How did Igor Stravinsky use changing rhythms and metric imbalance in The Rite of Spring?

In his landmark ballet The Rite of Spring, Igor Stravinsky revolutionized musical composition by moving away from the traditional, symmetrical phrasing found in classical music. Instead, he employed a highly empirical approach to rhythm and meter.1

Stravinsky treated musical material as "sound objects," regarding rhythm as a cumulative process—an adding together of these objects into varied groups—rather than relying on the subdivision of regular, symmetrical groups. To achieve this, he utilized several specific techniques:1

• Asymmetrical Metrical Patterns: He explored irregular meters that broke down traditional expectations of pulse and form.1
• Devices of Prolongation and Elision: These were used to disrupt the standard flow of symmetrical phrasing.1
• Constant Change: The work is defined by constantly shifting rhythms and metric imbalances, which create a sense of "primitive dynamism".21

By subjecting his material to a personal system of tests rather than established practice, Stravinsky created a rhythmic sensibility that felt percussive and chaotic, fundamentally altering how later composers approached pulse, rhythm, and musical structure.1