Nadia Boulanger: Mademoiselle Page #2

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all the doors that it opened,

and to demonstrate,

analyse and unveil it to us.

You are one of the people

who were closest to him,

both humanly and musically.

Stravinsky was a great believer.

I don't know if you are aware of it,

but in his art

you sense the sacred.

When he does this for instance:

Igor Stravinsky,

The Firebird, Berceuse.

When this man,

who always accepted commissions,

decided to write a Mass,

as he had decided, years before,

to write Ave Maria,

the Lords Prayer and the Credo,

he was responding

with a ritual gesture to his faith

- the faith which determined

that if he played cards,

he would play seriously

as well as he could.

In all his actions

there was something serious,

even amidst frivolity or burlesque.

Just think of Circus Polka.

He was so happy when he was asked

to write Circus Polka.

When I saw him in New York,

he urged me to go and hear it.

He was euphoric at having succeeded

in writing Circus Polka.

But there was no confusing Circus

Polka and the Symphony of Psalms;

no mock religion,

no stagey signs of the cross!

''Will you accept that commission?''

I asked him.

''I can't,

it doesn't make my mouth water.''

Take Valry's verses:

''Whether I shall be

a tomb or a treasure.

''Whether I talk or keep silent

is up to you.

''My friend,

do not enter without desire.''

Valry says:

''Do not enter without desire''

and he:

''It doesn't make my mouth water.''

That desire defines any creator,

but what is the specificity

of Stravinsky's genius?

You cannot define it with something

that applies to anyone.

Quite! But then,

you simply cannot define it.

It is!

In an interview,

he was asked

to explain his technique.

He tried to stammer out something

but ended up saying:

''My nose is. My technique is.''

This Symphony is composed

to Gods glory

and dedicated

to the Boston Symphony

on the occasion

of their 50th anniversary.

I believe it is quite impossible...

Well, I can distinguish music

that is well made

and music that isn't.

Yet, what distinguishes

well-made music and a masterpiece,

that I cannot tell.

What you're saying is

that you know how to appreciate

good or bad construction in a work.

Yet, faced with a masterpiece,

you feel quite certain?

Absolutely!

But you think there is no objective

criterion to define a masterpiece?

I don't know;

I won't say it doesn't exist,

but I don't know what it is.

How can you be certain then?

It all comes down to faith.

As I accept God,

I accept beauty, I accept emotion.

I also accept masterpieces.

There are conditions without which

masterpieces cannot be achieved,

but what defines a masterpiece

cannot be pinned down.

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