Igor Stravinsky, Greeting prelude (1955)

Today (June 17) is Igor Stravinsky's birthday. This seemed only appropriate: Greeting prelude (fortunately, the entire piece is short enough to be the whole sample).

Questions:

1. What instruments do you hear?
   
2. What is the form of this piece?
   
3. Try tapping your foot, clapping, or conducting along with the piece. Do you encounter any difficulties? Are the pulses organized in any kind of predictable way?
   
4. How does Stravinsky treat the preexisting material?
   
5. The work was composed for the 80th birthday of conductor Pierre Monteux. Why might Stravinsky have chosen the title Greeting prelude instead of "Happy birthday?
   

Additional resources: According to legend, one of Stravinsky's other arrangements landed him in jail. In Boston in 1944, he was charged with destruction of federal property for his arrangement of the "Star-spangled banner;" this has since been shown to be false. Still a good story, though...

(This picture, which appears to be a mugshot, is evidently from a visa application)