1.Explain how we can see Stravinsky as an anti-romantic composer?

The junction of 19 and 20 centuries was the cornerstone in music world when Romaticism
gradually made way for neoclassical movement. Composers of neoclassicism longed for tonal
music, the traditions of their country, at the same time sought to restore clarity in musical forms,
harmony, avoided emotionality, used the genres and polyphony of classicism and previous
epochs (especially baroque). We can say that the composers of neoclassicism prefered many
ideas but romanticism.
One of the most important and influential composers of the 20th century, the father of modern
music, a musician of many „faces“ Igor Stravinsky is famous because of his constantly
reinventing musical taste and style. In the beginning of his career, he wrote compositions for
colorful orchestrations, enriched with Russian folk music motifs. Such is the music of his very
few survived early works and a ballet “The firebird”. His works of so called "Russian" period
characterize as containing harmonies and other musical structures that every other XIX c.
composer would have used. Moreover,the melodies he used are easy, traditional and memorable.
Later, changing the place of residence, his style changed as well. In Switzerland, and later in
France and US, the composer confessed that he wants to create a revolutionary music –
therefore, since the 1920s. until the middle of 20th century the composer was greatly influenced
by neoclassicism.
Moreover, to really contradict the Romanticism ideas Stravinsky used a term „music about
music“ whish means that his music doesn‘t refer to emotions but only to other music. The
composer doesn‘t engage in emotional self-exspression but sees himself as a „homo faber“ who
simply orders musical elements.
The diversity and innovation of Igor Stravinsky's music are crearly noticible by listening his
works from different periods in which the sharpness of rhythms and revolutionary harmonies,
irony and humor, colorful orchestral montages, jazz intonations, difficulty in analizing the music
in traditional ways, spirit and revived forms of previous centuries are reflected. In this way,
starting with „Petrushka“ he left 19th century behind with all his romantic features.

2.What does Schönberg mean with the term emancipation of the dissonant?

In the last century the concept of harmony has changed incredibly due to significant development of
chromatism as well as establishment of an extended tonality. Consequently, because of these changes, a
lot of new sounds, such as dissonances appeared. That led to new perception of music and people had
gradually become acquinted with sounds which they were not familiar before, their ears had an chance
to get used to what is new. According to Arnold Schoenberg, the difference between consonances and
dissonances is not the degree of beauty, but the greater or lesser degree of comprehensability.
Therefore, closer aquintace of more uncommon intervals or chords gradually eliminated audience’s
difficulty of understanding them and finally admitted the freedom of dissonances in music.

 “Fire bird” (art is an escape. Dream, farytalle) he uses harmonies and other musical
structures that every other XIX c. composed would have used. Memorable, traditional,
easy melody

 However, “Petrushka” (art is artificial, it is not imitation of a real life) is a revolutionary

piece. Difficult to repeat melody because it is irregular. Melody construction – a lot of
motives. Unpredictability.
 Montage technique/material – static material but presented in unpredictable order
(beginning of petrushka)
 This music can not be analized in tradicional ways.
 Tone collectios – tonal music but leaving or adding some certain tones.
 Harmony is revolutionary as well.
 Time signature is not heard.
 With “Petrushka” he leaves 19th century behind.
 Stravinsky’s creation life is divided into: Russian period, Neo-classical period and 12
tone period.
 Reinvents his style all the time
 Revived classical forms
 Irony, humor in music.
 Using “wrong” notes