K014 Der König der Sterne. Kantate
Звђздоликій [Swjesdoliki]
Кантата для мужского хора и оркестра — Le Roi des étoiles. Cantate pour chant [choeur d’hommes] et orchestre. Poème par K. Balmont — Der König der Sterne [Sternen-Antlitz]. Kantate für Männerchor und Orchester von Konstantin Balmont — The Star-Faced One [Starface]. Cantata for male voice choir and orchestra. Russian words by K. Balmont – Il Re delle stelle. Cantata per coro maschile ed orchestra (Poesia di Balmont)
Title: The Russian word звђздоликій (today звездоликий, in Strawinsky’s sung text ‘ Swjesdóliki’, articulated with an emphasized and open ‘O’) is a made-up word and means something like ‘star-like’. Its translation into German as ‘Der König der Sterne’ or ‘Sternkönig’ after the precedent of the French translation ‘Le Roi des étoiles’ is not entirely accurate, and can only be justified from the content of the poem. Strawinsky was still complaining a few years before his death in a letter to Ernest Ansermet of 6th August 1966 about the wrong title, which he called ‘absurd’ and which he wanted to see replaced by the correct title in French, ‘Face de l’étoile’. As a result, the translation of the title as “Star-Face” reflects the content of the original title better. Walther Neft, who translated the Russian text into German for the two Forberg additions in 1971, stayed with the title “Der Sternenkönig” (“The Star King”).
Scored for: a) First edition: Tenori, Bassi, Flauto piccolo, 3 Flauti (3° muta in Flauto piccolo 2), 4 Oboi, Corno Inglese, Clarinetto piccolo in mi b, 2 Clarinetti in Si b, Clarinetto in La, 3 Fagotti, Contrafagotto, 8 Corni in F, 3 Trombe in Do, 3 Tromboni, Tuba, Celesta, Timpani, Gran Cassa, Tam-tam, Arpa, Violini I, Violini II, Viole, Violoncelli, Contrabassi [Tenors, Basses, 3 Flutes (3rd Flute also Piccolo Flute, 4 Oboes, English horn, piccolo Clarinet in Es, 2 Clarinets in B, Clarinet in A, 3 Bassoons, Contrabassoon, 8 Horns in F, 3 Trumpets in C, 3 Trombones, Tuba, Celesta, Timpani, Big drum, Tam-tam, Harp, Violins I, Violins II, Violas, Violoncellos, Double basses); b) Performance requirements: Male choir* (12 Tenors, 12 Basses), 2 Piccolo Flutes (2nd Piccolo Flute = 3rd Flute), 3 Flutes (3rd Flute = 2nd Piccolo Flute], 4 Oboes (4th Oboe = English horn), English horn (= 4th Oboe), 4 Clarinets (Piccolo Clarinet in Es, 2 Clarinets in A, Clarinet in B), 3 Bassoons, Contrabassoon, 8 Horns in F, 3 Trumpets in C, 3 Trombones, Tuba, Timpani, Percussion (Big drum, Tam-tam), Celesta, 2 Harps, Strings (First Violins**, Second Violins***, Violas****, Violoncellos***, Double basses*****).
* Voice parts in the Choir are in one part divided into up to three parts.
** Divided in eight.
*** Divided in four.
**** Divided in six.
***** Divided in two.
Performance practice: The cantata for male chorus is regarded as almost unperformable due to its technical difficulty. A choir can only attempt this piece if every member of the chorus has perfect pitch. A graphic example of the unprecedented demands can be seen in the final chord. Here, the orchestra plays the chord C-G-B-D while the choir holds a chord of G-B-D-F sharp against it. That is one of the reasons why the cantata is so rarely performed and also why it was premièred so late, over a quarter of a century after its composition, with an adventurous preparatory period.
