Stravinsky's Rite of Spring
The Rite of Spring, Stravinsky’s third ballet for Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, was the most revolutionary in style and impact, and remaings one of the 20th century’s defining works of musical and artistic modernism. The scenario was evolved in collaborations between Stravinsky and the painter and ethnographer Nickolas Roerich, who also designed the costumes for the first production. It combines depictions of the pre-Christian festivals of Spring, as observed by ancient Slavic tribes, with Stravinsky’s personal vision of a girl, a chosen sacrifice, dancing herself to death before the tribal elders.
Malcolm MacDonald
This project explores this revolutionary piece of music in terms of its physical structure, as well as its more abstract impressions. The infographics represent a breakdown of the score itself; I color-coded and assigned a symbol to each of the 20 time signatures that Stravinsky employs in his piece. The score cards are an expression of the less formal, but no less important, aspects of the piece; I listened to it in its entirety and illustrated my impressions of each movement in the form of evocative lines and shapes.
The infographic posters have been recognized in the 2014 All-SUNY Best of Show exhibition in the New York State Museum in Albany, NY.
Score Cards
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