Stravinsky's The Firebird
The emphatic, stirring conclusion to The Firebird leaves the listener with the sense that a favorable event of great significance has occurred, or that a long-sought-for goal has been achieved. This effect is achieved mainly through Stravinsky’s peculiar choices of instrumentation and dynamic markings.
As far as I could tell, Scene 2 was in a major key throughout, with no modulation to a minor tonality. Because major key music typically conveys positive emotions, the overall mood of the work is triumphant and heroic. This atmosphere is also contributed to by the frequent use of the brass instruments. Woodwinds, such as flutes, oboes, and clarinets, generally sound more delicate and mellow than trumpets, trombones, and French horns, which possess
loud, piercing timbres. Stravinsky uses the woodwinds sparingly, but relies heavily on the powerful-sounding brasses to carry the melody, which helps create the heroic, mighty sentiment prevalent throughout the finale.
This movement of The Firebird cycles very rapidly from pianissimo to fortissimo sections. Most other symphonic works keep the dynamic markings more consistent throughout, without such marked contrasts between soft and loud. These abrupt shifts command the listener’s attention, and the very soft sections serve the purpose of underscoring the very loud sections’ intensity and force.
Part 2: C-Jam Blues
The C-Jam Blues’ gradual introduction of each instrument in the orchestra, plus its simplistic chord progression and piano accompaniment convey the atmosphere of a smooth, relaxed work in progress. One gets the impression that the music is slowly simmering and never quite reaches climax or resolution. The performance evoked feelings of elation and leisure, and makes the listener feel laid-back and calm.
Except for the piano, double bass, and a wind-sounding instrument, each instrument enters the jam with a brief solo meant to display each musician’s virtuosity. The violin, trumpet, saxophone, trombone, clarinet, and drums are introduced. The absence of the common twelve-bar blues progression is notable. The solos sound humorous at time, which is especially evidenced in the trombonist’s use of a mute to create a shrill, voice-like timbre. There is no serious or epic intention behind these blues, unlike The Firebird. In fact, the atmospheres of both works are polar opposites: the first is epic and heroic, while the second is comic and lively and light.
As far as I could tell, Scene 2 was in a major key throughout, with no modulation to a minor tonality. Because major key music typically conveys positive emotions, the overall mood of the work is triumphant and heroic. This atmosphere is also contributed to by the frequent use of the brass instruments. Woodwinds, such as flutes, oboes, and clarinets, generally sound more delicate and mellow than trumpets, trombones, and French horns, which possess
loud, piercing timbres. Stravinsky uses the woodwinds sparingly, but relies heavily on the powerful-sounding brasses to carry the melody, which helps create the heroic, mighty sentiment prevalent throughout the finale.
This movement of The Firebird cycles very rapidly from pianissimo to fortissimo sections. Most other symphonic works keep the dynamic markings more consistent throughout, without such marked contrasts between soft and loud. These abrupt shifts command the listener’s attention, and the very soft sections serve the purpose of underscoring the very loud sections’ intensity and force.
Part 2: C-Jam Blues
The C-Jam Blues’ gradual introduction of each instrument in the orchestra, plus its simplistic chord progression and piano accompaniment convey the atmosphere of a smooth, relaxed work in progress. One gets the impression that the music is slowly simmering and never quite reaches climax or resolution. The performance evoked feelings of elation and leisure, and makes the listener feel laid-back and calm.
Except for the piano, double bass, and a wind-sounding instrument, each instrument enters the jam with a brief solo meant to display each musician’s virtuosity. The violin, trumpet, saxophone, trombone, clarinet, and drums are introduced. The absence of the common twelve-bar blues progression is notable. The solos sound humorous at time, which is especially evidenced in the trombonist’s use of a mute to create a shrill, voice-like timbre. There is no serious or epic intention behind these blues, unlike The Firebird. In fact, the atmospheres of both works are polar opposites: the first is epic and heroic, while the second is comic and lively and light.