Poem: The poem, which is found originally in the eighth volume of the ten-volume Balmont edition, created in 1908, and which Balmont’s daughter sent to Strawinsky in early 1961, is made up of 24 verses in 6 non-rhyming stanzas by Konstantin Balmont with a symbolist content; God the Father, Creator of the Old Testament with euphonious speech, exalted words, is secularized, but without comprehensible content except for in sentiments approaching the concrete. Strawinsky said decades later in a somewhat mocking manner that he did not actually know, even then, exactly what this poem was about; however, the words were good and that was all that was necessary for his setting. In the first verse, a face is spoken of which looks like the midday sun and which has eyes like the stars shortly before their collapse. The second verse conjures up the woven vestments which are coloured by ‘bow of the heaven’ in which ‘he’ is arisen anew. In the third verse, the storms line themselves up around ‘him’ ‘in thundering, broken clouds’ while seven golden stars burn before ‘him’ like candles. In the fourth verse, vines blossom with blazing thunderbolts like flowers on the mountainside, and when ‘he’ asks whether they will be true to him, they all shout: Yes, Lord! ‘He’ is the First and the Last, it says in the fifth verse, and the rumbling thunder gives the answer, and the ‘Star-like One’ invites them to the harvest and to take up their sickles, and says ‘Amen’. In the final verse, the crowd stands up in belief, the clouds in the heavens become red and seven golden shining stars lead ‘us’ to the edge of the desert.
Construction: Starface is a short cantata in one movement with a length of 52 bars, the majority of which are in 3/2, plus a device which is two bars in length. The cantata opens with the motto of Svesdoliki , beginning with the actual setting of the text after a 2-bar tremolando string introduction played by 2nd violins and violas divided into 3 parts at figure 1. He gathers the first four verses together under a single preceding instruction, separating them with short breaks. The first verse depicts the sun and zenith and luminous eyes. Its 4 lines correspond to 6 bars of music. The high strings in the introduction continue to resound in this section, and the chorus recites more than it sings. Immediately after the Russian word for “zenith” (in the translations, “zenith” is located at the end of the 4th line, and in the original at the end of the 2nd line, which changes the meaning), all the upper woodwinds enter. The content of the poem is incorporated spatially into the musical picture of the score as going from height to height. The tremolando violins sound on into the separating point of the minim rest. The next section of the poem refers to the colour of the heavens and magnificent vestments. In the 4 bars corresponding to this section, Strawinsky deploys the impressionistic orchestra in order to portray in orchestral Jugendstil colours the colours of the heavens and the garments crafted in them. Once again, a minim rest separates this from the next section, and the strings are used again, this time supported by the horns, who play on into the rest and continue after it, thus bridging the rest. This time, Strawinsky brings the next 6 lines together, rioting clouds, seven golden stars, and lightning clusters. The score paints a vivid picture of the subject matter. The violas once again play into the separating rest, this time with the high clarinets. The question of the loyalty that should be preserved for “him”, which is answered with a “Yes” by the crowd, sounds restrained at mezzoforte in Strawinsky’s version. It is only in the 5th verse, when the “Star-like one” explains that he is the first and the last, that the orchestra finally exploits all its majestic possibilities, as it says in the prefatory instruction. The section climaxes musically in the “Amen” in the 20 th line. The last section is once again restrained. After a miniature orchestral introduction of 4-and-a-half bars, which anticipates with its peaceful tremolando octave leaps the rising of the crowd and supports its corresponding line, line 21, it is above all the oboes and clarinets in the “Ancora più sostenuto” who stand for the colorful cloud structures that are mentioned in the text. The ending with the last 2 lines in the final 3 bars is still. The mystical promise to be guided to the edge of the desert, and thus the end of the depiction, led by seven radiant, golden stars is executed softly. Only the divided tremolando strings, as at the beginning, form a glimmering carpet of sound over which the chorus recites almost in a monotone.
1st Structure
a) Vocal Score *
Largo assai Crotchet = 63 (figure 21 up to the end of figure 7 = bars 1-26)
Tranquillo e maestoso (figure 8 up to the end of figure 10 = bars 27-41)
Ancora più sostenuto Crotchet = 50 (figure 11 = bars 42-45)
(très lointain) (figure 11 2= bar 43)
Tempo primo Crotchet = 63 (figure 12 = bars 46-48)
b) Full Score *
Molto sostenuto Crotchet = 63 (figure 21 up to the end of figure 7 = bars 1-26)
Maestoso e tranquillo (figure 8 up to the end of figure 10 = bars 27-41)
Ancora più sostenuto Crotchet = 50 (figure 11 = bars 42-45)
Tempo primo Crotchet = 63 (figure 12 = bars 46-48)
* Bar numbering without “device”.
2nd Structure
[without indications] (unfigured)
Çвђздоликій
Le Roi des étoiles
Sternen-Antlitz
Starface
[Sung title] (figure 41 to 31 = 2 bars)
Molto sostenuto{ Largo assai}* crotchet = 63 (figure 21 up to the end of figure 7 = bars** 1-30)
Лицо его было какъ солнце въ тотъ часв . . .
