GNicholls

Thank you, Amy, for the citation. It is a fascinating article. Above all, Russian bells must never be tuned to either a major or a minor chord. "The voice of a bell is understood as just that," he [Father Roman is the head bell ringer at the Danilov Monastery] said. "Not a note, not a chord, but a voice." Whereas Western European bells are tuned on a lathe to produce familiar major and minor chords, a Russian bell is prized for its individual, untuned voice, produced by an overlay of numerous partial frequencies, with only approximate relations to traditional pitches....--a feature that gave the Lowell Klappermeisters' performances the denatured effect of music played on a touch-tone telephone. Where Western European bells play melodies, Russian bell ringing consists of rhythmic layered peals. A fundamental tone with its overtones (higher tones with frequencies in whole number ratios to the fundamental, e.g. 1:3, 1:9) is a harmonic sonority. If ratios between sound components are not by whole number it is an inharmonic sonority. FM (frequency modulation) synthesis is an economical form of sound synthesis which Yamaha and Stanford University made a mint on during the 1980's (the SoundBlaster32 sound card). When I took sound synthesis back in ancient days, we used to make "FM gongs" whose ratio between carrier and modulator sound waves was 1:1.4 -- fractional not whole number. They really did sound like gongs and you could hear the "gongness" come in as the dial approached 1.4. Please pardon the technical stuff. Actual bell acoustics are more complex than this, and I don't know much about carillons. My comments are just intended to convey the difference between Western European (more harmonic) and Russian (more inharmonic) bell sonorities as described by Innopac. Interesting stuff ...

Wow, those shoes are gorgeous. And the condition of them is almost unbelievable! How could they look so fine after 300 years????? Regarding the 300-year-old shoes, my informant tells me that this iconic pair has reeived more attention and loving care from the conservators than just about anything else they have.

The above quotes give the flavour of the times. Mingling of dancers and nobles at the court of Louis XIV must have benefited all; the importance of these occasions made much funding possible! Descriptions by Mme de Sevigne and the Duc d’Orléans illustrate the rich social milieu of social dancing, enhancing appreciation of ballet. Concerning what I have learned from the 17th-18th-century French ballet so far: 1. a sense of harmony in the horizontal patterning, perhaps connecting to the motions of celestial bodies and the perspective of eternity… Verticality came to be emphasized more when ballet moved from court to theatre, in consideration of the audience point of view. But maybe there was still a balance of vertical figure and horizontal ground? – I think so. 2. Beauchamps was one of Lully’s colleagues of genius, along with dramatists Molière then Quinault, and the engineers Torelli and Vigarini followed by the designer Bérain. They were good at more than one thing – Molière and Lully danced, Beauchamps and Quinault composed. Louis XIV danced and gave his patronage to long-lasting institutions. 3. a succession of artists, often with close family and teacher-student connections. It is not just a dry series of names in a book, but a wonderful sequence of creators, giving a sense of the richness and depth of ballet’s traditions. In another post, I referred to the value of using the year of birth of important composers to keep track of contemporaries and generations – here will try the same with major French dancers and choreographers in the ballet de cour and opéra-ballet eras, grouped by quarter century with birth year: 1625-49 Pierre Beauchamps – 1631 1650-74 Guillaume-Louis Pécourt – 1653 Mlle de Lafontaine – 1655 Marie-Thérèse Subligny – 1666 Claude Ballon – 1671 1675-99 Michel Blondy – 1677 Françoise Prévost – c.1680 Louis Dupré – 1690 1700-1725 Marie Sallé – 1707 Marie Camargo – 1710 Jean-Barthélemy Lany – 1718 Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2001), edited by Debra Craine Craine and Judith Mackrell. 4. as for artistry, ironically dance – the key element in ballet – is the most ephemeral. So we have the score, the libretto, the design, but dance notation only in certain cases. Much as this situation limits accurate ballet reconstruction, it is salutary to remember the fleeting nature of time, which is also the nature of dance: never to be frozen, opening up a space for creative imagination whether as reconstruction or reinvention, and as dancer or choreographer or viewer. I like to visualize the succession of artists as an actual long and stately procession, or to imagine myself going back in time, pausing as each artist steps forward with an entrée, ready to applaud at the right moment. We don’t know their work enough to make artistic judgements, yet I sense that even today there is something in French baroque ballet that makes us want to "complete" it, that warrants the eager co-participation of everyone from dance scholar to dancer to viewer.

