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Roberts

Relationships between Prince Ivan, the Firebird, and the Gray Wolf and The Firebird

Christopher J. Roberts

May 13, 2010

Music History II

Perkins

Igor Stravinsky’s Firebird was his break out work into the world of ballet. Throughout the course of looking into the relationship of his ballet with the traditional Russian children’s folktale, Prince Ivan, the Firebird, and the Gray Wolf, I have determined that the two stories are different because the overall plot and character development follow different courses. It is for this reason that I intend to give a brief overview of the traditional Russian folktale and compare and contrast it to the story told by Stravinsky’s ballet. I plan to explain the story through an analysis of the original score. In analyzing the score, the movements which I feel best outline the story of the ballet are as follows:

  • Movement III- “Appearance of the Firebird”
  • Movement IV- “Dance of the Firebird”
  • Movement V- “Ivan-Tsarevich Captures the Firebird”
  • Movement VI-“The Firebird’s Entreaties”
  • Movement VII- “The Princess’ Game with the Golden Apples”
  • Movement X- “Daybreak- Ivan-Tsarevich Enters Kastchei’s Palace”
  • Movement XI- “Magic Carillon, Appearance of Kastchei’s Guardian Monsters and the Capture of Ivan-Tsarevich, etc...”
  • Movement XIII-“Infernal Dance of All Kastchei’s Subjects”
  • Movement XIV- “Lullaby (The Firebird)”
  • Movement XV- “Disappearance of the Palace and Dissolution of Kastchei’s Enchantments, etc...”

Igor Stravinsky was born on June 18th, 1882 on the Gulf of Finland about thirty miles west of St. Petersburg. His father, Feodor Ignatievich, was a bass singer for the opera in St. Petersburg (Routh 1). Igor studied criminal law and philosophy at St. Petersburg University for four years; however, his time was mostly occupied by music. After his father died in 1902, Igor more seriously pursued his career in music and studied with Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov until his death in 1908 (Routh 3-4). Sergey Diaghilev, another student at St. Petersburg University and also another student of Rimsky-Korsakov, followed the young composer’s rise in talent from a close distance and, simultaneously, further developed the Ballets Russes with the young choreographer, Mikhail Fokine. (Routh 5)

After hearing only two of Stravinsky’s orchestral works performed, Diaghilev approached the young composer with the commission for The Firebird. Because this would require Stravinsky to put his opera aside for the time being and concentrate all his efforts into The Firebird to ensure it was done within six months, Stravinsky was apprehensive about agreeing (Routh 6-7). However, for years to come, a main point of Stravinsky’s distaste for composing ballets was his disagreement with choreographers. Many of them, including Fokine, believed that the music was merely to be written as a, “musical accompaniment to the choreographic poem.”(Routh 7)

Stravinsky, on the other hand, believed that it was the, “music that mattered first, last, and all the time. He desired, as he says explicitly in hisChronicles, the choreography should express ‘a plastic realization, flowing simply and naturally from what the music demanded’. For Stravinsky it was the music which made demands of the choreography, not vice versa. The dance makes explicit what is implicit in the score.”(Routh 12)

Although there were many problems and difficulties in the road leading to Stravinsky’s premier of The Firebird, in the end, he was eventually known to aworld wide audience including such notable composers as Debussy and Ravel. Also, following The Firebird, Stravinsky was nearly guaranteed a life-long relationship with Diaghilev. (Routh 8)

The traditional tale is about Prince Ivan and how his father’s apples are constantly

being stolen. Prince Ivan offers his assistance and stays in the orchard over night. Once the Firebird appears, he grabs at her but is only able to hold on to one tail feather. The next morning, he leaves on a journey to capture the Firebird. In his journeys, he comes across a wolf that offers to carry him wherever he needs to go. Upon arriving at the palace where the Firebird is kept, Prince Ivan is captured by the palace guards and is told the he must steal the white horse from a neighboring kingdom to earn the Firebird. He goes to steal the white horse and is told the he must kid knap a maiden from another neighboring kingdom to earn the white horse. After kid knapping the maiden, he falls in love with her and convinces the wolf to take on the appearance of the maiden and go to the kingdom. They take the white horse and continue on to the first palace. Prince Ivan then has the wolf change into the white horse and retrieves the Firebird. The white horse, Prince Ivan, the maiden, and the gray wolf continue back to Prince Ivan’s palace where they live happily ever after.(Whitney)

In the case of the Stravinsky’s version of the story, everything from the very beginning seems to be a slight variation. Rather than introducing the background of Prince Ivan, we first see King Kastchei, a character not present in the original tale. Then, we learn of the Firebird, who is kept in his garden. This appearance of the Firebird is the first important reference within the music to the story’s plot. The Appearance of the Firebird works as a foundation to reference back to. Throughout the entire ballet, the upper woodwinds, used quite often in their highest registers, represent the Firebird.