Ses yeux sont pareils aux étoiIes. . .
Es war sein Gesicht wie die Sonne . . .
His face was like the Sun . . .
(Lines of poetry 1-16)
Maestoso e tranquillo {tranquillo e maestoso}* [without metronome marking] (figure 8 up to the end of
figure 9 = bars 31-37)
„Я первый” онъ рекъ „и рослђдній” . . .
“Je règne“, dit-il, “sans partage“ . . .
„Der erste bin ich und der letzte“ . . .
“I am the first and I am the last“ - he said . . .
(Lines of poetry 38-45)
(Figure 10 = bars 38-45)
Мы вђрной толпою возстали.
Pieux et fervents, nous suivimes.
Und gläubig erhob sich die Menge.
We rose, a loyal and faithful crowd.
(Line of poetry 21)
Ancora più sostenuto crotchet = 50 (figure 11 = bas 46-49)
На неб алђли изломы.
La foudre fendait les nuages.
Am Himmel gerötete Wolken.
Red zigzags glowed in the sky.
(Line of poetry 22)
Tempo primo crotchet = 63 (figure 12 1-3= bars 50-52)
И семь золотыкъ семизђздій . . .
Sept gloires d‘étoiles splendides . . .
Und sieben goldglänzende Sterne . . .
And the seven Golden constellations . . .
(Lines of poetry 23-24)
* { } = According to piano score Forberg 1971.
** Bar numbering without “device”.
Device: The orchestral score, as well as the piano reduction, reprints the Russian title as ‘Device’ in quotation marks and in upper case in old font “ЗВЂЗДОЛИКIЙ” with the musical systems so arranged that the orchestral score has three staves for the three tenor parts above and three staves for the three bass parts below it, while the piano reduction has only one stave for the three tenor parts above and the same for the three bass parts below. This system of notation bears neither a metronome mark nor is it in a bars system, but has a value of two bars, because every two semibreves are followed by two minims, and the cantata is mostly in 3/2 = 6/4. There are different suggestions for this device. While discussing the rather unfriendly description of the transcription by Kunzel in a letter of 13th July 1968 to David Adams, Strawinsky criticized the device’s shortcomings and wanted to hear it sung and played. Robert Craft, who published the letter, inserts an observation at this point in which he claims that Strawinsky’s statement contradicts his earlier thoughts. They were probably verbal opinions, or had possibly been misunderstood, since in the vinyl recording, which was conducted by Strawinsky himself on 29th November 1962 in Toronto, he had the device sung.
Translation: The original translation into French, which underlies the sung text, is by M.-D. Calvocoressi, and the later German translation of the editions from 1971, which does not lie under the musical text, is by Walther Neft.
Style: The work is constructed spiritually. The conflict of choral and orchestral moments in block form is conceived antiphonally, and the choral recitation certainly has its origin in the Byzantine practice of recitation, which Strawinsky would take up a little more than ten years later for his religious motets. Strawinsky lays bare the text according to old Russian church practice. Since the cantata has no overriding structure, he interprets single words and single moments graphically. Strawinsky uses different combinations of instruments to do this. The richness of the orchestral combination offered him every expressive possibility that he could have wished for. It is noticeable that he avoids tutti moments. The cantata represents the strongest approach to the Impressionist style at a time when Impressionism was beginning to stagnate as a movement. From this point of view seems the dedication to Debussy logical. The performance of this work is very difficult, but the successful result leads to a strange, ethereal, light and easily listenable sound-world of transparency and transcendence. Debussy’s comparison to the music of the spheres and the unearthly sense of belonging in the cantata finds its basis here.
Dedication: A Claude Debussy / Igor Strawinsky / Oustiloug 1911 [For Claude Debussy / Igor Strawinsky / Ustilug 1911].
Duration: 4' 15".
Date of origin: Ustilug, autumn 1911.
First Performance: The première took place on 19th April 1939 in Brussels, in the Institut Nationale de Radio-Diffusion Belge under the baton of Fritz André; the second performance took place on 20th November 1949 at a concert with a 3,000-dollar deficit (presumably compensated entirely or in part by Strawinsky) in the Carnegie Hall in New York under Robert Craft as the first American performance; the probable third performance under Hans Rosbaud on 8th February 1957 at the Broadcasting Centre of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk Kölnwith the Kölner Rundfunkchorand the Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester.
