Les Noces by Igor Stravinsky: The First Facsimile Edition of Autographs with Introduction and Commentary

FAIN: RQ-50638-12

Ohio State University (Columbus, OH 43210-1349)
Margarita Mazo (Project Director: December 2011 to present)

Funding details:
Original grant (2012) $195,412.00
Supplement (2015) $7,220.00

The preparation of a facsimile edition of 700 autograph scores of composer Igor Stravinsky's 1923 ballet Les Noces, revised multiple times during its eleven-year compositional history. (24 months)

One of the most powerful and influential compositions of the 20th century, Stravinsky's 1923 ballet Les Noces was re-envisioned multiple times throughout its eleven-year history, from a lavish pre-WWI spectacle to the austere work, which both mirrored and absorbed the monumental changes in post-war Europe. The proposed facsimile edition is the first in-depth study of the entire body of Les Noces extant autographs, scattered throughout the world, largely unknown and inaccessible. The edition will encourage performers to revise their interpretations of Les Noces, allow future generations of students and scholars deep insight into Stravinsky's compositional workshop, shed new light on the connections between music and other arts that lie at the heart of European modernism, and elucidate the vital historical and social roles of individual creativity. Finally, it will preserve a vital facet of the Western cultural heritage, making it available for all admirers of twentieth-century arts.