The third movement, “The Appearance of the Firebird”, begins with a tremolo in the second violins then, as if out of nowhere, two of the three harps enter in unison playing sixteenth note passage, which foreshadows the upcoming glissandos in the harp. These represent the bird leaping inexcitement (Appendix 1). This is followed at four measures before marker six by a four measure long tremolo in the flutes which represent the Firebird’s call (Appendix 2). The harps reenter here performing glissandos to continue building the Firebird’s calls (Appendix 3) until the climax at the end which leads into the fourth movement: “The Dance of the Firebird”.

In this upbeat movement in 6/8 time, Stravinsky first utilizes a waltz-like “boom-chick-chick” between the bass and second violins to invoke the idea of a dance (Appendix 4). Right away, the quick “bird-like” call, representative of the Firebird, comes in through the piccolo, flutes, and piccolo clarinet (Appendix 4). An interesting concept which is clearly represented in this movement is the idea of looking at the visual contour of the individual parts. The piccolo plays a descending line into the flutes, and then, continues down into the piccolo clarinet. This then goes back up into the piccolo (Appendix 5). This repeats multiple times and, while listening along, one is more aware of the Firebird jumping up and down in her dance.

In the course of her dance, she becomes aware of Prince Ivan sneaking upon her and “Ivan-Tsarevich Captures the Firebird” begins. When she does become aware, she attempts to sneak away. However, she is closely pursued by Prince Ivan and every time she makes a movement, he copies her. This is represented by the interplay of the flutes, piccolo, piccolo clarinet, and oboe as the Firebird against the violins and later violas as Prince Ivan (Appendix 6). Again, as in the previous movement, looking at the score can help to tell the story. As Prince Ivan, represented by the entire string section at this point, closes in on the Firebird, represented by the woodwinds, she becomes more and more frantic and begins to trap herself through her desperation (Appendix 7). Next, at marker twenty-four, the entire string section begins an ascending pattern into a shrill sixteenth note triplet passage in the piccolos and flutes (Appendix 8). This is indicative of Prince Ivan sneaking up and becoming more powerful whereas the Firebird is becoming more and more desperate to get away. At marker twenty-six, the flutes take over the melody and give the effect that the Firebird is gaining ground(Appendix 9) until the clarinet sneaks in with a similar chromatic melody and the alternation becomes shorter and shorter until both cut out and the muted horns come in with a pizzicato downbeat in the strings. Flutter-tonguing in the piccolo, flutes, and a triplet theme underneath in the piccolo clarinet symbolize the Firebird’s scream as she is captured by Prince Ivan (Appendix 10).

The sixth movement, “The Firebird’s Supplications” (also known as “The Firebird’s Entreaties”) is a somber follow up. As the title suggests, the Firebird, because of her capture, begins begging Prince Ivan to have mercy on her and to let her go. Because she is trapped and distressed, we see that her character is now represented by the bassoon and clarinets in the upper range of their registers (Appendix 11). Also, a repeated “single-double-triple” motive seems to develop starting in the second measure after marker thirty (Figure 1).

Figure 1

This theme represents the Firebird’s desperate plea and, as the movement progresses, the Firebird becomes more and more desperate as she screams higher and higher (first into the oboes (Appendix 12), then the flutes (Appendix 13) and finally, in her last ditch effort, the piccolos (Appendix 14), where the rhythm has now been condensed). Then, as the Firebird collapses from her exhaustion of pleading to Prince Ivan, he agrees. This all occurs at the meno mosso in marker forty-five where the horn enters and plays a rather relaxed and straight line as if nonchalantly saying, “I will let you go” (Appendix 15). Shortly after, the Firebird begins jumping in gratitude and presents the Prince with one of her feathers, but the Prince has quickly lost interest and has turned his attention to the Princesses.

In the seventh movement, “The Princess’ Game with the Golden Apples”, we are now introduced to new characters: The Thirteen Princesses. In this fanciful movement, we also see the first reference to the golden apples which were in the original story. However, in the context of Stravinsky’s version, the golden apples are now in King Kastchei’s garden rather than in King Vyslav Andronovich’s, the father of Prince Ivan. Unlike the other movements thus far, there is no set instrument that outlines a specific character. Rather, the piece emphasizes the concept of the setting and the idea of a game centered on playing with the precious golden apples of King Kastchei’s garden. The movement starts off with a light, playful interaction between the piccolo and the oboe then is followed by the flutes (Appendix 16). Something to be mentioned at this point is the fact that Stravinsky had a, “liking for high registers, for music ‘without bass,’ suspended in air” (Asaf’yev 17). This is important only in that it gives a reason as to why, thus far, all characters have been represented by the higher instruments of a given family. This preference for instruments in their higher registers will be shown throughout the rest of the analysis as well. At marker fifty-six in this movement, although the melody remains in the higher woodwinds, the playful feeling seems to be epitomized in the double bassuntil marker fifty-seven (Appendix 17).

