Discover the Rhythm: Top 11 Unbelievable Fun Facts About Igor Stravinsky and His Parisian Adventures

1. The Rite of Rocky Start

Let's taco 'bout the rhythm of the night: Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" stirred major controversy and had a rocky start, but its cutting-edge use of tonality and rhythm catapulted it to global renown, now hailed as a game-changing classic that continues to inspire musicians in modern times.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. From Law School to Symphony Hall

Who said lawyers can't be musical geniuses, am I right? Well, here's Exhibit A: Igor Stravinsky casually studied criminal law and legal philosophy at the University of Saint Petersburg before realizing he has an unparalleled passion for music: Swapping courtroom drama for composing symphonies, Stravinsky went on to create his first piece, Symphony in E-flat, under the tutelage of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, and eventually composed iconic ballets like The Firebird, Petrushka, and The Rite of Spring – all before he hit his mid-twenties!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know Haydn's tomb has two skulls? Find out the bizarre reason and the curious head-napping tale from the 19th century!

=> Fun Facts about Classical-Music

3. Procrastination Nation: A Fairy Tale

Have you ever wondered what lazy fairies might have in common with a legendary composer? Turns out, procrastination has its consequences: When Anatoly Lyadov, the original composer, flaked on the Firebird project for the Ballets Russes, a young and fired-up Igor Stravinsky swooped in to save the day. This serendipitous moment kick-started a fabulous career, as he proceeded to set the stage ablaze with Petrushka and The Rite of Spring, securing his place as a 20th-century classical music luminary.
Source => ballettalks.com

4. A Bass-ically Talented Family

Born into a bass-ically musical family where his father was the bass-baritone of the opera and his mother tickled the ivory and dropped the mic in her own right: Igor Stravinsky not only inherited musical talent, but went on to compose iconic collaborations with Sergei Diaghilev, like The Firebird and Petrushka, before shaking things up with the ear-flapping riot starter, The Rite of Spring.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Stravinsky: The Musical Nomad

With a knack for composing symphonies and laying down tracks faster than a globe-trotting wanderlust, Igor Stravinsky was the original musical nomad: Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia, he also set up camp in picturesque Swiss towns like Clarens and Morges, found inspiration in France, serenaded the stars in Los Angeles, and ultimately took his final bow in New York in 1971.
Source => encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net

6. The Sizzling Firebird Debut

When Igor Stravinsky set the world ablaze with his fiery feathered friend and left audiences hotter than a sizzling summer samba: The Firebird ballet premiered in Paris in 1910, earning rave reviews and establishing Stravinsky as Diaghilev's star composer – a successful partnership that went on to create groundbreaking ballets like Petrushka and The Rite of Spring.
Source => sin80.com

7. Stravinsky's Fiery Feathered Break

Before The Bird was on Fire: As a young upstart igniting the classical music world, Igor Stravinsky was already striking chords and tickling ivories in the whimsical realm of ballet, but little did he know that he was just warming up. The real gas came when he got his big break with "The Firebird": Not his first commissioned piece for the Ballets Russes, but the true start of his smoking hot collaboration with the company and luminary music matchmaker, Sergei Diaghilev.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Neoclassicism & Financial Blues

As Stravinsky danced to the beat of his own drum, his wallet was singing the blues: Igor Stravinsky's transition to neoclassicism was influenced not only by his admiration for classical masters, but also by financial challenges during the 1920s and '30s, as he focused on composing and performing concert pieces to make ends meet.
Source => bachtrack.com

9. The Ballet That Broke the Theater

When Igor Stravinsky composed a ballet, he didn't just break a leg, he broke the whole theater: During the 1913 premiere of his "Rite of Spring," the audience found the music and dance so chaotic that they started heckling and brawling until the police had to step in, but eventually, Stravinsky's creation became a worldwide hit.
Source => courses.lumenlearning.com

10. Stravinsky's Golden Note

Igor Stravinsky, the composer who literally caused uproar with his "Rite of Spring" ballet, was not your average "Swan Lake" maestro. Yet, behind the riotous curtain of his career, he managed to strike a note of gold: In 1954, Stravinsky was awarded the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal, the Society's highest honor for outstanding musicianship, joining the ranks of such legends as Brahms, Strauss, Britten, and Bernstein.
Source => royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk

11. Igor's Jazzy Side

Feeling a little jazzy, Igor? Stravinsky wasn't one to miss a beat when it came to combining some swingin' tunes with his classical chops: In fact, the renowned composer had a penchant for jazz music, infusing its rhythmic elements into some of his works, such as the toe-tapping ballet "Jazz Suite."
Source => insounder.org