A note about Rebel's score for Les elements: in the Chaos scene the stringed instruments each play a different note forming sustained tone clusters, that sound like Penderecki or Ligeti in the 1960's -- nearly 300 years ahead of their time!

Here are the Canadian ballet dancers I've heard about most over many years. I've always wondered how they were regarded internationally. (Canada is a difficult country -- famously regional, some think we have an inferiority complex, others that we over-rate ourselves). Would anyone care to share their opinion of any of the following, whose careers were made in Canada, as dancers and artists? Karen Kain Frank Augustyn Veronica Tennant Evelyn Hart Rex Harrington I believe all of the above are from Ontario, except Tennant who was born in England but grew up in Toronto. Don't know about Quebec. In British Columbia they're especially proud of the following, whose careers largely took place abroad: Lynn Seymour Jennifer Penney Reid Anderson And finaly, here are a couple of names I had never heard of till very recently, also with careers abroad: Wayne Eagling Laverne Meyer

As well as Opera Atelier there is a baroque dance organization in Toronto, La Belle Danse. For me Baroque ballet seems to convey sheer joy in human presence – as persons, as dancers, as actors – bringing all together skilfully, immersed in the roles. Ballet of other eras does this too of course. In my opinion the classical and humanistic principles articulated by the Florentine Camarata (invoking the drama of ancient Greece), in which the ballet of Beauchamps and Lully was grounded, are still highly relevant – not academic or dead! The whole idea was expression of feelings within an order both based on and straining against reason. To me the video clips at the NY Baroque Dance Company web site reach a very high level of artistry. In La Danse from Rameau's Les fêtes d’Hébé, Catherine Turocy leads the ensemble in her complex yet attractive choreography, her tambourin linking the dancing and offstage music. In Feuillet's choreography for the Entrée d'Apollon from Lully's Le Triomphe de l'Amour, Thomas Baird strikes me as noble and at the same time very musical, not stiff at all. His feet connect to fine details of the music without imitating it predictably.

I really appreciate these replies and references -- every one of which has pointed out things I didn't know. Concerning history, I'm following Alexandra's lead in the Ballet Eras thread, gradually moving over to using dance not music terminology. Love the idea that "in ballet we reach for the Heavens." Having worked as a classical musician for a large part of my life Leonid's raising of the elitism issue evokes arguments I make in support of classical music, which are serious but not as convincing as a fine performance of a beautiful piece! On the question of virtuosity, when I joined Ballet Talk it was a big interest. But having had a change of heart, now I'm looking rather for artistry in choreography and dancing. I agree with Bart that in viewing modernist work it helps also to know the past very well, and at the same time period performances can be wonderful (the playing is so much better than it was when I was a music student, and historical dance wasn't even on the radar where I lived). The French Baroque ballet wasn't all danse noble. There were demi-charactere and grotesque roles, and I've read of freak show stuff that wouldn't be allowed on stage today. And politics at the court of Louis XIV were unsavoury. But the best work reaches up to the artistic heights and indeed sets up its own world, both like and unlike the everyday one, which I like Leonid find enthralling.

As a newbie I've done some background reading on ballet history, mainly the periods of ballet de cour and opera-ballet. A few basic points that seem simple: 1. Ballet is a particular form of art, originating in Renaissance Italy, codified as the French danse d'ecole, developed and modified thereafter. 2. It is based in classical and humanist ideals of the 16th and 17th centuries. 3. Ballet incorporates dance, music, theatre, and visual arts but has its own aesthetic and critical tradition, distinct from the other arts. Though obvious, it seems to me that we often forget these basic ideas. In my opinion, the terms ballet and "dance" are mixed together too much nowadays. Ballet of that time is discussed for historical significance and details of performance practice, not as a vital art form. What we call ballet now too often stresses virtuosity and shock effect, not balance and empathy. Ballets are still talked about in terms of musical scores and operas rather than choreography. (I know a lot of the choreography is lost, but we know quite a bit too.) Also have viewed on YouTube French ballet scenes from this period. I find many of them stunning and affecting too, full of genuine sentiment, grandeur, humour, and moments of genius. The issue: is this a specialist genre mainly of historical interest, or is it as I believe an art form relevant today, from which we can learn a lot?

