Editing Igor Stravinsky (section)

==== Final works and death ====
[[File:RIAN_archive_597702_Composer_Igor_Stravinsky_and_cellist_Mstislav_Rostropovich.jpg|upright|alt=An elderly Stravinsky wearing two pairs of glasses shaking hands with Rostropovich|thumb|Stravinsky with [[Mstislav Rostropovich]]{{Efn|When the Russian cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich met Stravinsky in 1961 in London and the following year in Moscow, he asked Craft about a commission for cello from Stravinsky. Craft replied that it would be expensive so the cellist settled for arrangements. Performances and a recording of the Pas de deux from The Fairy's Kiss and of the Russian Maiden's Song from Mavra followed. Rostropovich usually played from memory, but the music's constantly shifting rhythms made him sketch it out on paper and place it on the piano.{{sfn|Wilson|2017}}}} in September 1962]]
Stravinsky revisited biblical themes for many of his later works, notably in the 1961 chamber cantata ''[[A Sermon, a Narrative and a Prayer]]'', the 1962 musical television production ''[[The Flood (Stravinsky)|The Flood]]'', the 1963 Hebrew cantata ''[[Abraham and Isaac (Stravinsky)|Abraham and Isaac]]'', and the 1966 ''[[Requiem Canticles]]'', the last of which was his final major composition.{{Efn|While the ''Requiem Canticles'' was Stravinsky's final major work, ''[[The Owl and the Pussy Cat (Stravinsky)|The Owl and the Pussy Cat]]'', a song for soprano and piano, was his last composition. The composer also left a number of unfinished works, as well as incomplete transcriptions of [[Bach]] and [[Hugo Wolf|Wolf]] works.{{sfn|Walsh|2001|loc=10. Final years, 1959–71}}}}{{Sfn|Walsh|2001|loc=10. Final years, 1959–71}}{{Sfn|Boucourechliev|1987|pp=283–284, 293}} Between tours, the composer worked relentlessly to devise new tone rows, even working on toilet paper from airplane lavatories.{{Sfn|Boucourechliev|1987|pp=292–293}} The intense touring schedule began taking a toll on the elderly composer; January 1967 marked his last recording session, and his final concert came the following May. An obviously very frail Stravinsky made his final public conducting appearance on May 17, 1967 at [[Massey Hall]] in Toronto, when he led the [[Toronto Symphony Orchestra]] in a performance of his [[Pulcinella Suite]].

After spending the autumn of 1967 in the hospital due to bleeding [[Peptic ulcer disease|stomach ulcers]] and [[thrombosis]], Stravinsky returned to domestic touring in 1968 (only appearing as an audience member) but stopped composing due to his gradual decline in physical health.{{sfn|White|1979|pp=154–155}}{{sfn|Walsh|2006|p=532}}

In his final years, the Stravinskys and Craft moved to New York to be closer to medical care, and the composer's travel was limited to visiting family in Europe.{{sfn|White|1979|p=158}} Soon after being discharged from [[Lenox Hill Hospital]] after contracting [[pulmonary edema]], Stravinsky moved with his wife to a new apartment on [[Fifth Avenue]]. The composer died there on 6 April 1971 at the age of 88.{{sfn|Walsh|2006|pp=560–561}}{{Sfn|Boucourechliev|1987|p=307}} A funeral service was held three days later at the [[Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel]].{{sfn|Henahan|1971}} After a service at [[Santi Giovanni e Paolo, Venice|Santi Giovanni e Paolo]] with a performance of the ''Requiem Canticles'' conducted by Craft, Stravinsky was buried on the cemetery island of [[Isola di San Michele|San Michele]] in Venice, several meters from the tomb of Sergei Diaghilev.{{Sfn|Walsh|2001|loc=10. Final years, 1959–71}}{{Sfn|Boucourechliev|1987|pp=308–309}}
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