Expressiveness in Stravinsky’s late works

Abstract

Igor Stravinsky’s late style is usually considered in terms of the works’ structure. Following Joseph N. Straus, this article attempts to highlight expressive, semantic and self-referential dimensions in Stravinsky’s late compositions. These dimensions emerge there with particular clarity and partly contradict the usual assessments of this music as abstract and constructivist; as such, they also challenge the composer’s own statements.

Keywords

• igor stravinsky
• late style
• serialism
• expression
• self-reference