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doug

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Posts posted by doug

  1. Mel, That's probably the waltz I mean, with the low trumpet solo at the beginning of the melody. I never paid attention to whether it was intended as the woman's solo. It is indeed in the Drigo edition of the score for 1895, in a shortened version of Tchaikovsky's original, and, since Gorsky was in the pas d'action (i.e., Black Swan pas de deux), as an extra cavalier and also choregraphed the male solo to the waltz music, maybe it was indeed performed then?

  2. Melissa, I think the two variations you mention are part of the Pas de Six that was in the original score (1877) and possibly intended by Tchaikovsky and Reisinger (the first choreographer) as a pas for the six princesses - hence, the addition for Odile of what we now know as Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux shortly after the first performance. I'd have to check Wiley re: 1877 to see if the affiche for the first performance lists participants in the Pas de Six. Certainly the brass variation sounds a lot like music from the lakeside scene when Rothbart appears and the oboe variation seems to suit Odile's character. But Mel is right that the Pas de Dix was omitted from the 1895 production. Bulgakov was Rothbart in 1895 and his was a non-dancing role.

  3. Balanchine even made some of the rehearsal piano reductions from the orchestral scores himself, including the Act II divert pas. They are written in his own hand (at least the ones used at PNB). Making piano scores from orchestra scores is not easy, believe me! He made all the musical choices for Midsummer. As we know, one aspect contributing to his genius was his incredible musicality coupled with training as a professional musician - so rare! He could also play ballet scores on the piano for rehearsal.

    When ddianne first started at City Ballet, she had to play 18 ballets the first week (!). She was doing an onstage SERENADE rehearsal -- her first time doing SERENADE ever -- and Balanchine said "We'll begin at such-and-such," naming certain dance steps. ddianne had to say she didn't know where that was in the music, so he came over to the piano, pointed to the correct place in the score and said, "Right here, dear."

    [ 06-28-2001: Message edited by: doug ]

  4. With the Rose Adagio, the four princes are suitors of Princess Aurora and their courting dance with her is part of the larger pas d'action of Act I, i.e., part of the plot.

    In RAYMONDA Act III, Jean de Brienne has no solo variation (and this was Sergei Legat, not Pavel Gerdt). In the original, he danced a pas de quatre with Bernard and Beranger, the two troubador friends of Raymonda, plus another cavalier (again, Alexander Gorsky - type casting?! :().

  5. I've not looked closely at the Black Swan notations, but Roland John Wiley writes (in TCHAIKOVSKY'S BALLETS) that Petipa planned what we now call the Black Swan Pas de Deux as a pas de quatre demi d'action, including Odile, Siegfried, an extra cavalier (I always forget) and von Rothbart, who acted but didn't dance. This info corresponds with the original cast list from 1895. Gorsky published a notation of a variation for the extra cavalier (he WAS the extra cavalier in 1895 and the choreography of the variation is credited to him - it's a really great variation, too, BTW), set to the waltz in B-flat major. The "d'action" part comes during the adagio when Odile converses in mime with von Rothbart and the vision of Odette appears. And, yes, the 32 fouettes are notated! :(

    This is drawing on two threads, but I wonder why both adagios incorporate extra cavaliers. Again, I do not think it was because Gerdt was a big wimp. He could partner and did partner into the 20th century. I generally do not look for any philosophical/psychological reasoning in Petipa's works but, taking that route for just a moment, Siegfried is potentially made to look weak or young. (And Gerdt was neither!)

    Any ideas?

  6. For one thing, I don't think Benno was introduced to help Pavel Gerdt with the rigors of partnering. This is often the rationalization of the first lakeside scene's pas de deux a trois. Gerdt was still partnering on his own five years later. His Solor was notated in 1900 and his partnering included many lifts, some one-handed! You go, Pavel!

  7. I've only seen PNB's version live. It has a traditional Act I pas de trois and a traditional Act II, albeit without mime, and a traditional Black Swan pas in Act III. Kent Stowell choreographed the rest, including an Act IV that uses music from the 1877 original that was not included in 1985. Odette becomes a swan at the end, leaving Siegfried alone. I really like this final act and think it works very well with the music.

    I have other versions on tape, including several Bolshoi and Kirov productions.

  8. I love mime. Of course, Tchaikovsky composed music specifically for the mimed conversations in Swan Lake. It's beautiful and descriptive and the melodies pass between instruments like people talking back and forth.

    I think constant dance in full-length ballets waters down the set dance pieces. It's like taking the recitative out of MARRIAGE OF FIGARO or any other opera in which recitative is integral to the work.

