The Firebird clearly shows Stravinsky on the cusp of a new world, mixing the orchestral mastery of his Russian mentors with the rhythmic vitality of the revolutionary about to burst out of his shell.
Thomas May writes and lectures about music and theater and is a frequent contributor to Los Angeles Philharmonic programs. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Firebird Suite version Igor Stravinsky. About this Piece. But Lyadov was a notoriously slow worker — and when it became clear, in the autumn of , that he was never going to make the deadline, Diaghilev took a chance on the young Stravinsky instead. Starting only in December and working flat out through the winter, Stravinsky somehow had the short score ready in March , and the full score by mid-May.
It was a huge success, acclaimed by critics and audience alike. There, he sees and is smitten by The Firebird. Though he tries to grab her, she makes her escape but gives him one of her feathers and tells him to wield it if ever he is in difficulty. Ivan waves the feather, at which point The Firebird reappears. Ivan and Tsarevna marry, to great rejoicing. But that story and the magically vivid way that the music tells it still need to be given full value. The orchestral virtuosity required is about as demanding as you can get.
Yet if you allow its performers too much reassuring space, then the drama risks being short-changed. As ever, Rattle never rushes his players. Stravinsky used several ideas from works by Rimsky-Korsakov in his score. Koschei's "Infernal Dance" borrows the highly chromatic scale Rimsky-Korsakov created for the character Chernobog in his opera Mlada. The ballet centers on the journey of its hero, Prince Ivan. While hunting in the forest, he strays into the magical realm of Koschei the Immortal, whose immortality is preserved by keeping his soul in a magic egg hidden in a casket.
Ivan chases and captures the Firebird and is about to kill her; she begs for her life and he spares her. As a token of thanks she offers him an enchanted feather which he can use to summon her should he be in dire need.
Prince Ivan then meets thirteen princesses who are under the spell of Koschei and falls in love with one of them. The next day, Ivan confronts the magician and eventually they begin quarrelling. When Koschei sends his minions after Ivan, he summons the Firebird. She intervenes, bewitching the monsters and making them dance an elaborate, energetic dance the "Infernal Dance".
The creatures and Koschei then fall into a deep sleep. While they sleep, the Firebird directs Ivan to a tree stump where the casket with the egg containing Koschei's soul is hidden.
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