For his ballet The Fairy's Kiss, Stravinsky borrows harmonic progressions, melodic fragments, and general style characteristics from Tchaikovsky's early piano pieces and songs. Similarities in style might also be the result of both composers' Russian nationality and embrace of classicism. Though a large portion of Stravinsky's score does borrow from Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky writes several unique passages of his own. Literal quotations rarely last for more than a few measures, as Stravinsky commonly expands upon Tchaikovsky's material. Aside from Stravinsky's quotation and expansion upon Tchaikovsky's works, there are a few moments in The Fairy's Kiss wherein style and orchestration become more overtly romantic or the texture becomes static. These moments sound plain and "un-Stravinskian" and likely led to contemporary criticism of the ballet. Stravinsky's later re-working of The Fairy's Kiss into a concert version (Divertimento) is devoid of these moments.

Works: Stravinsky: The Fairy's Kiss.

Sources: Tchaikovsky: Zwölf mittelschwere Stücke, Op. 40, No. 7 (12-13), Natha-Valse, Op. 51, No. 4 (13-14), Humoreske, Op. 10, No. 2 (14-15).

Index Classifications: 1900s

Contributed by: Laura B. Dallman