Was the sacre du printemps a radical shift in ballet?

Absolutely — Igor Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring, 1913) was one of the most radical and disruptive moments in the history of ballet — musically, choreographically, and culturally. It shook the foundations of what ballet was thought to be.

🎵 1. Musically Revolutionary

Stravinsky’s score shattered expectations:

  • Rhythm: Complex, shifting meters (like 5/8 or 7/8), heavy syncopation, and brutal, irregular accents.
  • Harmony: Dissonance pushed to the limit, with piled-up chords and bitonality (playing in two keys at once).
  • Orchestration: Raw, primal textures (think pounding drums, shrieking winds, and that famously eerie bassoon solo opening).

It sounded nothing like the graceful Tchaikovsky or Delibes ballets audiences were used to.

💃 2. Choreographically Revolutionary

Vaslav Nijinsky’s choreography for the Ballets Russes:

  • Rejected the elegance and symmetry of traditional ballet.
  • Dancers stomped, hunched, bent their limbs unnaturally.
  • Movements drew from pagan rituals, not courtly dances.

It was raw, earthbound, and intentionally ugly at times — completely subversive.

😱 3. The Riot

At the premiere in Paris on May 29, 1913:

  • The audience rioted. Boos, cheers, fights — police were called.
  • Some hated it; others were exhilarated.
  • It marked a cultural turning point: a break with Romanticism, a step into Modernism.

📍 Impact and Legacy

  • The Rite of Spring became a landmark of 20th-century music.
  • It inspired generations of composers (Bartók, Bernstein, even film scores).
  • It changed what ballet could be — paving the way for modern dance and experimental movement.

So yes — Sacre was not just a shift in ballet, it was an eruption, a provocation, and ultimately a transformation.

Would you like to listen to a good performance or see what parts of it look like on stage today?

Is it illegal to re-arrange stars spangled banner?

Great question — and the short answer is: no, it is not illegal to rearrange The Star-Spangled Banner, but there are important nuances depending on context.

🇺🇸 Why It’s Not Illegal

  • Public Domain: The Star-Spangled Banner (lyrics and melody) is in the public domain, since both are from the 19th century.

    • Lyrics: by Francis Scott Key (1814)
    • Music: from an older tune by John Stafford Smith

This means anyone can arrange, adapt, or reinterpret the anthem legally — for personal use, performance, or even commercial purposes.

⚠️ Where It Gets Sensitive

  1. Public Ceremonies or Government Events

    • If you’re performing the anthem at an official or patriotic event (like a sports game), certain institutions (e.g. the Department of Defense, the NFL, or local governments) may have guidelines about how it’s to be performed — often favoring more traditional versions.
    • Breaking these norms is not illegal, but it might cause public backlash or result in not being invited again.

  2. Disrespect or Protest

    • Some re-arrangements might be perceived as disrespectful (e.g. Jimi Hendrix’s famous Woodstock version with distorted guitar).
    • Such performances are protected under free speech in the U.S., even if controversial.
    • However, if done while under contract (like a paid performer at a national event), violating agreed-upon terms could have professional consequences.

✅ So, What You Can Do

  • Create jazz, rock, classical, or experimental arrangements.
  • Record and sell your version.
  • Use it in films, videos, or performances.

Just know that public reaction — not the law — may be the bigger force to reckon with.

Would you like to hear about some famous rearrangements or tips on arranging your own version?

Was Stravinsky arrested for re-arranging it?

That’s a fascinating story — and a widely spread myth!

🕵️‍♂️ No, Stravinsky was not arrested for rearranging The Star-Spangled Banner.

But here’s the real story behind that rumor:

🎼 The Incident

In 1944, Igor Stravinsky was living in the U.S. and arranged The Star-Spangled Banner for choir and orchestra. It was a harmonically rich, somewhat modern-sounding version — still respectful, but different from the traditional version.

He planned to conduct this arrangement with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

👮 The Police Warning

Boston police, aware of an old Massachusetts law that discouraged “tampering” with national symbols — including altering the anthem — warned Stravinsky before the performance. The law was rarely enforced, but they advised him to avoid controversy.

So, he voluntarily replaced his version with the standard one.

📷 The Arrest Myth

The myth likely started when:

  • A photo of Stravinsky getting fingerprinted (from a different visa-related issue) circulated.
  • People linked it to the anthem incident.
  • Over time, this turned into the false tale that he had been arrested for rearranging the anthem.

✅ The Truth

  • He was never arrested.
  • The anthem arrangement exists and has been performed and recorded.
  • The myth lives on because it’s such a compelling (and ironic) image: the radical modernist being punished for altering a symbol of American tradition.

Would you like to hear Stravinsky’s version of the anthem? It’s quite beautiful in its own way.