Igor Stravinsky and his compositional innovations

Stravinsky

Igor Stravinsky: Comments on his autobiographical excerpt

How has the situation that Stravinsky describes above altered in the years since his autobiography was published? Would he likely be more or less concerned by the current situation of music and the media? Do you agree or disagree with Stravinsky's concerns? Why or why not?

The truth of Stravinsky's comments and their even greater applicability to our own era is demonstrated every time someone enters a shopping mall and hears muzak, as opposed to music, piped through the store. This background noise reinforces the idea that music is not something worthy of attention, merely something to numb the human ear. Turn on the engine of the car to ride home, and hear the car radio blast -- sound is taken for granted even more than it was in Stravinsky's day. The more technologically accessible music has become, the fewer people really listen or care about musical quality. Even the types of music people are passionate about are no longer collective events that must be anticipated, much less walked to, as in Bach's era. The cultural significance of concerts pale in comparison with the importance of downloadable singles and home stereos.

Ironically, the collective musical experience that has brought America together more than any other in recent years is not this generation's "Woodstock" but "American Idol." To call this television show a musical experience, however, might be something of a misnomer, since it is really a personality contest more than an exhibition of fine musical talent. The personality of the singers rather than the music's innovation is important, since the singers sing relatively formulaic popular songs that everyone has heard before on the radio. However, at least people are willing to devote time and energy to voting and following the singing competition.