Remarks: The Russian representatives Jurgenson presumably took the cantata on out of a patriotic feeling of duty and paid Strawinsky 300 rubles. It was clear to him that the composition was not a commercially interesting asset. They printed the piano reduction and the score.All attempts to perform the work immediately after its composition failed, even one by Maurice Ravel. The war and the dispossession of Jurgenson exacerbated the situation. Thus the cantata almost fell into oblivion. When Koussevitzky’s secretary, Vladimir Zederbaum, asked Strawinsky about the material, the composer refused to give him his own copy in a letter dated21 July 1938 but was prepared to have it copied.In early 1939, a copy emerged at a music trader’s in Brussels. It was the Library of the Brussels Conservatory that acquired the copy. Paul Collaer, at that time Head of the Flemish Rundfunk in Brussels, was made aware of the opportunity and, with the permission of the publishers, produced the orchestral material. This is the reason for the première being in Brussels.
Situationsgeschichte: Linguistically pleasant-sounding, but probably poetically hollow scenes with nebulous, aphoristic promises like these by Balmont are unthinkable without Genesis from the Old Testament, the Revelation of St John from the New Testament combined with the stylish agnosticism of the modern atmosphere of free thought or sectarian musings on the pantheistic redemption of the world, and are a typical product of the turn-of-the-century. There are also poems of this sort in other languages, where the poetic expression beyond the linguistic intoxication merely exists as approximation. Strawinsky also meant this when he stated in his recollections of Balmont that he only knew that the latter was a second-rate poet, had red hair and a goatee beard and was constantly drunk. Strawinsky made fun of the unintelligible content of the poems, as he stated that he still didn’t know even then what the text was really about. Strawinsky at the same time placed value on his determination never to have met with the writer, who lived in Paris, since that time. The verses were good, he explained. If Strawinsky had later wanted to view this relationship with a sceptical eye, then the Cantata, which was later much criticised, would not have been set by him if he had not found himself in a similar state of mind in high summer or autumn 1911. His piece was written a few months after the premiere of d’Annunzio’s The Martyring of St Sebastien, which took place in April, with music by Debussy which had its roots in the Symbolist, mystical Rosicrucian cult, to which Satie had belonged at times. Strawinsky knew Debussy’s stage work, and it is in this that Strawinsky’s dedication to Debussy had its objective basis.
Revised Version: The cantata, although published by a Russian publisher and therefore not protected by copyright, has not been (illegally) reprinted or revised. Lindlar investigated the question for his 1957 book and stated in a note that a revised version was not intended. A letter from Strawinsky to Ernst Roth on February 5, 1955, on the other hand, shows that he would have loved to have a reprint and, to make the performance easier, would have been willing to reduce the 8 horns to 4 horns without damage to the piece. Stravinsky made corresponding entries in his private copies. At the time, he asked Boosey & Hawkes to come to an agreement with Forberg. He was of the opinion that if it was possible to come to an agreement about the Concertino with Hansen in Copenhagen, it should be possible to do same for Swesdoliki with Forberg. On this occasion, Strawinsky also took up the problem with the translation which always is a very delicate subject when working with symbolic poetry. Strawinsky obviously wanted an English translation for the basic Russian text, which Craft was to do, and a German translation, for which he would have liked to have won Ernst Roth, while one could do without a French translation. Perhaps he meant to say that Calvocoressi's translation was sufficient, although, as far as it relates to verse-to-verse, the assignments from music and language prove difficult. His letter of July 13, 1968 to David Adams from the Boosey & Hawkes publishing house proves that Strawinsky was interested in a new edition. In connection with the Kunzel project, he asked whether the orchestral score of the Cantata could not be reprinted since it was in demand today. At this point, the reprint by the Forberg publishing house in Bonn, which held the rights, had not yet been done. It shows that Strawinsky never distanced himself from this music. It remains unclear whether he waived a revised version because otherwise he would have had to work with the Forberg publishing house that had led the Firebird trial against him, or whether he waived it because it would not benefit him commercially since it was not being performed. His slightly ironic remarks about Balmont and his Cantata prove that the text meant nothing to him anymore later, once he had overcome that particular state of mind he had described.
Significance: For the first time, Strawinsky used the orchestra not as an entire unit but as a combination of several instrumental ensembles geared towards single scenes, even though in this case, a huge orchestra was the result. This process would form the style of instrumentation for Strawinsky after 1950.
