Igor Stravinsky, an Autobiography

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Calder & Boyars, 21975, Medium-format paperback - Classical Music - 179pp. ISBN 0714510823.

Igor Stravinsky's autobiography details his early life and memories, the discovery of his affinity to music, and his ascent to fame as a composer and conductor.

The memoir commences with Igor Stravinsky's early life in Russia, before he and his family emigrated to the United States. As a child Stravinsky was generally disregarded by fellow pupils in his school, and felt lonely as a result. As a young boy, he undertook piano lessons and the study of musical theory with great fervor, inspired further by a riveting performance of Tchaikovsky's ballet The Sleeping Beauty in 1890.

His first compositions, and the mentoring advice he received from fellow Russian composer Rimsky-Korsakov are detailed. Although his musical prowess was praised, the young Stravinsky was expected to study law; a prospect which did not excite him. Although he eventually received a diploma of law in 1906, by that time music was by far Stravinsky's greatest occupation.

A string of successful compositions met with frenzied acclaim across Europe, most notably The Firebird. The towering praise led Stravinsky to move to Switzerland and later Paris, where he composed further ballet pieces. Despite his status as a musical phenomenon, financial woes were frequent; neither Russia nor its successor country the USSR supported the Berne convention on copyright - thus, Stravinsky was unable to collect royalties for performances of his works.

Despite the setbacks, Stravinsky tells of his career advancement, working with companies in Paris such as Pleyel, which helped secure his position as a professional in music. To some extent Stravinsky also refers to his renowned thirst for discovery, particularly by delving into the distant past for folklore.

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