Igor Stravinsky
Rite of Spring revolutionized modern music
Most quoted
"What is important for the lucid ordering of the work—for its crystallization—is that all the Dionysian elements which set the imagination of the artist in motion and make the life-sap rise must be properly subjugated before they intoxicate us, and must finally be made to submit to the law: Apollo demands it."
— from Poetics of Music, 1939
"For I consider that music is, by its very nature, essentially powerless to express anything at all, whether a feeling, an attitude, a psychological state, a natural phenomenon, etc.... Expression has never been an inherent property of music and is certainly not the aim of its existence."
— from An Autobiography (Chroniques de ma vie), 1936
"The faculty of creating is never given to us all by itself. It always goes hand in hand with the gift of observation. And the true creator may be recognized by his ability always to find about him, in the commonest and humblest thing, items worthy of note."
— from Poetics of Music, 1939
All quotes by Igor Stravinsky (372)
I hate music that is too intellectual. I want music that is alive.
I am a composer, not a philosopher.
To listen is an effort, and a creative effort. The listener is a collaborator.
I have never understood why people are so afraid of new things. I am always looking for something new.
My music is a reflection of my life, my experiences, my emotions.
I am not interested in pleasing everyone. I am interested in pleasing myself.
The true creator is a man who is always in search of something new, something different.
I believe that music should be enjoyed by everyone, not just a select few.
I am a craftsman. I work with sounds, just as a carpenter works with wood.
The greatest danger for a composer is to be too original.
I have always been drawn to the primitive, the raw, the untamed.
Music is a language that transcends all barriers.
I am not afraid of silence. In fact, I embrace it.
The artist is a mirror, reflecting the world around him.
I believe that music should be a source of joy, not a source of suffering.
I am a firm believer in the power of rhythm.
The true artist is always learning, always growing, always evolving.
I have always been fascinated by the relationship between music and dance.
Music is a spiritual experience, a connection to something greater than ourselves.
I am not interested in creating beautiful music. I am interested in creating honest music.
Contemporaries of Igor Stravinsky
Other Musics born within 50 years of Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971).