#1: The Birth, Reversion, and Rebirth of "The Soldier's Tale"
Series: Stravinsky@125
From: Jackson Braider
Length: 00:29:00
There are different ways to determine the origins of Igor Stravinsky's "The Soldier's Tale" -- in post-WW1 Switzerland, where the Russian composer found himself wanting to write for the theater without having a theater to write for; then in 1961 Hollywood, where a group of hot-shot freelancers and Philharmonic stalwarts gathered at the local American Legion hall to put the work on tape.
In "The Birth, Reversion, and Rebirth of The Soldier's Tale," independent producer Jackson Braider follows both stories, and reveals how, 46 years after the initial recording of the suite from "The Soldier's Tale," the record company Sony/BMG Masterworks was able to bring out the complete work, narration included, with Stravinsky at the podium.
Interviews include players from the original 1961 sessions, long-time Stravinsky record producer John McClure, and music theorist and composer from New England Conservatory, John Heiss.
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Piece Description
There are different ways to determine the origins of Igor Stravinsky's "The Soldier's Tale" -- in post-WW1 Switzerland, where the Russian composer found himself wanting to write for the theater without having a theater to write for; then in 1961 Hollywood, where a group of hot-shot freelancers and Philharmonic stalwarts gathered at the local American Legion hall to put the work on tape. In "The Birth, Reversion, and Rebirth of The Soldier's Tale," independent producer Jackson Braider follows both stories, and reveals how, 46 years after the initial recording of the suite from "The Soldier's Tale," the record company Sony/BMG Masterworks was able to bring out the complete work, narration included, with Stravinsky at the podium. Interviews include players from the original 1961 sessions, long-time Stravinsky record producer John McClure, and music theorist and composer from New England Conservatory, John Heiss.
Broadcast History
none
Transcript
(Music from The Royal March)
From Boston MusicWorks, this is the Birth, Reversion, and Rebirth of The Soldier's Tale by Igor Stravinsky, presented as part of Stravinsky at 1-2-5, a series of radio pieces celebrating the 125th anniversary of the composer's birth. Stravinsky at 1-2-5 has been funded with a grant from Sony/BMG Masterworks.
Hello and welcome. My name is Jackson Braider. Before we get tangled in particulars, let's cue the music.
(opening march)
This is the opening of Igor Stravinsky's Soldier's Tale suite, a piece culled from a much larger work that was, in the words of the title page, to be ?read, played and danced? by no less than three actors, a female dancer, a clarinet, a bassoon, a cornet, a trombone, percussion, a violin, and a double bass.
The full theater piece lasts over an hour; the suite is just 24 minutes long.
The story behind The Soldier's...
Read the full transcript
Timing and Cues
incue: 00:00 Music
Outcue: 29:00 "...recorded legacy of Igor Stravinsky."
Musical Works
| Title | Artist | Album | Label | Year | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Soldier's Tale | Igor Stravinsky | The Soldier's Tale. | Sony/BMG | 2007 | 26:00 |
Additional Files
- Photo credit: Richard Avedon (stravinsky.jpg)
Related Website
James Reiss
Posted on April 06, 2007 at 05:28 AM | Permalink
Review of #1: The Birth, Reversion, and Rebirth of "The Soldier's Tale"
Igor Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale (L'Histoire du Soldat) has long been considered one of the great musical works of the early 20th century. As the 125th birthday of Stravinsky approaches on June 17, 2007, what could be more a better piece to showcase than Jackson Braider's feature about The Soldier's Tale in its various incarnations? Stravinsky's Firebird, Petrushka, and Rite of Spring ballets may be more popular, but the intimacy and vigor -- the syncopated pizzazz -- of his Soldier's Tale septet make for a unique masterpiece, even for Stravinsky.
Braider describes the sequence of events that began in 1918 with the piece's initial composition. He continues tracing its evolution, culminating in a recent narrative version with Jeremy Irons speaking the voice of the soldier. I only wish the ghostly echoes of Stravinsky's jazzy fanfares, triads, and sixteenth notes in the background had been given more volume and time. For me, The Soldier's Tale is far more than a narrative put to music; Stravinsky himself was never much interested in the chamber music's narrative. As listeners we may appreciate its "story line," much as we appreciate the script of Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf. But the "pure music" of The Soldier's Tale rivals that of, say, Bartok's redoubtable Sixth String Quartet.
My garden-variety reservations notwithstanding, I sincerely hope that a hundred and one public radio stations air Braider's half-hour homage to Maestro Igor on June 17th.