Stravinsky (1882-1971) - L'Histoire du Soldat : Falletta / Virginia Arts Festival Chamber Players, Tianwa Yang(Vn)Fred Child(Narr)etc - Import CD

Credits:

Dego/Leonardi

Description:

Toward the end of World War I, Stravinsky (1882-1971) conceived the idea of a small theatrical production. It was "A Soldier's Tale," published in 1918. Based on a Russian folk tale, many people had a hand in its completion, including Lamaze, who produced the script, Stravinsky, who wrote the music, and painters and designers who participated in its production. The music is performed by a small orchestra of seven players and the narrator, who is joined by a soldier and a demon in the actual performance. This extremely trimmed-down composition was no doubt influenced by the economic hardships of the time, and the music was undoubtedly created as the best way to make money with the few resources available (although the small size of the orchestra did help to create music with a light and nimble feel that was easy to handle).It was an interesting work that successfully blended the rhythms of tango, jazz, and rag time, which were all the rage at the time, and if it had been performed on tour, it would have been quite a hit. But in the end, due to the "Spanish flu" and the confusion at the end of the war, the performance could not be realized. In this performance, the main violin was played by one of NAXOS' best violinists, Yang Tianbao. He gives a splendid performance. Naxos Japan

Tracklisting:

1.The Soldier's Tale: Part I: Introduction: The Soldier's March
2.The Soldier's Tale: Part I: Soldier: This isn't a bad place to stop...
3.The Soldier's Tale: Part I: Scene 1: Airs by a Stream
4.The Soldier's Tale: Part I: Scene 1: Devil: Give me your fiddle...
5.The Soldier's Tale: Part I: Scene 1: The Soldier's March (reprise)
6.The Soldier's Tale: Part I: Scene 1: Narrator: Hurray, here we are!...
7.The Soldier's Tale: Part I: Scene 2: Pastorale
8.The Soldier's Tale: Part I: Narrator: The Soldier looks up...
9.The Soldier's Tale: Part I: Pastorale (reprise)
10.The Soldier's Tale: Part I: Narrator: He took the book and began to read...
11.The Soldier's Tale: Part I: Scene 3: Airs by a Stream - Narrator: Just to stretch out on the grass..
12.The Soldier's Tale: Part I: Scene 3: Airs by a Stream (reprise)
13.The Soldier's Tale: Part II: The Soldier's March (reprise) - Narrator: Down a hot and dusty road...
14.The Soldier's Tale: Part II: Narrator: Now he comes to another land...
15.The Soldier's Tale: Part II: Royal March
16.The Soldier's Tale: Part II: Narrator: They gave the word for the band to play...
17.The Soldier's Tale: Part II: The Little Concert
18.The Soldier's Tale: Part II: Narrator: There on her bed the Princess lies...
19.The Soldier's Tale: Part II: Three Dances: Tango
20.The Soldier's Tale: Part II: Three Dances: Valse
21.The Soldier's Tale: Part II: Three Dances: Ragtime
22.The Soldier's Tale: Part II: Narrator: The Soldier holds the Princess close...
23.The Soldier's Tale: Part II: The Devil's Dance
24.The Soldier's Tale: Part II: Narrator: The Devil's exhausted...
25.The Soldier's Tale: Part II: The Little Chorale
26.The Soldier's Tale: Part II: The Devil's Song - Devil: All right! I shall have to wait...
27.The Soldier's Tale: Part II: Grand Chorale - Narrator: You must not seek to add to what you have...
28.The Soldier's Tale: Part II: Narrator: I have everything...
29.The Soldier's Tale: Part II: Triumphal March of the Devil