Drigos "Awakening of Flora" question

[Mel Johnson]

These old ballets must have been held in loose-leaf binders. People dropped stuff from anywhere in any old place without regard to the composer's wishes. Tchaikovsky was very brave in insisting that Pelagia Karpakova NOT be permitted to interpolate her own pas de deux by Minkus into Swan Lake. He seems to have written what we today call the "Tchaikovsky pas de deux (Balanchine)" to replace that piece of music. I would purely LOVE to discover that lost Minkus.

[Giselle05]

I was wondering if anyone knew who wrote the music for the pas de deux between Conrad and Medora in his cave, in the second act. And as a matter of fact, the music from the beginning of the second act as well. It is just so beautiful, and I would love to own it.

[Mel Johnson]

Personally, I'd bet that if you split it about 50/50, you'd come up with the proper ratio of Adam/Minkus. The pas de deux has the same sort of songlike texture found in Adam, not only in Giselle, but in "Cantique de Noêl" ("O Holy Night").

[carbro]

Interesting. I thought it was the other way around. Did I read somewhere that the variation was added to DQ to enlarge Amour's role?

[MinkusPugni]

Why would it be illeagal under copyright laws if I wrote the music?

[MinkusPugni]

Perpetuum mobile is a dance for 5 people (3 girls, and a leading couple) which is often called "The Wise Monkey Dance" or the "Dance of See, Hear or Speak No Evil". It is certainly NOT the fouette competition.

[Helene]

The policy of the board is that links to pages that host downloads may be posted only if they are to Company sites.

We have a single photo archive which is a board treasure, and we have budgeted for that bandwidth. As far as attaching small files to the board, it becomes a bandwidth issue if many people post a number of files. That is why it is prohibited to attach files. Our purpose is to discuss ballet performances, news, issues, and, as you've found, music, but distribution of photos and downloads is not our mission.

I'm closing this thread now.

[Mel Johnson]

You've just described the Natural History Lesson.

And I repeat my previous question.

[doug]

The original Medora variation that Delibes composed is no longer danced but its choreography (presumably by Petipa) was notated in the 1890s in St. Petersburg and recently has been reconstructed. In 1899, a variation was interpolated in the Jardin anime scene for Pierina Legnani as Medora. That variation is from Pygmalion, music by Prince Trubetskoi. The two-violin repetiteur from turn-of-the-century St. Petersburg includes this variation for Medora in the Jardin anime scene. The choreography was not notated at the time. I believe this music is used in the current Kirov production of Le Corsaire or at least on their videotaped production with Assylmuratova.

[doug]

I am interested in Minkus and the topic of his orchestrations. I would like to know the source for your statement that Minkus did not orchestrate his own music. I know this was common in other musical genres but haven't come across this information about Minkus. I would be very interested to know your source so I can read more about it. Thanks!

We can't change 19th century ballet history, but we certainly can try to sort it out and determine who composed what. I'm all for that, and there is much scholarship needed in this area. Those few working in this field deserve our thanks!

[jllaney]

Here is a link to the version you want as well as a very good explanation of exactly what Mel is saying about the 1895 version. The review is very insightful.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...463818?v=glance

[Solor]

MinkusPugni -

First of all, wlecome to Ballet Talk! Its nice to have someone else like me who is a 19th century ballet music junkie!

The 2/4 allegro witten by Tchaikovsky to end the White Adagio was omitted for the 1895 revial at the Mariinsky, and in its palce, a new ending, written by Riccardo Drigo, was put in its palce (the same thing was done with the allegro ending of the adagio in the Grand Pas of the Black Swan, replaced with a new ending by Drigo. Vhaktang Chabukiani used this omitted allegro ending to fashion a new variation for the prince, long after 1895).

The link provided above by Jllaney to the Swan Lake excerpts CD has a review of the disc written by me (Im Adam ) -- by the way thanks for the compliment Jllaney! This disc is only excerpts, but the music recorded are the 1895 versions as revised by Drigo (complete with proper conducting of ballet music- tempos, pauses, etc).

For a complete recording of the entire 1895 score, visit this site:

http://www.classicalrecords.ru/cr/cd-en/042.htm

This is the full score as revisaed by Drigo in 1895, conducted by the late Fedotov of the Mariinsky. This recording was originally released by JVC classics, but has been out of print for some time. It is listed on Amazon.com (and has a review by me ) but the odds of getting a hold of a copy of that particular release is pretty much slim to none. However it has been re-released through a company in Moscow, classical records, and can be purchased through thier site.

[Solor]

MinkusPugni -

Th original orchestrations to many of the numbers in question can be heard on the Kirovs production of Corsaire.

The reason I believe the Odisques to be by Minkus is because of the orchetration. ABT Uses a re-orchestrated version, not only for the Trio de Odalisques, but also in the Pas d'Eslcave, and the Grand pas. I never found the Trio of the Odalsiues to be complex. Perhaps you are refering to the verison of the music used by ABT. This is a re-orchestrated version. Watch the Kirovs production. They still use the original arrangements.

