Active Stasis: Repetition and the Façade of Discontinuity in Stravinsky's Histoire du soldat
Open Access
Author:
Desinord, Richard Thomas
Graduate Program:
Music Theory
Degree:
Master of Arts
Document Type:
Master Thesis
Date of Defense:
March 21, 2016
Committee Members:
Maureen Ann Carr, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Keywords:
Stravinsky block form repetition ordered succession stasis shift continuity discontinuity Histoire du soldat
Abstract:
Igor Stravinsky’s (1882-1971) early works are often depicted as repetitive and regressive with regard to its thematic development and formal structure. His penchant for mosaic-like constructs that rely on the recurrence of unchanged blocks of sound and their subsequent juxtapositions defined his practice and enabled Stravinsky to seek out new ways of composing. In the music of other composers repetition was largely reliant upon differences in successive appearances that provided a sense of growth and direction from beginning to end. Stravinsky instead often depended on the recurrence of unchanged fragments and their interactions with other repetitive patterns across larger spans of his works.
This thesis focuses on the use of repetition as an agent of progress in order to dispel lingering myths of the discontinuous elements in Stravinsky’s Histoire du soldat (1918). Following the work of Peter van den Toorn and Gretchen Horlacher, I examine repetition and block form as both static entities and embryonic figures, and the roles they play in musical development. Through my analysis and my introduction of a new theory of shifting blocks, I ultimately offer an alternate reading of his compositional process, arguing that Stravinsky’s use of repetition contributes to narrative, development and form.
