# Scènes de ballet



## donnie a (Jan 15, 2015)

I'm interested in what others think of this Stravinsky work. I've just recently become acquainted with it, and, although it is certainly worth hearing, it doesn't sound among his best scores to me. Some parts of it sound very atypical, actually. Is the prevailing attitude that it is a lesser work?


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

It's a nice enough work, but not among his best scores (which is an extremely high bar).

Stravinsky himself called it "featherweight and sugared," but still "well made."


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

One of his less often played efforts in the genre, and subject of a delightful anecdote: it was commissioned by impresario Billy Rose for the revue Seven lively arts. Rose was bothered by the orchestration and sent a message: "great success - could be sensational if you authorize retouch orchestration by Russell Bennett" - to which Stravinsky replied: "satisfied with great success". The music as such holds up pretty well without ballet images, with strong melodic lines, and frankly should be heard more often in the concert hall.


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## donnie a (Jan 15, 2015)

:lol: I remember seeing that funny telegram exchange somewhere a long time ago, but didn't know this was the work it related to.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

It has its moments, but it's not among his best works for the stage or in general. The composer said the Pas de deux section with its wonderful trumpet melody was his favorite part, and I'm inclined to agree with him there.


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## dzc4627 (Apr 23, 2015)

i really like this piece. listen, you have to throw away the misconception that music should always be against the typical to hold a place as good stravinsky music. scenes de ballet, much like his danses concertantes, is a prime example of neoclassical stravinsky using techniques of the 'old masters' but adding a noticeable stravinskian flare. for example, the ending, which might be one of the most emotionally moving points in music for me, uses incredibly 'messy' major seventh chords to end (stravinsky used major sevenths in a TON of his stuff, especially neoclassical or things like agon). 

the beginning chords are very jazzy, and seem to represent the hollywood area he had taken residence in. much of the piece is very lighthearted and even humorous at times. there is really a simple beauty in the major scale that stravinsky was able to grasp. the last pantomime or maybe the variation before that is where it starts to really build up, and the ending is really something i have to say. has come close to bringing me to tears.

in conclusion, it might seem like a generic piece at first glance. i mean i thought the same when first listening to neoclassical stravinsky. i thought "hey no why is there no more rite of spring??! this is casual major garbage!" i was dumb then and could only appreciate music that went against the grain. i am by no means saying you are like that, as i do not know you or your tastes, but i highly recommend listening to this piece again and maybe some more neoclassical stravinsky and you might notice his touch on an old style.

(this is lengthy but this is because the piece has affected me a lot in terms of appreciating 'classical classical')


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## dzc4627 (Apr 23, 2015)

and i do really like that trumpet melody too...


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## donnie a (Jan 15, 2015)

Yes, I love the neoclassical scores of Stravinsky in general. I think it is probably his finest period.

I also like the beginning and ending pages of Scènes de ballet. However, that trumpet melody...that's the one part I actually _don't_ like. I have a hard time believing Stravinsky wrote that section, it sounds so un-Stravinskyan.


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## dzc4627 (Apr 23, 2015)

hmm, i can see that. though, in his song of the nightingale, he has a very similar trumpet melody. regardless, he was really experimenting with the, well, unexperimental. the melody is 'campy' so to speak, but in a grand way that i really enjoy. the piece is full of musical exaggerations and maybe in some few cases parody, though, it is not music that is meant to be taken completely seriously as a stepping stone i think, but rather just felt and absorbed. when i get in this mindset i find that it is truly beautiful and moving.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

donnie a said:


> Yes, I love the neoclassical scores of Stravinsky in general. I think it is probably his finest period.
> 
> I also like the beginning and ending pages of Scènes de ballet. However, that trumpet melody...that's the one part I actually _don't_ like. I have a hard time believing Stravinsky wrote that section, it sounds so un-Stravinskyan.


Really? It's not too far from some parts of Apollo or Persephone, the latter especially in the return of the melody with strings set in those big Stravinskian chords.


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## donnie a (Jan 15, 2015)

dzc4627 said:


> hmm, i can see that. though, in his song of the nightingale, he has a very similar trumpet melody.


Yes, that's a good comparison. It is similar, but I like that much better than this melody. I think those marvelous chords behind the one in Nightingale have a lot to do with it.


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## donnie a (Jan 15, 2015)

Mahlerian said:


> Really? It's not too far from some parts of Apollo or Persephone, the latter especially in the return of the melody with strings set in those big Stravinskian chords.


Can't think which parts of Apollo that would be-it's been awhile since I've heard it. I'm not familiar with Persephone at all-got to remedy that!


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

It's enjoyable as a kind of Tchaikovsky pastiche, but not nearly as fun as _Jeu de cartes_ from a little earlier. Stravinsky seems like a chameleon who could blend in with almost any style at all but still somehow sound like Stravinsky to me.


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## donnie a (Jan 15, 2015)

Yes, exactly. I love Jeu de cartes as well—one of my favorite scores of his.


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