Why did Igor Stravinsky begin experimenting with serial and 12-tone composition after World War II?

After World War II, Igor Stravinsky faced a creative crisis as a new generation of avant-garde composers emerged in Europe who rejected his established Neoclassical style in favor of serial or 12-tone techniques pioneered by Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, and Anton von Webern.1

Stravinsky, who had long been a leading figure in the musical world, realized he was increasingly viewed as a spent force, which plunged him into a major creative depression. With the assistance of his associate Robert Craft, Stravinsky began to experiment with serial composition, eventually developing his own intensely personal approach to the method. This transition allowed him to evolve his musical language, moving toward works of greater density and economy while maintaining his unique imaginative vision.1