Very informative! One last question -- does the choreographer of a new work normally hold the copyright?

Interesting -- I see that notation would be complex. Reminds me of Braille music notation of which there are a limited number of users, and a smaller number of competent transcribers. What happens if a different company wishes to perform the work? Do they rent it and are the fees high? Do the choreographers have to give their blessing?

If one is a choreographer, what is the "gold standard" in 2010 for preserving one's new ballet? Is a good-quality DVD enough? I assume there would also be the printed scenario and stage directions, along with plans and photos for the sets, and an audio recording of the music together with the printed score if there is one.

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/theatre/article/848208--south-pacific-soars-again http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/theatre/serious-take-on-south-pacific-hits-a-serious-bali-hai/article1673897/

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/theatre/article/848208--south-pacific-soars-again www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/...south-pacific.../article1673897/

The touring version of this production starring Carmen Cusack and Jason Howard has opened in Toronto to rave reviews. It is running till Sept. 5 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts (home of the Canadian Opera Company - a great venue), 145 Queen St. W. 416-644-3665.

Thanks Cygnet for identifying key influences and factors in Z.'s career. Actually Simon G. you haven't put me off Zakharova, but I understand better what her limitations are. Also what is meant by beautiful feet. What I like about Ballet Talk is the experienced posters who both know and are able to clarify what they are talking about. Rare nowadays in any field! For this audience member it's about attending to the whole performance, not just the wow factor.

My views have changed since the previous post. My own experience with extension pretty much ends with tying my shoelaces! But I now see from the photos how, in raising her leg so high, Zakharov puts her torso out of line. To clarify the question I asked, which was referring to the supporting foot in a developpe of the second: I read somewhere that Darcy Bussell has to curve her supporting foot forward to allow high extension of her other leg, and over time this plus dancing while significantly injured may have contributed to serious hip degeneration. It seems to me that Zakharova likewise curves her supporting foot further forward than would otherwise be done. I can't quite tell from the Guillem video, although I see she is much better suited generally to this work than Zakharova. For me as a member of the ballet public there are three related issues: one of general taste, another of a style wherein the classical body line is distorted, and finally the question of how much injury risk I can enjoy watching. I realize all ballet dancers at this level have injuries that may be major, but still have to draw the line somewhere. An analogy from the classical music world: Sergei Rachmaninoff, a great composer and one of the greatest pianists ever, had huge hands that could easily span a twelfth on the keyboard, and also had an unusual hand condition that allowed him to spread his fingers widely from each other, even in fast passages. A singularity, like Sylvie Guillem! Certain of his compositions exploit these hand-stretching capabilities, but in my opinion even outstanding pianists really shouldn't attempt them if their hands are smaller and they have webbing between fingers. Yet his tremendously difficult Piano Concerto No. 3 ("Rach 3") has become the standard at international piano competitions, so young artists play it even when it doesn't suit their hand structure. It isn't right -- in the same way I see now that young artists having to imitate Guillem's or Zakharov's high extensions isn't right. Thank you everyone for insightful posts, especially Simon G. for your excellent explanation of the history and context. I'm going to be more discriminating about dancers. Ready to move on to other topics now.

Being new to ballet, I don't always understand the passions that certain dancers and styles evoke among experts. It seems that Svetlana Zakharova evokes a lot of criticism on this forum and with certain critics, while other critics and publics rave about her. My own impression from watching YouTube clips is that there is a certain feline quality in her dancing: extreme extensions and torso stretches, something like the late 16th-century Mannerist Italian paintings with their exaggerated poses, elongated fingers, etc. -- and that "extreme" stage presentation is quite of our time too. The humanistic qualities of subtlety and sentiment don't seem to have the traction they used to have -- the world has changed I fear. Her mime is very limited; she just gets up there and dances and executes with indomitable will and something about that appeals to me. Yet I can also see how those whose judgment of ballet is more sophisticated than mine would differ, noting that sometimes they find her work cold. Question in connection with Zakharova: what is "over-extension" of the feet en pointe and what effect does it have?

