Stravinsky and the Russian Traditions: A Biography of the Works Through Mavra

Rating:
Summary: debunking the myth
Review: Taruskin's 2 volume set into Stravinsky's "Russian" period is still the MOST comprehensive investigation for those wanting a more discernible picture of the gestation of works from that period, including the Firebird, Petrushka, the Rite and Les Noces. For example Taruskin compares wedding laments used by Russian brides with those found in the opening of Les Noces. This link becomes significant when one is trying to resolve how much Stravinsky knew about his Russian heritage during the composition of these works. In his conversation books with Robert Craft, several inconsistencies emerge as to the influence of Russian music on Stravinsky's own music. For an interesting read, check out Taruskin's article, "Stravinsky and the traditions: Why the memory hole?" in Opus Magazine 1987. Getting back to the books, of particular significance is a "thematic" catalog of folk materials in which Taruskin attempts to reconstruct the origins of Stravinsky's Russian masterpieces.

I did not give the book 5 stars because I reserve that for the rarest of rarities which are reserved for books/movies/cds which provoke thought in the most unexpected of ways and are unlike anything else like the movie "Being John Malkovich". Another insightful and recent book on early Stravinsky (purely biographical) is Stephen Walsh's "Stravinsky : A Creative Spring : Russia and France, 1882-1934".

Rating:
Summary: Essential reading
Review: This is an extraordinary book which will re-define Stravinsky scholarship. It is by far the best book published on Stravinsky, with perhaps one exception (The Apollonian Clockwork by Andriessen and Schoenberger). Taruskin's scholarship is of the highest quality, his knowledge of Russian music awe-inspiring, and the revelations he uncovers simply by being a Russian-speaker investigating the sources first-hand make this book a watershed in the way we think about Stravinsky. This book only takes the story to 1923 - I can only hope Mr Taruskin is working on the next volume as I write.