Versions: The story of the publication of the cantata is not completely clear and leaves room for speculation. The piano reduction, produced by Strawinsky himself, and the orchestral score were published in 1913 by Jurgenson. Then followed the dispossession of Jurgenson, the arrangement with Forberg and the assignment to Leipzig. In his memoirs, Strawinsky reported that he played the cantata four-handed with Debussy. Until the transcription by Kunzel in 1968 however, no four-handed version is mentioned anywhere. We must therefore assume that the four-handed version of the cantata was improvised by Debussy and Strawinsky from two copies of the piano reduction, one playing the orchestral parts, the other the choral parts. The first new editions after the Second World War (piano reduction and orchestral score) were published in 1971 by Forberg in Bonn. The double plate number in the new edition of the piano reduction may be accredited to an error by the original printers, because the plate number on the final page is identical to that of the orchestral version. The Russian publishers intended to reprint the score yet in 1938, but obviously did not know from which source. Copies were owned by Strawinsky, Kussewitzky in America and the publishers Chester in London. Evidently, nothing came of the matter. A transcription by Erich Kunzel, completed by the middle of 1968, was harshly condemned by Strawinsky. It was probably never published. Apart from that, Strawinsky did not want to have an English translation, rather instead of this, he wanted a phonetic English transliteration of the Russian text. There was however no revised edition brought up. The new Forberg editions in the year of Strawinsky’s death are based on the original versions.
Historical recording: Toronto 29th November 1962 with the Festival Singers of Toronto(with Russian coaching by the Chorus Director Elmer Iseler) and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Symphony Orchestraunder the direction of Igor Strawinsky.Apart from Strawinsky’s own recording in 1964, there are no other vinyl recordings that can be located. There were attempts to bring the cantata to premiere earlier, for example by Ravel in the winter of 1913/14 in Paris, as can be seen from a letter to Hélène Casella. Strawinsky himself sent, presumably at the same time, a printed copy with pencil markings to Edwin Evans in order to warm up Thomas Beecham for the piece. This copy is located today in the Central Music Library in London.
CD edition: XI-1/7.
Autograph: The reputed original manuscript, given to Debussy, from whose legacy it was sold to a music trader, is regarded as lost, although it may have been a copy of the printed piano version, which is more likely. It was André Schaeffner who reported (White bases his version on Schaeffner) that the handwritten copy was sent to Debussy as a present and was sold by his heirs and then lost – but why would Strawinsky give away as a gift the autograph copy of an orchestral score that had not yet been printed? Was it a copy, or was it probably that piano reduction, printed with the dedication, which can be found today in London?
Copyright: 1971 renewed Copyright by Rob. Forberg - P. Jurgenson.
Errors, legends, colportages, curiosities, stories
It is in not entirely clear whether Debussy responded truly enthusiastically to the dedication of the cantata so much as politely as a colleague with a surprised and ironic undertone. In his letter of thanks of 18th August 1913, he refers to the music as extraordinary and compares it with Plato’s music of the spheres; at the same time, he hints that the work almost could not be done justice by a performance on earth. He wrote that this ‘cantata of the planets’ belongs on Sirius or Aldebaran.
Editions
a) Overview
14-1 1913 VoSc; Jurgenson Moskau; R-F; 10 pp.; 36732.
14-2 1913 FuSc; Jurgenson Moskau¸R-F; 13 pp.; 36729.
14-2Straw 1913 ibd. [with corrections].
14-2St 1913 Set of parts; Jurgenson Moskau [unidentified].
14-2E-St 1913 Additional parts [unidentified].
14-2[32] 1913 FuSc; Jurgenson / Forberg Leipzig; 13 pp.; 36729.
14-2[57] 1913 FuSc; Forberg; 13 pp.; 36729.
14-2[57]-Straw ibd.
14-3 1971 VoSc; Jurgenson / Forberg Bad Godesberg; 10 pp. ; 36732/36729.