    I would like to think the era during which mime was replaced with "expressive dance" was nearly past. I think the public is ready for mime again. And ballet composers could finally quit rolling in their graves. :)

  9. I provided one of the male variations in DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH in the temple courtyard scene (it comes after the variation for two women that has all the chugs - the double tour at the end was added, btw). All of the Russian male variations that I have seen notated are of the French-Bournonville sort - and these were notated mostly in the first decade of the 20th century. I have examples from Petipa ballets (though not neccesarily choreographed by him?) and Gorsky.

    I think Petipa 'as we know him' ultimately dates from the 1930s/40s/50s, during which time his ballets were revived and altered in Russia (although this process of alteration began earlier with some ballets) - again, a simplification, but this is what I am finding.

    The only male variation that comes close to the sort we generally see today in classic full-lengths is Desire's variation from BEAUTY Act III, but even there the notated version seems to be a mix of old and new (it was the version danced by Sergei Legat). It is a ***very*** difficult variation, stamina-wise, and I've never seen it danced, although it is similar in part to some versions danced today.

    All in all, I think Russian balletic style in the late 19th century was still very French and the Italian influence was incorporated to the extent it could be compatible with the French style. When I first started working with the notations, I kept thinking how like Bournonville so much of the dances looked. That is, of course, because the Bournonville style retains so many elements of the old French, and the style of 'Petipa' (via the Vaganova school, et al.) has lost much of that.

    I am still trying to sort out these ideas and impressions, and I really appreciate all the input. :)

    [ 06-10-2001: Message edited by: doug ]

  10. I provided one of the male variations in DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH in the temple courtyard scene (it comes after the variation for two women that has all the chugs - the double tour at the end was added, btw). All of the Russian male variations that I have seen notated are of the French-Bournonville sort - and these were notated mostly in the first decade of the 20th century. I have examples from Petipa ballets (though not neccesarily choreographed by him?) and Gorsky.

    I think Petipa 'as we know him' ultimately dates from the 1930s/40s/50s, during which time his ballets were revived and altered in Russia (although this process of alteration began earlier with some ballets) - again, a simplification, but this is what I am finding.

    The only male variation that comes close to the sort we generally see today in classic full-lengths is Desire's variation from BEAUTY Act III, but even there the notated version seems to be a mix of old and new (it was the version danced by Sergei Legat). It is a ***very*** difficult variation, stamina-wise, and I've never seen it danced, although it is similar in part to some versions danced today.

    All in all, I think Russian balletic style in the late 19th century was still very French and the Italian influence was incorporated to the extent it could be compatible with the French style. When I first started working with the notations, I kept thinking how like Bournonville so much of the dances looked. That is, of course, because the Bournonville style retains so many elements of the old French, and the style of 'Petipa' (via the Vaganova school, et al.) has lost much of that.

    I am still trying to sort out these ideas and impressions, and I really appreciate all the input. :)

    [ 06-10-2001: Message edited by: doug ]

  11. These are such good points - thanks, everyone. Thanks also, Jeannie, for the list of ballets.

    My initial point had been to discuss the differences within Petipa's oeuvre - how one ballet differed from another when originally presented. As we all know, a variety of changes have been made to the ballets over time. Distinguishing characteristics of individual ballets have been blurred. Part of the benefit of research into original or early productions is finding what made each ballet 'tick' in its time. If I were able to reconstruct ballets on a regular basis, I would certainly approach each one somewhat differently based not only on the available sources but on the particular aesthetic of each work and when/where it was created.

  12. These are such good points - thanks, everyone. Thanks also, Jeannie, for the list of ballets.

    My initial point had been to discuss the differences within Petipa's oeuvre - how one ballet differed from another when originally presented. As we all know, a variety of changes have been made to the ballets over time. Distinguishing characteristics of individual ballets have been blurred. Part of the benefit of research into original or early productions is finding what made each ballet 'tick' in its time. If I were able to reconstruct ballets on a regular basis, I would certainly approach each one somewhat differently based not only on the available sources but on the particular aesthetic of each work and when/where it was created.

  13. You're right, Marc, that not everyone shares the desire to see original steps in ballets. Good thing, too, or we wouldn't have a lot of the wonderful productions that are around today. However, the notion of retaining the original steps isn't particularly new. Karsavina was writing about 'lost steps' in "Dancing Times" in the 60s and Arlene Croce figured out early on that dances ascribed to Petipa weren't necessarily by him.

    I also think that improved communication (this sort of message board, for example) and greater access to resources have begun to allow these issues to be researched and discussed.