While the Thirteen Princess’ are playing with the golden apples, they begin dancing. During this dance, Prince Ivan observes them and falls in love with one of the Princesses. They reenter the castle at the end of the dance and he decides to attempt to follow them in. Alas though, he is unable to get into the castle and must wait until morning.

In the tenth movement, “Daybreak- Ivan-Tsarevich Enters Kastchei’s Palace”, we have come to the point where, after waiting overnight, Prince Ivan begins preparing to enter King Kastchei’s Castle. As he makes his way towards the castle, he disrupts the monsters who guard King Kastchei’s palace, whom we now know is an ogre. At one measure before marker ninety-seven, we see a frantic change in style and tempo as the guards come bounding upon Prince Ivan. Then, right on marker ninety-seven, we see an increase in tempo and intensity as the strings give an upward run into the beginning of the eleventh movement, “Magic Carillon, Appearance of Kastchei’s Monster Guardians, and Capture of Prince Ivan, etc...”(Appendix 18).

This movement truly showcases Stravinsky’s yet-to-come reputation as the “Father of Neo-Classicism” in his use of the instruments as tools with which to create a wall of sound, color, and timbre which truly leaves emotion behind. The “melody” in the trumpets creates a rocking, uneasy feeling which continues to become more and more rhythmically sporadic (Appendix 19). This finally gives way when we reach marker one hundred and four and an alternation between the woodwinds and brass takes place (Appendix 20). Then, it quickly turns back into the more sporadic and severe mood with triplet and sixteenth triplet runs through the flutes and piccolo (Appendix 21). The alternation represents the monsters that guard King Kastchei’s palace as they “play with their food”. However, at the “Arrival of Kastchei, The Immortal” at marker 106, they quickly retreat and allow him to take over (Appendix 21). At this point, Kastchei confronts Ivan for breaking into his palace and attempting to follow the Princesses. The Firebird, hearing them, enters the chamber in an attempt to protect the Prince who has spared her and she is in debt to. Kastchei become angered and summons his monsters and the Firebird begins to cast her spell upon them in the thirteenth movement, “The Infernal Dance of All Kastchei’s Subjects.”

This explosive and most famous movement of Stravinsky’s Firebird begins with a drone between the timpani and basses to demonstrate the unprepared reaction of the monsters. This leads into a syncopated pattern in the bassoons with the aim of giving a forced, and awkward dance-like feel (Appendix 22). Leading into marker one hundred and thirty-four, the trombone and horn give foreshadowing to the ferocity with which the dance will eventually reach. This continues to build and build until it reachesmarker one hundred and thirty-six where the piccolo clarinet now takes over the same theme as what was in the bassoon (Appendix 23). Then, leading into marker one hundred and thirty-nine, Stravinsky’s “liking for high registers” (Asaf’yev 17), is showcased yet again as the melody goes into the first violins where their loftiness seems to contribute to the idea that the Firebird now has complete control over Kastchei’s monsters and that they are her puppets as she suspends them from her marionette strings to dance for her pleasure (Appendix 24). The mood remains as such until we reach marker one hundred and forty-six where the xylophone and trumpet take over a similar playful melody to characterize Kastchei’s guards still remaining under her control (Appendix 25). This same theme continues through until marker one hundred and fifty where a true dance takes place and the gracefulness and beauty of The Firebird is shown. Stravinsky’s use of texture and a collaging effect again contribute to the use of sound to create effects which leave emotion behind (Appendix 26). After returning back to the original idea of this movement, which pushes Kastchei’s guards to the point of exhaustion, the Firebird begins to wind down and the fourteenth movement, “Lullaby”, begins.

Now that Kastchei’s monsters are exhausted, the Firebird may put them to rest much easier and get rid of them so as to repay her debt to Prince Ivan. A simple, one-lined accompaniment in the harp and doubled in the violas remains as a droning, almost hypnotic effect which adds to the peacefulness of this particular lullaby (Appendix 27). Three measures in, the bassoon enters with the main theme (Figure 2).

Figure 2

At marker one hundred and eighty-five, the entire character of the lullaby changes (Appendix 28). Rather than the melody in the bassoon with the harp accompaniment that leads to a un-Stravinsky sound, we revert back to suspended feeling and characteristic use of woodwinds and strings in their highest registers to give the effect of floating above the music. This can be interpreted as the Firebird banishing all of the guards and King Kastchei away. After this section, at marker one hundred and eighty-six, the bassoon and harp reenter to restate the same theme as at the beginning (Appendix 29). This segues smoothly back into the finale which begins with an extremely melancholy feel.