Thank you Jack! I plan to follow up Ballet Jorgen's open studio session by attending their full staged version this fall at the Betty Oliphant Theatre in Toronto. I'm a composer but my extensive musical education in the '70's did not include any connection to the dance world, despite in-depth study of the music of The Rite of Spring and L'Histoire du Soldat, for example. Back then went to the ballet a few times, but my re-discovery is due to video clips of ballet stars on YouTube! Ballet Jorgen is based at a community college where I have a connection, so I've decided to start going to live performances there. The company is totally in the spirit of "Bringing Ballet to the People." And really, isn't it better for an adult to develop a sense of what's going on by direct contact if possible, rather than poring over received opinion about whether Zakharova or Semionova is better, etc?

Ballet Talk is giving me new confidence! Last night I went to an open studio performance of excerpts by Ballet Jorgen, Toronto's "other" company, which does education and outreach and tours in smaller communities. www.balletjorgen.ca/ I found it a pleasant, informal atmosphere. The company founder Bengt Jorgen spoke briefly about each piece. Saw part of Icarus, the first ballet by award-winning Toronto choreographer Malgorzata Nowacka, who has worked in contemporary dance for the past 10 years. Liked its structural quality, balancing regularity in movement with rushing passages and fleeting moments of emotional connection among the six dancers. As a newcomer to ballet, I like this kind of low-key easy-on-the-wallet event, journaling my impressions and reactions afterward. Maybe checking out advanced ballet schools and touring groups is one way to go in communities that don't have a ballet company.

This is a fascinating topic. Having studied music and attention in considerable depth, I can say with confidence that conducting a ballet or opera is a supreme divided attention task, as Bart observes, one that requires ongoing monitoring of multiple channels of information in visual, auditory, and kinesthetic modalities (pardon the terminology!). It's not only the dancers who face a big challenge. When there is little rehearsal time, it doesn't surprise me that some ballet conductors wave the stick and let the orchestra carry them, but that's not how it's supposed to be done! Jack Reed observes that even with live music sometimes dancers are considerably ahead of the beat, but some conductors habitually conduct ahead of the beat too, so where does that leave us?

These are interesting replies indeed -- thank you everyone. I never realized how many considerations ballet shoes involve. Incidently, I have a relative who works at the Bata Shoe Museum http://www.batashoemuseum.ca/ (shameless plug!), and she gets many comments that it's strange for a museum to devote itself only to shoes! To me the museum's collection shows that the contact place between the human and the ground is uniquely significant in cultures all over the world, each one interpreting it differently.

I'm a classically-trained and experienced composer (PhD. Eastman School of Music) who would like to learn more about ballet. Going to stick to the "Discovering the Art" Forum for now!

Beginner's question: At this site you can see what 3 pairs of shoes needed by Veronica Tennant for just 1 performance of Onegin looked like afterwords -- is that unusual? http://www.batashoemuseum.ca/exhibitions/on_pointe/index.shtml There are photos and an introductory video about these and other famous performers' ballet shoes that I saw in a temporary exhibit at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto a few years ago.

Thank you Cygne! I'm using this reply to jump in with some general comments. (1) On the "Discovering the Art" forum I have found Alexandra's introductory posts very clear and useful. She says,"Russian Imperial Ballet and the age of spectacle -- does NOT match what was going on in other arts, namely Realism." Concerning opera this is partly true, when you think of Italy and the verismo operas of Mascagni, (Cavalleria Rusticana), Leoncavallo (I Pagliacci) and Puccini (La Boheme, etc.). But I think that the stage always tends towards spectacle, and the late 19th century (La belle epoque) was prosperous enough to support it. The mythological subject matter of operas such as Wagner's Twilight of the Gods and Parsifal, or Debussy's symbolist Pelleas and Melissande, led to magnificent spectacles too. (2) I was taught by the Wagner musicologist Robert Bailey to understand the history of music composition in 25-year periods, based on the dates of birth of major composers. This lets us understand Wagner (1813) and Liszt (1811) as CONTEMPORARIES of Mendelssohn (1809), Chopin (1809), and Schumann (1810), while people who think of Wagner and Brahms (1833) as contemporaries are quite mistaken. I've found it is incredibly useful to me to think that way at least for 19th and 20th century composers -- whether it applies to choreographers I don't know. (3) Apropos of your name, Cygnet, there are beautiful swans in the lagoons of Toronto Island and I'm heading over there this weekend to escape the city!

Thank you Hans and Bart for your encouragement and suggestions! I live in Toronto so the National Ballet is near at hand.