    For me, it ultimately comes down to correct attribution. The mid-late 20th century saw an incredible amount of misattribution of choreography to Petipa that was really the work of others (or in such altered form as to be unrecognizable as Petipa's). Other arts genres - music, visual arts - would not tolerate these misattributions, particularly when used for marketing purposes. I don't feel there's anything inherently wrong with changes to old choreography (although I don't understand why a completely new ballet isn't made in the first place), but those changes should be correctly attributed. Using Petipa's name to sell a production that includes very little of his choreography is wrong, in my opinion. I think the US suffered the most here, taking as gospel truth many 'after-Petipa' productions that bore little choreographic resemble to his real work.

    This issue is slowly being addressed, as far as I can tell. Attributions are being sorted out. Those working to recover old steps are contributing, as are those choreographing new versions of old ballets and taking responsibility for them. Good things, all around.

  14. You're right, Marc, that not everyone shares the desire to see original steps in ballets. Good thing, too, or we wouldn't have a lot of the wonderful productions that are around today. However, the notion of retaining the original steps isn't particularly new. Karsavina was writing about 'lost steps' in "Dancing Times" in the 60s and Arlene Croce figured out early on that dances ascribed to Petipa weren't necessarily by him.

    I also think that improved communication (this sort of message board, for example) and greater access to resources have begun to allow these issues to be researched and discussed.

    For me, it ultimately comes down to correct attribution. The mid-late 20th century saw an incredible amount of misattribution of choreography to Petipa that was really the work of others (or in such altered form as to be unrecognizable as Petipa's). Other arts genres - music, visual arts - would not tolerate these misattributions, particularly when used for marketing purposes. I don't feel there's anything inherently wrong with changes to old choreography (although I don't understand why a completely new ballet isn't made in the first place), but those changes should be correctly attributed. Using Petipa's name to sell a production that includes very little of his choreography is wrong, in my opinion. I think the US suffered the most here, taking as gospel truth many 'after-Petipa' productions that bore little choreographic resemble to his real work.

    This issue is slowly being addressed, as far as I can tell. Attributions are being sorted out. Those working to recover old steps are contributing, as are those choreographing new versions of old ballets and taking responsibility for them. Good things, all around.

  15. Cargill, you may well be right about the Kirov's new BEAUTY and its emphasis on mercy in the Act I opening. Or . . . they might simply have wanted to open the cuts in the music, therefore necessitating an extension of the action? Just a thought.

    I'd have to check on the Maryinsky redesign of BEAUTY. It may have been redesigned by Korovin when Gorsky revived it at the Maryinsky on Feb 16, 1914. That sounds right to me. This was apparently when the new Lilac Fairy variation was added by Lopukhov.

    Mel, I hadn't thought that Sergei Legat did notation work, but I can't rule out the possibility. I've found that most notations made after 1903 are in the hand of Nikolai Sergeyev, with the exception of variations and excerpts that were notated by students.

    Dale, I'm not sure why Konstantin Sergeyev changed the classic ballets, but I assume he wanted to put his stamp on productions and perhaps also felt the need to "update" them - ? Most of his BEAUTY changes came in the Prologue, with the choreography for the large corps of Lilac attendants. The fairy variations were retained but became awfully watered down, as well.

    Being a purist, I like to see dances in their original form, so far as possible. Obviously bodies and aesthetics change, but it is possible to retain the steps. AGON looks so different now from the filmed version of 1960 but the actual steps have changed very little.

    Re: DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH, Lacotte felt it was not possible to revive the ballet from notation and also felt the ballet was too long. Not being a reader of Stepanov notation, a decision to stage the ballet from notation would have greatly altered his plans and contribution to the revival.

    The new POB PAQUITA appears to be similar to PHARAOH in this regard, although I have not seen it so I can't make a good judgment here, and I've also not worked much with the PAQUITA notations.

    James, I haven't seen Perm but I have heard now and again that their productions of 19th-century Russian ballets have changed less than the Kirov productions.

    Moving on to SWAN LAKE, I like the fact that young student girls performed as swans in the first lakeside scene. They remind me of the young girls in MOZARTIANA - not cute, but simply smaller people.

    Children were used on a regular basis in 19th-century ballets and I'd love to see a return to that practice. I suppose having a school connected to the professional dance institution is often the deciding factor.

  16. Cargill, you may well be right about the Kirov's new BEAUTY and its emphasis on mercy in the Act I opening. Or . . . they might simply have wanted to open the cuts in the music, therefore necessitating an extension of the action? Just a thought.