14-4 1971 FuSc; Jurgenson / Forberg Bad Godesberg; 11 pp.; 36729.
b) Characteristic features
14-1 ИГОРЬ СТРАВИСКIЙ. / «ЗВЂЗДОЛИКIЙ»* / (К. Бальмонтъ)** / [Радђнiе бђлыхъ голубей] / КАНТАТА / ДЛЯ МУЖСКОГО ХОРА И ОРКЕСТРА. / Переложенiе / для пђнiя съ фортепiано. / П [vignette] Ю / Igor Strawinsky. / Igor Strawinsky. / «Le Roi des étoiles»* ( K. Balmont) / Traduction française de / M.-D. Calvocoressi. / CANTATE / POUR CHANT ET ORCHESTRE. / Partition pour Chant et Piano. // (Vocal score with chant [library binding] 26.7 x 34.4 (2° [4°]); sung text Russian-French; 10 [8] pages + 2 pages front matter [title page with (above) the Russian text orientated to the left and (below) the French text orientated to the right in black light-blue on cream white with a 1.7 x 2.9 coat-of-arms vignette separating them und the publisher’s initial centre left and right, page with sung text German] + 2 pages back matter [empty page, page with a list of editions with the prices ordered by work centre >Оркестровая партитура° / }°° 1 Rb. 50 k. / Partition d'orchestre.° / Оркестроые голоса.° / }°° 4 „ — „ / Parties d'orchestre.° / Дубликамы. P. supplementaires à —25 k./ Клавираусцугъ.° / }°° 1 „ —„ / Partition p. Chant & Piano.° / Хоровые голоса.° / }°° — „ 80 „ / Parties de choeur.°< + imprint at the bottom of the page flush left with vignette >Изданiе П. Юргенсона въ Москвђ.* / [vignette°°°] / Edition P. Jurgenson. Moscou—Leipzig.<; title head Russian centre centred inside Device (2 staves) >„ЗВЂЗДОЛИКІЙ“. < French below Device >LE ROI DES ÉTOILES.<; dedication in connection with author specified 1st page of the score paginated p. 3 next to French title head flush right centred handwritten printed in line etching >A Claude Debussy / Igor Strawinsky / Oustiloug 1911< above and next to French title head flush left >К. БАЛЬМОНТЪ. / C. BALMONT.<; translator specified below French title head flush left centred >Traduction française / de M.– D. CALVOCORESSI.<; legal reservations without Copyright 1st page of the score next to Russian title head flush left underlined > Aufführungsrecht vorbehalten.< below type area flush left >Propriété de l'éditeur< flush right >P. Jurgenson à Leipsic et Moscou.<; plate number [p. 3] >3673I<, [pp. 4-10***] >36732<; without end of score dated p. 10; production indication p. 10 below type area flush right als end mark >Gravé et impr. chez [#****] P. Jurgenson à Moscou.<) // (1913)
° Fill character (dotted line).
°° The double-spaced, right-facing curly brackets contain both the names of the Russian and French editions, and state the price in roubles and kopecks.
°°° The vignette 0.7 x 0.7 doubled-eagle with crown between Russian and French publishers indication left indent.
* Light blue.
** Hollow font printed italic, bracket not italic.
*** The plate number is identical to the plate number of the orchestral edition; this is probably an error by the typesetter.
**** Publisher ’s emblem 0.6 x 0.7 crest-like.
14-2 ИГОРЬ СТРАВИСКIЙ. / «ЗВЂЗДОЛИКIЙ»* / (К. Бальмонтъ)** / [Радђнiе бђлыхъ голубей] / КАНТАТА / ДЛЯ МУЖСКОГО ХОРА И ОРКЕСТРА. / Переложенiе / для пђнiя съ фортепiано. / Оркестровая [#] партитура.* / П [vignette] Ю / Igor Strawinsky. / «Le Roi des étoiles»* ( K. Balmont) / Traduction française de / M.-D. Calvocoressi. / CANTATE / POUR CHANT ET ORCHESTRE / Partition pour Chant et Piano. / Partition d'orchestre.* // (Full score not sewn 26.8 x 34.4 (2° [4°]); sung text Russian-French; 13 [11] pages without cover + 2 pages front matter [title page with the Russian text orientated to the left and the French text orientated to the right in black light-blue on cream white with a 1.7 x 2.9 coat-of-arms vignette separating them und the publisher’s initial centre left and right, empty page] + 1 page back matter [page with a list of editions with the prices ordered by work centre >Оркестровая партитура° / }°° 1 Rb. 50 k. / Partition d'orchestre.° / Оркестроые голоса.° / }°° 4 „ — „ / Parties d'orchestre.° / Дубликамы. P. supplementaires à —25 k./ Клавираусцугъ.° / }°° 1 „ —„ / Partition p. Chant & Piano.