Presents
Igor Stravinsky
Suite from L'Histoire du Soldat for Clarinet, Violin and Piano
The Suite from L’Histoire du Soldat for Clarinet, Violin and Piano was arranged
by Stravinsky in 1919 for a chamber music festival at the behest of his main
financial backer. The original, which was premiered to great acclaim in 1918,
called for a narrator, actors, dancers and seven instrumentalists, of which the
violin and clarinet played the most important role. The work was based on a text
by Charles Ferdinand Ramuz and tells the story of a soldier and the devil.
Stravinsky wrote that the scraping sound of the violin rePresents
the soul of
the soldier. In the Suite, the piano takes the place of the percussion section
in the original and rePresents
the devil. The work rePresents
Stravinsky's break
with his earlier Russian period and his fascination with the new American jazz
which was making its way to Europe. In its original version, the work has
remained quite popular, but few are familiar with it in his wonderful Suite,
which is was a remarkably fine arrangement and every bit as effective as the
original.
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), one of the most famous and influential composers of the 20th century, needs no introduction. He wrote in virtually every genre but is perhaps best remembered for his ground-breaking ballet music.
Parts: $18.95