    I'd have to check on the Maryinsky redesign of BEAUTY. It may have been redesigned by Korovin when Gorsky revived it at the Maryinsky on Feb 16, 1914. That sounds right to me. This was apparently when the new Lilac Fairy variation was added by Lopukhov.

    Mel, I hadn't thought that Sergei Legat did notation work, but I can't rule out the possibility. I've found that most notations made after 1903 are in the hand of Nikolai Sergeyev, with the exception of variations and excerpts that were notated by students.

    Dale, I'm not sure why Konstantin Sergeyev changed the classic ballets, but I assume he wanted to put his stamp on productions and perhaps also felt the need to "update" them - ? Most of his BEAUTY changes came in the Prologue, with the choreography for the large corps of Lilac attendants. The fairy variations were retained but became awfully watered down, as well.

    Being a purist, I like to see dances in their original form, so far as possible. Obviously bodies and aesthetics change, but it is possible to retain the steps. AGON looks so different now from the filmed version of 1960 but the actual steps have changed very little.

    Re: DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH, Lacotte felt it was not possible to revive the ballet from notation and also felt the ballet was too long. Not being a reader of Stepanov notation, a decision to stage the ballet from notation would have greatly altered his plans and contribution to the revival.

    The new POB PAQUITA appears to be similar to PHARAOH in this regard, although I have not seen it so I can't make a good judgment here, and I've also not worked much with the PAQUITA notations.

    James, I haven't seen Perm but I have heard now and again that their productions of 19th-century Russian ballets have changed less than the Kirov productions.

    Moving on to SWAN LAKE, I like the fact that young student girls performed as swans in the first lakeside scene. They remind me of the young girls in MOZARTIANA - not cute, but simply smaller people.

    Children were used on a regular basis in 19th-century ballets and I'd love to see a return to that practice. I suppose having a school connected to the professional dance institution is often the deciding factor.

  17. Mel, I've got the notation out here. The second variation (with cabrioles) in the Shades scene was danced by Varvara Rykhlyakova in December 1900 when the notation was made. The first fermata (hold) in the music coincides with a pique arabesque on the right foot coming from 5th position plie. The ballerina continues with tombe, pirouette, etc. Second fermata is also a pique arabesque on the right foot, just like the first. The third fermata (towards the end of the variation) is not marked as a fermata in the notation. The step at that point in the music is the last of a series of releve attitude en avant on alternating feet (left foot for the final one). Final pose is sus-sous from fifth position plie, left foot front.

    BTW, this notation was not made by Nikolai Sergeyev. He didn't started notating much until 1903, when he took over the ballet master position at the Maryinsky. I'm not sure who made this notation.

    Hope this info helps.

    [ 06-03-2001: Message edited by: doug ]

  18. Mel, I've got the notation out here. The second variation (with cabrioles) in the Shades scene was danced by Varvara Rykhlyakova in December 1900 when the notation was made. The first fermata (hold) in the music coincides with a pique arabesque on the right foot coming from 5th position plie. The ballerina continues with tombe, pirouette, etc. Second fermata is also a pique arabesque on the right foot, just like the first. The third fermata (towards the end of the variation) is not marked as a fermata in the notation. The step at that point in the music is the last of a series of releve attitude en avant on alternating feet (left foot for the final one). Final pose is sus-sous from fifth position plie, left foot front.

    BTW, this notation was not made by Nikolai Sergeyev. He didn't started notating much until 1903, when he took over the ballet master position at the Maryinsky. I'm not sure who made this notation.

    Hope this info helps.

    [ 06-03-2001: Message edited by: doug ]

  19. The odd/even scene/act format is so interesting. I would assume that scenes (whether or not comrpising entire acts themselves or combined to form an act) would be the deciding factor. Interesting about the BEAUTY prologue. Perhaps it was called a prologue simple because the ballerina does not make an appearance? But Swan Lake Act I (or Act I, Scene I) also is without the ballerina.

    [ 06-04-2001: Message edited by: doug ]

  20. I've enjoyed reading all the input. I like the structure of COPPELIA Act III. It seems unique among the other full-lengths we have. Interesting that Petipa's one-act THE SEASONS (1900, music by Glazunov), also dealt with the passage of time, but with regard to nature and the seasons and the span of a year. The COPPELIA divert seems to run deeper by dealing with a day and a life span combined.

    As is often the case, in my opinion, Balanchine comes to closest to preserving the concept of the original COPPELIA Act III (he does the same in THE NUTCRACKER and his one-act SWAN LAKE). He includes children as well as a character-type dance (set to Discord and War). I'd like to see the old Russian version restaged - does the Royal Ballet have it in their current production? I know there is notation . . .

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