° / Хоровые голоса.° / }°° — „ 80 „ / Parties de choeur.°< + imprint at the bottom of the page flush left with vignette >Изданiе П. Юргенсона въ Москвђ.* / [vignette°°°] / Edition P. Jurgenson. Moscou—Leipzig.<; title head Russian centre centred inside Device (6 staves) >„ЗВЂЗДОЛИКІЙ“.< French below Device >LE ROI DES ÉTOILES.<; dedication in connection with authors specified 1st page of the score paginated p. 3 next to last line Device and between French title head flush right centred handwritten printed in line etching >A Claude Debussy / Igor Strawinsky / Oustiloug 1911< between Device and French title head flush left >К. БАЛЬМОНТЪ. / C. BALMONT.<; translator specified below French title head flush left centred >Traduction française / de M.– D. CALVOCORESSI.<; legal reservations without Copyright 1st page of the score next to Russian title head flush left underlined > Aufführungsrecht vorbehalten.< below type area flush left >Propriété de l'éditeur< flush right >P. Jurgenson à Leipsic et Moscou.<; plate number 36729<; end of score dated p. 13 >OUSTILOUG 1911–12<; production indication p. 13 below type area flush right als end mark >Gravé et impr. chez [#****] P. Jurgenson à Moscou.<) // (1913)
† The separating border/vignette begins in the middle of the last Russian lines.
° Fill character (dotted line).
°° The double-spaced, right-facing curly brackets contain both the names of the Russian and French editions, and state the price in roubles and kopecks.
°°° The vignette 0.7 x 0.7 doubled-eagle with crown between Russian and French publishers indication left indent.
* light blue.
** Hollow font printed italic, bracket not italic.
**** Vignette 0.7 x 0,8 double-headed eagle with crown.
14-2Straw
The copy of the conducting score in Strawinsky’s estate contains no entries apart from in the horn parts. The copy is signed and dated >Igor Strawinsky / I9I3< on the upper right of the outer title page in Russian script; the last two letters of the 1st line run downwards in a bow shape and the last letter has his favourite extension of the tail of the y, which continues energetically downwards underneath the year so that the latter appears underlined. The entries in the horn parts are complex part-allocation markings in pencil, with the aim of reducing the 8 horn parts to 4.
14-2 [57]-Straw
The copy in Strawinsky’s estate is signed and dated above and next to the name with >IStrawinsky / I957<. It contains, as well as the corrections to the horn parts, one (insignificant) correction: the flat sign in the last (third) two-note chord in the 2nd trumpet part at figure 9 1should appear inside a round bracket (because the same flat sign already appears in the bar in the preceding second chord).
14-2St Set of parts, unidentified; Jurgenson Moskau, 1913
14-2E-St Additional parts, unidentified; Jurgenson Moskau, 1913
14-2[57] Igor Strawinsky / Le Roi des Etoiles / (K. Balmont) / frz. Text von M.-D. Calvocoressi / Kantate / für / Männerstimmen und Orchester / Rob. Forberg // (Full score not sewn 23.2 x 29.5 ([Lex. 8°]); sung text Russian-French; 13 [11] pages + 4 pages cover [Titelei black on creme white, 3 empty pages] without front matter + 1 page back matter [empty page]; title head Russian centre inside Device > ЗВЂЗДОЛИКІЙ< French >LE ROI DES ÉTOILES< below Device; dedication next to and below last line Device in connection with author specified 1. page of the score paginated p. 3 above and next to French title head flush right handwritten printed in line etching >A Claude Debussy / Igor Strawinsky / Oustiloug 1911>; poet and translater specified between Device and French title head flush left centred >К. БАЛЬМОНТЪ. / C. BALMONT. / Traduction française / de M.-D. CALVOCORESSI.<; legal reservation 1. page of the score above type area next to Russian title head flush left underlined > Aufführungsrecht vorbehalten.< below type area flush left >Propriété de l’éditeur<; plate number >36729<; without production indication,; without end mark p. 13) // [1957]
