Les Noces
Encyclopedia
Les noces by Igor Stravinsky
, is a dance cantata
, or ballet
with vocalists.
, by the Ballets Russes
with choreography by Bronislava Nijinska
. The orchestra was conducted by Ernest Ansermet
.
, it went through numerous variations, including at one point the use of synchronised roll-operated instruments, including the Pianola
, but he abandoned that version when it was only partially completed, owing to the tardiness of the Parisian piano firm of Pleyel et Cie
in constructing the two-keyboard cimbaloms, known subsequently as luthéal
s.
Stravinsky finally settled on the following scoring: soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, and bass soloists, mixed chorus
, and two groups of percussion instrument
s – pitched percussion, including four piano
s, and unpitched percussion. This orchestration exemplifies Stravinsky's increasing proclivity towards stripped down, clear and mechanistic sound groups in the decade after The Rite, although he would never again produce such an extreme sonic effect solely with percussion.
The première of the 1919 version of Les Noces, with cimbaloms, harmonium
, and pianola, took place in 1981 in Paris, conducted by Pierre Boulez
.
An arrangement for symphony orchestra by Steven Stucky
was commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and premiered under the baton of Esa-Pekka Salonen
on May 29, 2008 at Walt Disney Concert Hall
. The arrangement retains Stravinsky's percussion parts while replacing the four pianos with a large orchestra.
The unfinished version that included pianola was completed with permission from Stravinsky's heirs by the Dutch composer Theo Verbey
and performed in the Netherlands in 2009.
(1911). The work is usually performed in Russian or French; English translations are sometimes used, and Stravinsky used one himself in both the 1934 and 1959 recordings he conducted for Columbia records.
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
, is a dance cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
, or ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
with vocalists.
History
The ballet was premiered on June 13, 1923 at the Théâtre de la GaîtéThéâtre de la Gaîté (rue Papin)
In 1862 during Haussmann's modernization of Paris the Théâtre de la Gaîté of the boulevard du Temple was relocated to the rue Papin across from the Square des Arts et Métiers....
, by the Ballets Russes
Ballets Russes
The Ballets Russes was an itinerant ballet company from Russia which performed between 1909 and 1929 in many countries. Directed by Sergei Diaghilev, it is regarded as the greatest ballet company of the 20th century. Many of its dancers originated from the Imperial Ballet of Saint Petersburg...
with choreography by Bronislava Nijinska
Bronislava Nijinska
Bronislava Nijinska - February 22, 1972)) was a Russian dancer, choreographer, and teacher of Polish descent.Nijinska was born in Minsk, the third child of the Polish dancers Tomasz and Eleonora Nijinska . Her brother was Vaslav Nijinsky...
. The orchestra was conducted by Ernest Ansermet
Ernest Ansermet
Ernest Alexandre Ansermet was a Swiss conductor.- Biography :Ansermet was born in Vevey, Switzerland. Although he was a contemporary of Wilhelm Furtwängler and Otto Klemperer, Ansermet represents in most ways a very different tradition and approach from those two musicians. Originally he was a...
.
Orchestration
Stravinsky first conceived of writing the ballet in 1913 and completed it in short score by October 1917. During a long gestation period its orchestration changed dramatically. At first conceived for an expanded symphony orchestra similar to that of The Rite of SpringThe Rite of Spring
The Rite of Spring, original French title Le sacre du printemps , is a ballet with music by Igor Stravinsky; choreography by Vaslav Nijinsky; and concept, set design and costumes by Nicholas Roerich...
, it went through numerous variations, including at one point the use of synchronised roll-operated instruments, including the Pianola
Player piano
A player piano is a self-playing piano, containing a pneumatic or electro-mechanical mechanism that operates the piano action via pre-programmed music perforated paper, or in rare instances, metallic rolls. The rise of the player piano grew with the rise of the mass-produced piano for the home in...
, but he abandoned that version when it was only partially completed, owing to the tardiness of the Parisian piano firm of Pleyel et Cie
Pleyel et Cie
Pleyel et Cie is a French piano manufacturing firm founded by the composer Ignace Pleyel in 1807. In 1815, he was joined by his son, Camille, as a business partner. The firm provided pianos to Frédéric Chopin, and also ran a concert hall, the Salle Pleyel, where Chopin performed his first — and...
in constructing the two-keyboard cimbaloms, known subsequently as luthéal
Luthéal
The luthéal is a kind of prepared piano which extended the "register" possibilities of a piano by producing cimbalon-like sounds in some registers, exploiting harmonics of the strings when pulling other register-stops, and also some registers making other objects, which were lowered just above the...
s.
Stravinsky finally settled on the following scoring: soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, and bass soloists, mixed chorus
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
, and two groups of percussion instrument
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
s – pitched percussion, including four piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
s, and unpitched percussion. This orchestration exemplifies Stravinsky's increasing proclivity towards stripped down, clear and mechanistic sound groups in the decade after The Rite, although he would never again produce such an extreme sonic effect solely with percussion.
The première of the 1919 version of Les Noces, with cimbaloms, harmonium
Harmonium
A harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
, and pianola, took place in 1981 in Paris, conducted by Pierre Boulez
Pierre Boulez
Pierre Boulez is a French composer of contemporary classical music, a pianist, and a conductor.-Early years:Boulez was born in Montbrison, Loire, France. As a child he began piano lessons and demonstrated aptitude in both music and mathematics...
.
