The Dream, Ashton and Lanchberry?

[Leigh Witchel]

I apologize, I ought to do my own research on this, but if someone can save me time by pointing me to the right sources, it's appreciated!

Do any of the Ashtonophiles out there know where the creation of the score for The Dream is discussed? I'm interested in knowing how Ashton/Lanchberry made selections and ordered what they did. Any comments in general on how Ashton would assemble music to suit his purposes?

[Alexandra]

David Vaughan's book. ("Frederick Ashton and His Ballets.") Detail on each ballet, plus appendices with "minutages" of several ballets; extensive material on Ashton's use of music.

[Alexandra]

For those interested in Ashton, I just did a search on Alibris -- www.alibris.com -- and there are lots and lots, many under $30 (which is a good price; I paid $75 for one, for a gift, 10 years ago!)

http://www.alibris.com/search/search.cfm?q...ches=13&qsort=r

[Dale]

However, there are two editions of the book - one that ends in the late 70s and another after Ashton died. I didn't know and got the early book. I was annoyed when I couldn't find Le Rossignol in there. So, check for the publishing date.

[Alexandra]

Good point. The ones I looked at were all 1st edition -- BUT that's 1977, so it covers through "Month in the Country" (1976) and covers the major ballets.

Editing to add, I checked Amazon and there are used copies available (new, and some used, are in the $50 range). The used copies don't say which edition they are; they're cheap, and I suspect they're not the newer one.

[zerbinetta]

I'd be interested to know what you find out, Leigh, as I have wondered about this cobbled together score, especially the liberal & uncredited "borrowing" from Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia: like the first 10+ minutes & the tempesta & Berta's aria. And who composed the Clog Dance.

Guess I'll have to buy the book.

P.S. Isn't alibris wonderful!

[Alexandra]

I think that's "La Fille Mal Gardee," not the Dream. It uses a 19th century score. Then it was common to incorporate arias, popular songs, etc -- they wouldn't be considered stealing, because everyone would know them, and they were used to cue the action. If the lover was unconstant, a bit of Don Giovanni might find its way in, etc.

[zerbinetta]

Of course it was Fille I was thinking of! Sorry. It's just that it had been on my mind as I was bothered that such a great percentage of the score was Rossini that he really should have a credit. It's not like there's an insert or even two but huge sections of Rossini!

[Alexandra]

I loved the idea of a clog dance in "The Dream"

[Mel Johnson]

The use of music from Barbiere has a purpose. Both the opera and Fille have an identical subtitle, "Useless Precautions". There is also a great hunk of Donizetti, mostly from L'Elisir d'Amore. The root source of a lot of the numbers in Fille came from a single book of first violin music containing all the 6/8 material that Hérold incorporated in his score for the ballet. Some of the music goes back to the original 1789 production, including the 6/8 final dance with singing included.

[rg]

to recap:

david v's book was published first by knopf, then, updated by dancebooks. so that should alert one about getting the 'incomplete' volume, c. 1977 or the dancebooks printing w/ the updates that include everything made by ashton between '77 and his death.

[sandik]

Of course it was Fille I was thinking of! Sorry.

Now I have the clog dance music from Fille going though my head -- could be much worse on a Monday morning!