Bonynge's recording of "Awakening of Flora"

[Solor]

Does anyone know how true Bonynge's recording of excerpts from the 1894 Drigo/petipa "The Awakening of Flora" is to the original text?

I have a recording titled "Homage a la Pavlova", played by the Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec, conducted by Simon Streatfeild, as well as Bonynge's "Homage to Pavlova" (which is also on the 10CD boxed set "Fete du Ballet"). The Bonynge recording offers about 30 minutes of the Drigo score, including what appears to be the ballet's Grand Pas. The Streatfeild recording recording offers only the Grand Adage from the Grand Pas. Both recordings of this particular number are offerred in the same orchestration.

However the Streatfeild recording credits Marc Belanger as the number's orchestrator, where as the Bonynge recording does not credit anyone as an orchestrator. Since this number is offerred on both recordings in the same arrangement I was wondering what the deal is? I know that Bonynge's recording of snippets of the Shades from Minkus's "La Bayadere" on "The Art of the Prima Ballerina" is a rather severe reorchestration, though no one is credited with the arrangement in the liner notes. Likewise Bonynge's recording of the Drigo "Harlequinade" Pas de Trois often associated with "The Fairy Doll" (also on "The Art of the Prima Ballerina") is presented in a rather stripped down version from its original.

I believe that Bonynge's manuscript was the one used by Pavlova for both the Pas de Trois and Bayadere, which were likely hand copied and/or orchestrated from piano reduction. Since Pavlova also performed Flora I figured that maybe that is where he got this music as well.

Anyway all of this has me wondering about the origins of the manuscript used by Bonynge for this recording. Oh yes, how complete is Bonynge's recording?

Thanks guys!

[Mel Johnson]

Quite as near as I can recall, Bonynge got hold of the scores in question through the assistance of Dame Alicia Markova. Much of her collection of music was Pavlova's company music, and orchestrated by Drigo. The Bayadere pas d'action was probably the "Rajah's Dream" score that we've mentioned before.

[leonid17]

Does anyone know how true Bonynge's recording of excerpts from the 1894 Drigo/petipa "The Awakening of Flora" is to the original text?

I have a recording titled "Homage a la Pavlova", played by the Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec, conducted by Simon Streatfeild, as well as Bonynge's "Homage to Pavlova" (which is also on the 10CD boxed set "Fete du Ballet"). The Bonynge recording offers about 30 minutes of the Drigo score, including what appears to be the ballet's Grand Pas. The Streatfeild recording recording offers only the Grand Adage from the Grand Pas. Both recordings of this particular number are offerred in the same orchestration.

However the Streatfeild recording credits Marc Belanger as the number's orchestrator, where as the Bonynge recording does not credit anyone as an orchestrator. Since this number is offerred on both recordings in the same arrangement I was wondering what the deal is? I know that Bonynge's recording of snippets of the Shades from Minkus's "La Bayadere" on "The Art of the Prima Ballerina" is a rather severe reorchestration, though no one is credited with the arrangement in the liner notes. Likewise Bonynge's recording of the Drigo "Harlequinade" Pas de Trois often associated with "The Fairy Doll" (also on "The Art of the Prima Ballerina") is presented in a rather stripped down version from its original.

I believe that Bonynge's manuscript was the one used by Pavlova for both the Pas de Trois and Bayadere, which were likely hand copied and/or orchestrated from piano reduction. Since Pavlova also performed Flora I figured that maybe that is where he got this music as well.

Anyway all of this has me wondering about the origins of the manuscript used by Bonynge for this recording. Oh yes, how complete is Bonynge's recording?

Thanks guys!

Askhat Galiamov has been commissioned by Western Australia Ballet to choreograph a new version of The Awakening of Flora for this year. You might make an enquiry as to the source and the actual score he will be using.