AGON (1957) Igor Stravinsky - Michael Tilson Thomas conducts LSO

Composer Igor Stravinsky began composition of Agon in Hollywood in 1953 and completed it in 1957. The music premiered in Los Angeles at UCLA's Royce Hall in June of 1957, with Robert Craft conducting. The New York City Ballet premier choreographed by George Balanchine took place later that year on December 1, 1957 at the City Center of Music and Drama, New York. Michael Tilson Thomas conducts the London Symphony Orchestra (released 1997). Stravinsky, while always relying on his own inventive musical intuition, was always monitoring the pulse of the avant-garde in the early 20th century (Schoenberg and his students Alban Berg and Anton Webernl) , and began experimenting with serialism and dodecaphony in the early 1950s. This transitional piece, along with Stravinsky's 1953 work "Septet", incorporates serial techniques alongside neoclassical diatonicism. The Classical Greek word "Agon" (ἀγών) means debate or conflict (as in the antagonisms of Demosthenes); or it can also mean contest (as in the Olympics or other competitive games). I. Pas-de-quatre (4 male dancers) (00:00) Double pas-de-quatre (8 female dancers) (01:40) Triple pas-de-quatre (4 male + 8 female dancers) (03:15) Prelude II. First pas-de-trois (1 male, 2 female dancers) (04:25) Sarabande-step (1 male dancer) (05:24) Gaillarde (2 female dancers) (06:45) Coda (1 male, 2 female dancers) (08:04) Interlude III. Second pas-de-trois (2 male, 1 female dancers) (09:30) Bransle simple (2 male dancers) (10:28) Bransle gay (1 female dancer) (11:24) Bransle double (2 male, 1 female dancers) (12:22) Interlude IV. Pas-de-deux (1 male, 1 female dancer) (14:44) Four Duos (4 male, 4 female dancers) (20:55) Four Trios (4 male, 8 female dancers) (21:27)