An arrangement for symphony orchestra by Steven Stucky
Steven Stucky
Steven Stucky is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer.Stucky was born in Hutchinson, Kansas. At age 9, he moved with his family to Abilene, Texas, where, as a teenager, he studied music in the public schools and, privately, viola with Herbert Preston, conducting with Leo Scheer, and...
was commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and premiered under the baton of Esa-Pekka Salonen
Esa-Pekka Salonen
Esa-Pekka Salonen is a Finnish orchestral conductor and composer. He is currently Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Philharmonia Orchestra in London and Conductor Laureate of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.-Early career:...
on May 29, 2008 at Walt Disney Concert Hall
Walt Disney Concert Hall
The Walt Disney Concert Hall at 111 South Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, California is the fourth hall of the Los Angeles Music Center. Bounded by Hope Street, Grand Avenue, 1st and 2nd Streets, it seats 2,265 people and serves as the home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra and the...
. The arrangement retains Stravinsky's percussion parts while replacing the four pianos with a large orchestra.
The unfinished version that included pianola was completed with permission from Stravinsky's heirs by the Dutch composer Theo Verbey
Theo Verbey
-Biography:Theo Verbey first achieved recognition for his orchestral arrangement of Alban Berg's Piano Sonata, Op. 1, a piece he orchestrated in 1984 while still a student. He studied at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague where he graduated in 1986. His principle composition teachers were Peter...
and performed in the Netherlands in 2009.
Libretto
Stravinsky wrote the libretto himself using Russian wedding lyrics taken primarily from Songs Collected by P.V KireevskySongs Collected by P.V Kireevsky
Pyotr Vasilievich Kireevsky was a Russian folklorist. Many of his materials remain unpublished to this day....
(1911). The work is usually performed in Russian or French; English translations are sometimes used, and Stravinsky used one himself in both the 1934 and 1959 recordings he conducted for Columbia records.
Notable performances and recordings
- Stravinsky himself conducted a recording using the English libretto in 1959. The four pianists were themselves important composers: Samuel BarberSamuel BarberSamuel Osborne Barber II was an American composer of orchestral, opera, choral, and piano music. His Adagio for Strings is his most popular composition and widely considered a masterpiece of modern classical music...
, Aaron CoplandAaron CoplandAaron Copland was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later in his career a conductor of his own and other American music. He was instrumental in forging a distinctly American style of composition, and is often referred to as "the Dean of American Composers"...
, Lukas FossLukas FossLukas Foss was a German-born American composer, conductor, and pianist.-Music career:He was born Lukas Fuchs in Berlin, Germany in 1922. His father was the philosopher and scholar Martin Fuchs...
, and Roger SessionsRoger SessionsRoger Huntington Sessions was an American composer, critic, and teacher of music.-Life:Sessions was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a family that could trace its roots back to the American revolution. His mother, Ruth Huntington Sessions, was a direct descendent of Samuel Huntington, a signer of...
. - A 1934 recording conducted by Stravinsky also uses the English libretto. This has been reissued on CD, together with many more of Stravinsky's early recordings, by EMI as part of their "Composers in Person" series.
- Robert CraftRobert CraftRobert Lawson Craft is an American conductor and writer. He is best known for his intimate working friendship with Igor Stravinsky, a relationship which resulted in a number of recordings and books.-Life:...
recorded the early versions of Les Noces in the early 1970s on a Columbia LP, but with pianos instead of pianolas. - The Pokrovsky Ensemble issued a recording with much of the piano writing sequenced via MIDIMusical Instrument Digital InterfaceMIDI is an industry-standard protocol, first defined in 1982 by Gordon Hall, that enables electronic musical instruments , computers and other electronic equipment to communicate and synchronize with each other...
through MacintoshMacintoshThe Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
computers. - The BBC recommended recording (Building a Library, May 6, 2000): Voronezh Chamber Choir, New London Chamber Choir, Ensemble, James Wood (director) HYPERION CDA 66410 (recorded 1990).
- Leonard BernsteinLeonard BernsteinLeonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
conducted the English Bach Festival Orchestra and Chorus on a recording for Deutsche GrammophonDeutsche GrammophonDeutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label which was the foundation of the future corporation to be known as PolyGram. It is now part of Universal Music Group since its acquisition and absorption of PolyGram in 1999, and it is also UMG's oldest active label...
in 1977, with Martha ArgerichMartha ArgerichMartha Argerich is an Argentine pianist.-Early life:Argerich was born in Buenos Aires and started playing the piano at age three...
, Krystian ZimermanKrystian ZimermanKrystian Zimerman is a Polish classical pianist who is widely regarded as one of the finest living pianists.-Biography:...
, Cyprien KatsarisCyprien KatsarisCyprien Katsaris is a French-Cypriot pianist, teacher and composer. He was born on 5 May 1951, in Marseilles, France.-Biography:Katsaris first began to play the piano when he was four, in Cameroon where he grew up...
, and Homero FranceschHomero FranceschHomero Francesch is a Uruguay-born Swiss pianist.He attended piano lessons under Santiago Baranda Reyes in Uruguay and in 1967 he was awarded a scholarship by the German Academic Exchange Service...
as the pianists.
External links
- Dance Pages: Les Noces. Retrieved September 5, 2005.
- Clements, Andrew. "Stravinsky: Les Noces". Guardian Unlimited. November 2, 2001. Retrieved September 5, 2005.
- Brendan McCarthy. Les Noces and its performance history. Retrieved 9 November 2005
- Reviews of Les Noces in versions by different choreographers and ensembles.
- Stravinsky and the Pianola, on the Pianola Institute's website.
- History of the Pianola - Pianolists.
- Svadebka! The Village Wedding