The Variation for Medora in the scene Jadin Anime is from Don Q indeed (why ABT changed it I do not know). The orignal variation (credited to Minkus in a ballet class CD I have) is used by the Kirov (its begins in 3/4 and end in 2/4 , I believe).

The Pas d'Esclave sounds to me be by Pugni. The Grand Pas by Drigo. If one listens to the original orchestrations, it is alot easier to determine who wrote what. Drigo always orchestrated well - I have his Awakening of Flora, and his Magic Flute on CD. Both ballets are in his original arrangement, and are very lushly and colorfully orchestrated.

Th Variation for Gulnare and for Medora in Jardin Anime are not by Delbies at all only the opening waltz, adagio, and coda are).

Adolphe Adam was dead by the time Corsaire was revised in Russia (he died in 1856). And Pugni died in 1870, Minkus took his post as ballet composer (Im not sure of the formal title he beheld) so I think it unlikey that the Trio of the Odalisques ever got adapted by Pugni.

I have noticed, having known Minkus's music very well since I was a little boy, that his orchestrations are very simple. I think this is the reason for thier being re-arranged here in the west when the ballets were restaged by Nureyev, and Makarova.

[Giselle05]

Is the Pas D'esclave the pas de deux between Medora and Conrad in Conrad's cave? I would like very much to have a copy of the music from Le Corsaire as presented in ABT's version..and I especially adore the music in that pas de deux.

[MinkusPugni]

The original 2/4 allegro coda to the pas d'action in Act II aka "White Swan pas de deux" was dropped by Drigo and replaced by the softer violin/woodwinds version.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, so you mean the allegro at the end is actually connected to the Pas de Deux? I didn't quite understand that. So Drigo dropped that for a reprise of the B theme? (ie. the 6/8 temps leve section). Okay, thanks for clearing that up for me!

[MinkusPugni]

Okay, I understand now. Thanku so much everyone (especially Mel and Solor) you have really cleared things up for me. So now I need to buy a 1895 version if I want that pas de deux.... grrrr... neways! Thanks again - I was quite confused. I don't know much about Swan Lake. Infact it's one of the most famous ballets and I know nothing about it! I'm mainly into the unknown ones, lol.

[MinkusPugni]

Sorry, I'm not familiar with the Kirov version but I hear that the Kirov is totally different to the ABT one. I am talking about the ABT Medora's Jardin variation which has been creditied to Minkus, Delibes and Ivanov. So I was hoping someone could clear that up.

[MinkusPugni]

You've just described the Natural History Lesson. 

And I repeat my previous question. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You said that the fouette competition is performed to Strauss' "Perpetuum Mobile". The Fouette Competition is performed to a piece that currently I am unaware of but I shall be getting the details of the score shortly. Whatever the "Natural History Lesson" is, I've never heard of it but you are saying that it's Perpetuum Mobile.

Oh, and I'm sorry - seeing as you seem so adament that the fouette competition is performed to Perpetuum Mobile, when did YOU work for David Lichine?

[Mel Johnson]

1963-4.

[MinkusPugni]

Here is a picture of Perpetuum mobile

Perpetuum Mobile

Romantic Girl

Romantic Girl

Pigtails

Pigtails

A picture of when DAVID LICHINE staged Graduation Ball in Australia

David Lichine's Graduation Ball

The finale of Graduation Ball

Finale

I have the BMN notation of when David Lichine staged Graduation Ball in Australia. The storyline goes as I have just said:

1. Entrance

2. Entrance of Cadets

3. Waltz

4. Drummer Boy

5. La Sylphide pas de Deux

6. Pigtails' solo

7. Romantic girl's solo

8. Fouette competition

9. Love letters

10. Perpetuum Mobile (Dance of See, Speak and Hear No Evil)

11. Students leave for dinner

12. Mazurka

13. Galop Finale

[MinkusPugni]

I am about to enter a choreography competition next year with snow as my theme. Here is the music that I have chosen but I am definately open to suggestions as this isn't my final choice.

1. Waltz of the Snowflakes (Nutcracker - Tchaikovsky) - Opening Dance

2. Panorama (Sleeping Beauty - Tchaikovsky) - Snow Queen and Ice Fairies

3. Aurora's Act II Variation (Sleeping Beauty) - First Variation (Ice Fairiy)

4. Fifth Variation (Paquita - Minkus [Cherepnin]) - Second Variation

5. Helene's Variation (Faust [Opera] - Gounod) - Third Variation

6. Solor's Variation (La Bayadere - Minkus) - Fourth Variation

7. Nikiya's Shade Variation (La Bayadere - Minkus) - Snow Queen's Variation

8. Finale (Faust [Opera] - Gounod) - Finale Storm

Does anyone have any extra suggestions?

[MinkusPugni]

What's your favourite ballet music?

Mine would have to be "La Fille mal Gardee", "Graduation Ball", "Don Quixote", "Coppelia" and some of "Swan Lake".

[DSanderson]

My favorite ballet music would have to be from "Romeo and Juliet" and "Swan Lake"

Dana

[Mireille]

Mine Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet too, and Tchaikovsky's, the adagio and PDD in Nutcracker.

[klingsor]

Balanchine's "La Sonnambula" music by Vittorio Rieti (after themes of Vincenzo Bellini)