Methods of pol%phonic processing in the ;ctet for $ind instruments b% 4gor
"travins$i8, in 'rtes 3o I, )**I, >!eorge )nescu !niversity of Arts, IaKi
traditional counter,punctual applied in their :aro"ue stance, as $ell as their adaptation to the
modern means of language and $riting &he most extensively used method is imitation, in its
strict stance or the sub%ectLans$er one in fugato manner, being exploited primarily as a means
of thematic exposure
If the non,imitative polyphony is used less often because of the special attention given
to the clarity of $riting and sound expression, being present only in the individuality of the
melodic plans in the counter,punctual speech, the rene$ed traditional methods fit the
Stravinski for the ostinato in his various hypostases2 rhythmic pedals, melodic pedals, vertical
and multiple isorythmic obstinance or overlapping of different rhythmic plans Ao$ever, the
perpetual change of accents, the use of alternative measures, the syncopated rhythm and
multiple inserts of rhythmic pauses determines the creation of polyrhythmic and polymetric
moments
Ex. polyrhythmics !polymetrics 5part III,a, mark IB8
Ao$ever, the linear polyphonic thinking combined $ith a modal,tonal conception on
the sound system leads to moments of thematic overlappings or of melodic lines $ith o$n
tonal or modal route, creating thus polytonalism effects 5polymodalism8
. Colour intentions
Stravinski sho$s, in the $orks before the 1ctet, a gro$ing interest in timbre
expressivity, so that in this $ork he carefully chooses the instrumentation, as $ell as the
arrangements for handling its expressing capacities to obtain a $ork $here the emphasis is on
the ob%ectification of expression &he composer $ill achieve this desire of an ob%ective $ork
instead of a >sentimental1 one by accessing several factors2 instrumentation 5as pointed out
above, the preference for rigid, cold timbres8, dynamics, form and harmony
Stravinski had a particular conception of the dynamics2 The reason 4 composed this
t%pe of music for an octet for *ind instruments is as follo*s: first, because this assembl%
forms a complete sound scale and it constantl% provides me a sufficientl% rich registration:
secondl%, because the difference in volume of these instruments ma$e the music architecture
more obvious. 'nd this is the most important issue in all m% recent *or$s. 4 excluded from this
*or$ all t%pes of nuances, *hich 4 replaced *ith intoning these volumes of instruments. 4
excluded all nuances bet*een forte and pianoG 4 $ept onl% forte and piano. Thus, forte and
piano represent in m% *or$ onl% the d%namic limits that determine the functionalit% of the
volume of instruments
7
. &hus, the composer1s indication provides not only the observance of
the natural sonorities of instruments, but also an approach of dynamics similar to the one used
in ante,classical period, $here the range of nuances $as relatively limited, the sound contracts
representing the appanage of the romantic expressiveness
Despite this comment on the natural dynamic differences bet$een the instruments, the
composer1s statement on the exclusive use of the nuances of forte and piano is not factual In
reality, the 1ctet includes a complete dynamics, from pianissimo to fortissimo &he cold
sobriety of the $ork is obtained by the balance of the instrumental $riting, by the timbre
combinations and by alternating the area of density and thinning, as $ell as by the
predominant use of the polyphonic $riting
Conclusions
The thing that characteri5es the "travins$is genius is his appetite for *hat is
concrete
@
. &hat might explain the attraction that the composer manifested to pure sounds,
polyphonic sounds and symmetry of classical and ante,classical constructions, and the deep,
rooted values of -estern art music
&he spirit of >returns1 of Stravinski is not the one of copying classical composers, but
his purpose is to restate, in a ne$ and original manner, the existing language elements2
harmonies, chords, melodic motifs, architectonical structures, construction techni"ues
&he entire set of constructive and architectural methods accessed in the 1ctet for *ind
instruments by Igor Stravinski results in a $ork that represents not only an experiment of the
7
.ric -alter -hite, "travins$%: The Composer and his Wor$s, p I<I apud 9ames 9 -ood, 9r, :0, 00, '
(%storical and 'nal%tical )xamination.., op cit, p '*
<
Georgescu, Eisette J 4nterviu cu )rnest 'nsermet despre 4gor "travins$i, /evista 0u#ica, <L'(<', p ))
ne$ aesthetic, but a restoration of some values neglected and lost in a personal and modern
manner, updated to the expressive re"uirements of the t$entieth century
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