Rite of Spring
is a ballet composed by Stravinsky and has been choreographed by many ballet dancers and choreographers. It is to be performed with a ballet act on the stage, and should serve as
the underlying music to the action on the stage, where as a Mongolian Idyll is
composed and performed simply for expression and for the music. Even though an
Idyll depicts nature and “evokes rural emotions” and Rite of Spring is about
nature and a sacrifice, the Idyll is only meant to be performed in a trio by
those instruments. On the other hand, the Rite of Spring is a ballet, and even
though the music can be performed by an orchestra only in a concert, originally
it requires a set up and an act and it has an underlying story. It can be said that while Rite of
Spring is program music, the Mongolian Idyll is closer to absolute music, which is defined as music which "draws no inspiration from or makes no reference to a text, program, visual image, or title and that exists solely in terms of its musical form, structure, and elements (Dictionary.com, n.d.)."
