Igor Stravinsky - Prog? I think so!

Ricochet wrote: micky wrote: not classical music Vic....  but the progressive movement within classical...  I know it isn't going to happen... so keep your hat on   I think a section here on ...say.. the Russian nationalist composers of of the early 20th century, which had such a influence on what came to be be prog,  would be a great addition for the site.   I fail to understand. "the progressive movement within classical"...have we lost sight of the classical music that influenced Prog Rock...are we now going into the "prog of classical"...and isn't the "prog of classical" still classical?! Even so, let's say we completely isolate the 'progressive movement within classical'. What is it made of? Is it made of some artists that formed a band? Is it made of specific albums that those grouped artists (officially) made? Or are we talking exactly about the classical music composer(s), who wroter opuses, whose music was played by numerous interprets, from the composer himself to three years old Chinese kids these days...

oh hell Vic... those are questions to be asked and answered IF this was ever to be seriously considered... by those who know that music best.  My passion and interest...along with knowledge is on the jazz side.. not as much classical.  The question at first is a simple one...  should highly influential classical composers be kept out of the archives simply because they are not rock....  when as we all know.... prog... is MUCH more.. and not limited TO rock.  If the site is open to that... THEN those kind of questions can be addressed... and not by people like me.. who outside of a few artists.. really have little interest in classical..but what I do have an interest in is the educational side of the site... and to me it stunts that when you ignore something that was such a big influence on prog. 

If M@X or the admins were open to it... then we could proceed discussing what it is made of.  No one is propoing Beethoven or Mozart... but a narrow range of composers that directly influenced and inspired 'classic' prog.  That is something this site has been a bit lax in promoting...  the minute the site expresses an interest...  we can toss out ideas.  Mine... is not like a standard artist addition... but a clear written sub-section more for informational purposes.. maybe with some samples.. for those that are curious about the roots of prog.. the inspirations of those that made prog.  Anyhow.. not sure if I'm making sense.. and have the feeling of beating a dead horse anyway. 

micky wrote: not classical music Vic.... but the progressive movement within classical... I know it isn't going to happen... so DON'T put your hat on, YET I think a section here on ...say.. the Russian nationalist composers of of the early 20th century, which had such a influence on what came to be be prog, would be a great addition for the site.

That's Better

micky wrote: The T wrote: Stravinsky: genius, revolutionary, progressive, and 34872346 things more, BUT, ROCK???? this site is not a prog ROCK site my friend.. you are well aware of that...*emoticon for wagging finger*metal ... electronica... RIO/avant... this is probably an addition that should happen... other site's have him.. it is about time this site does.

You got a good point. If there is more than just Prog Rock, why not Classical Prog?

The T wrote: Stravinsky: genius, revolutionary, progressive, and 34872346 things more,   BUT,   ROCK????

this site is not a prog ROCK site  my friend.. you are well aware of that...*emoticon for wagging finger*


metal ... electronica... RIO/avant...


this is probably an addition that should happen... other site's have him.. it is about time this site does.   

Well if Stravinsky's going to be in prog related, then I nominate Gershwin for Jazz rock/fusion

He's not rock. Yet Tangerine Dream are far from ROCK and they're still classed as PROG. Likewise with many other bands on this site.

Tapfret wrote: Whenever somebody points to a particularly complex prog tune being undanceable, I invariably point out th at The Rite of Spring, perhaps the most complex piece of music ever written (I have the sheet music, its insane), was written as a ballet.

You should check out Kraanerg by Xenakis; it's a ballet, too. (I think the New Complexity composers take the cake for most complex music every written, but I don't know if they've written any ballets.)

The Whistler wrote: I dunno...I like the dude and all, but for something to be prog, doesn't it sorta hafta be...you know, ROCK and all? Isn't that half of it?

Well, Stravinsky was noted for composing some pieces through juxtaposition of unrelated sections rather than using classical motivic development. His use of development over ostinati (like leads over bass riffs) and static harmony is also more "rock" than other composers before him.

Plus, le Sacre is pure death metal -- Golem do a cover as the hidden track on Dreamweaver. (Okay, it's a pretty mediocre cover, but it certainly shows the piece could work as death metal.)

Whenever somebody points to a particularly complex prog tune being undanceable, I invariably point out that The Rite of Spring, perhaps the most complex piece of music ever written (I have the sheet music, its insane), was written as a ballet. Some people just are not good enough dancers.


That being said, I am officially in the Stravinsky for Prog Related bandwagon.

Besides, the dude said, "My music is best listened to by children and small animals"

Now that's prog....or maybe kind of punk, not sure.


Edited by Tapfret - October 20 2008 at 01:55

^He was a man of few words, but the words he chose, he chose carefully.

Bartok is the proggiest composer I have heard , subsequent to a comment by Robert Fripp who said (back in the early 70s) that Bartok's string quartets were some of the most exhilarating pieces of music ever written. I checked it out and I got to say that it can be very dissonant yet highly rich and lush. I saw a live concert of Bartok;s work in Budapest in 2006 and it was a mindblast!