Stravinsky was no stranger to pushing boundaries when he premiered the Rite of Spring in 1913. He had had immense success the previous year with his reimagining of the Russian folk tale of Petrushka. In that piece, as well, Stravinsky took liberties with his writing and the plot of the story. However, the liberties taken in the music for The Rite of Spring were far greater and more surprising than past compositions by him, or any other mainstream composer of the time. Coupled with the unusual choreography by Nijinsky, the event was understandably shocking to an audience unaccustomed to the sounds and sights they were experiencing.
Given today’s musical landscape- Madonna’s book “Sex,” Janet Jackson’s “wardrobe malfunction,” everything about Miley Cirus- I would be surprised if a similar riot happened today. However, considering the cultural attitudes of a century ago, it’s not so difficult to appreciate how the riots occurred during Stravinsky’s work.
Right from the very beginning, the ballet is unique for its time. One of the most melodic moments of the entire piece occurs as the introduction- the high baboon solo. However, soon the music “blooms” into an array of woodwind trills, trumpet calls, and a general swirling of non-melodic material. This opening is reminiscent of movie music, creating a sense of suspense. However, in this work, the suspense does not evaporate in one audience-shocking moment, but rather builds and fades repeatedly throughout the entire piece.
As the dancers first appear on stage, there is a very rhythmic motif that, coupled with the imagery on stage, immediately reminds the listener of a pagan dance. Soon, the timpani enters with the timpanist using hard mallets. The resulting sound is instantly reminiscent of ritualistic drumming, or even the drums of war. This creates an immediate tension and excitement in the music. One critic at the time commented that the notes never go exactly where you expect them to (telegraph.co.uk). The effect is at once uncomfortable, but yet novel and interesting.
The choreography to this work is also quite unusual. When a ballet company takes the stage, one expects to see the epitome of human grace. This work, however, employs movements that seem much more mundane that what one would expect. The ritualistic nature of the music is also clear in the dancing, as there are many group dances with repeated steps that remind one of folk dancing.
Together, the dissonances in the music, and the stiffer and simpler dancing style succeed at instilling tension in the listener. The ballet’s own effectiveness at conveying emotion may have been the very reason that the riots ensued.
While audience members were infuriated by what was included in Stravinsky’s work, Cage’s 4’33” achieved the same result through omission. I find Cage’s own words on the subject interesting. It is widely reported that he spoke of how during the premiere one could hear sounds of nature such the wind and the rain hitting the building. He also mentions how the audience didn’t understand that their very grumbles and agitation was part of the music.
Cage’s music is heavily influenced by philosophy, forcing the listener to confront not only their own ideas about what music is, but also to confront themselves. It’s interesting to consider that the very fact that there’s debate over whether or not 4’33” even qualifies as music is a victory for Cage. As Cage pointed out, the one thing that sound and silence have in common is duration. Considering that fact, why wouldn’t it be appropriate for a composer to explore the use of silence? Exploration and innovation has always been a part of the musical culture. In 1913 it took the form of The Rite of Spring, in the 50s, it was 4’33”.
But what is perhaps more interesting, is the idea that Cage forces us to confront ourselves in a profoundly intimate way. Considering that standard concert etiquette for audience members dictates that you make no unnecessary noises, or even leave your seat while a performance is in progress, the result of the piece should be absolute silence. Consequently, the audience is forced into a mild sort of sensory deprivation. In general, our culture is not accustomed to silence. We’re accustomed to constant input, be it from the radio, the television, our phones, or what have you. To suddenly be thrust into confronting silence can be quite a jarring event.
I think, considering Cage’s philosophical leanings, it’s not overreaching to assume he was interested in forcing listeners to confront the moment, and, consequently, to confront themselves. Where does one’s mind go when the environment suddenly goes still? At the premier, many people’s minds filled with anger. However, is that more of a commentary on the music, or on the person listening? Was the appropriate reaction to incriminate the music, or to incriminate one’s self? By forcing us to confront these types of questions, cage forces us to confront the very essence of how we view ourselves.
It is interesting how both works make us confront things we find uncomfortable. I think that’s a large part of why people had such strong reactions initially, and also why many people today find them so enjoyable. Music relies on tension and release, just as life does. The two pieces being considered here employed forms of tension in a much greater proportion than they did release. However, does that invalidate them? We may find that tension uncomfortable, but, if so, it is only because the music succeeded in evoking an emotional reaction. It seems to me that that is the ultimate goal of virtually all types of music.
It is difficult to imagine what music would need to be like today to elicit a similar reaction. Popular music has already pushed the boundaries so far, that it seems as though we’ve become numb to novelty. Although the reactions that people had to these two pieces were largely negative, at least they received some type of reaction. As they say, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
I found both of these pieces to be very interesting works of art, though perhaps not what I’d put on around the house. These works are challenging, for certain, but they are also rewarding. The Rite of Spring isn’t what one would consider a stereotypical ballet, but it’s engaging and enjoyable none the less. Cage’s work is almost a philosophy lesson as much as it is a musical work, asking us to confront our own assumptions and biases. Both works are worthy of study and enjoyment.
Works Cited
Hewette, Ivan. The Rite of Spring 1913: Why did it provoke a riot?. The Telegraph, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2014.
