Aesthetics for Birds

Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art for Everyone

Simon Fokt on Stravinsky

| 0 comments

The Rite of Spring Performed in 1987 by the Joffrey Ballet*

This is entry #6 in our ongoing 100 Philosophers, 100 Artworks, 100 Words Series.

Philosopher: Simon Fokt (St. Andrew’s)

Artwork: Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring (1913) Ballet

100 Words: This piece is made of life. The beginning is like being in the forest undergrowth at sunrise, animals and insects scuttling around in polymetric polyphony, all minding their own business, but somehow breathing together. And then everything grows, music, dancers and nature combine, and evolve, and explode into passionate dances of the Earth. The pure energy of The Rite is breathtaking. Its polyphony, irregular percussive rhythms, the sheer variety, complexity and violence, combine with simplicity and calmness of the repetitive build-ups and ostinatos. And the constant growth… After listening, I feel I’m alive, and one with Nature.

*The video above is not the original video provided by the auhor as that video is no longer available on Youtube. The video provided is a link to a different performance of the same ballet by the Joffrey Ballet

Leave a Reply

Required fields are marked *.