14-3 IGOR STRAWINSKY / LE ROI DES ETOILES / CANTATE / RUSSIANER TEXT: [#] FRENCHER TEXT: / K. BALMONT [#] M. - D. CALVOCORESSI / PARTITUR / MÄNNERCHOR UND ORCHESTER / [vignette] / ROB FORBERG [#] П. ЮРГЕНСОНА // (Score stapled 22.9 x 31 (4° [Lex 8°]); (4°); sung text Russian-French; 11 [11] pages + 4 cover pages white on bright dark green [title with publisher’s emblem 1.3 x 1.5 double-headed eagle with crown, sceptre and orb, sung text German with translator specified and legal reservation >Deutsche Übersetzung: Walther Neft / © 1971 Rob. Forberg P. Jurgenson Bonn – Bad Godesberg<, sung text in font foreign for typewriters English without translator specified with legal reservation >English translation / copyrighted by Rob. Forberg – P. Jurgenson, Musikverlag / 53 Bonn–Bad Godesberg, Germany<, page bright white with publisher’s >ROB. FORBERG P. JURGENSON< advertisements >Orchester - Leihmateriale / Auswahl Russischer Komponisten<* without production date] without front matter + 1 page back matter [empty page] ;title head Russian centre centred inside Device >„ЗВЂЗДОЛИКІЙ“.< French >LE ROI DES ÉTOILES.< below Device; dedication in connection with authors specified and translator specified 1st page of the score unpaginated [p. 1] next to 4th and between 4th and 5th and 5th and 6th line Device flush right handwritten printed in line etching centred >A Claude Debussy / Igor Strawinsky / Oustiloug 1911> next to and below title head flush left >К. БАЛЬМОНТЪ. / C. BALMONT. / Traduction française / de M. D. CALVOCORESSI<; legal reservations 1st page of the score next to Devicen flush left underlined > Aufführungsrecht vorbehalten< below type area flush left >Eigentum des Verlegers für alle Länder – All rights reserved / © 1971 Copyright renewed by Rob. Forberg – P. Jurgenson / 53 Bonn – Bad Godesberg, Germany<; plate number >36729<; production indication p. 11 flush right as end mark >Noten und Druck: H. Gruber, (Allfoto) Minden)<) // 1971
* Compositions are advertised without column divisions, without fill character (dotted line) and without price from >Balakirew, M.< to >Tschaikowsky, P.<, amongst these >Strawinsky, I. [#] Sinfonie Nr. 1 Es-Dur<.
14-4 IGOR STRAWINSKY / LE ROI DES ETOILES / CANTATE / RUSSISCHER TEXT: [#] FRANZÖSISCHER TEXT: / K. BALMONT [#] M. D. CALVOCORESSI / KLAVIERAUSZUG / CHORPARTITUR / [vignette] / ROB. FORBERG [#] П. ЮРГЕНСОНА // IGOR STRAWINSKY / LE ROI DES ETOILES / CANTATE / RUSSISCHER TEXT: [#] FRANZÖSISCHER TEXT: / K. BALMONT [#] M. D. CALVOCORESSI / KLAVIERAUSZUG / CHORPARTITUR / ROB FORBERG [#] P. JURGENSON // (Vocal score with chant [library binding] 22.7 x 30.4 (4° [4°]); sung text Russian-French; 10 [8] pages + 4 pages cover white on black [title with publisher’s emblem double-headed eagle with crown, sceptre and orb 1.3 x 1.5, 3 empty pages] + 2 pages front matter [title page black on white, page with German translation + translator specified >Deutsche Übersetzung: Walther Neft< + legal reservation >© 1971 Rob. Forberg P. Jurgenson – Bad Godesberg<] + 4 pages back matter [2 empty pages, page with publisher’s advertisement >Auswahl russischer Klaviermusik<* without production date, page with publisher’s advertisement >Auswahl russischer Klaviermusik<** without production date]; dedication in connection with authors specified 1st page of the score paginated p. 3 below Device above, next to and below piece title French >LE ROI DES ÉTOILES.< flush right handwritten printed in line etching >A Claude Debussy / Igor Strawinsky / Oustiloug 1911< flush left >К. БАЛЬМОНТЪ. / C. BALMONT. / Traduction française / de M. D. CALVOCORESSI.<; legal reservation 1st page of the score above type area next to Device flush left underlined > Aufführungsrecht vorbehalten.< below type area >Eigentum des Verlegers für alle Länder / Alle Rechte vorbehalten / Rob. Forberg, Bonn–Bad Godesberg<; plate number [pp. 3-9] >36732< [p. 10] >36729<***; production indication 1st page of the score below type area flush right >P. Jurgenson à Leipsic et Moscou.< p. 10 as end mark flush right >Druck: H. Gruber, (Allfoto) Minden)<;) // 1971
* Compositions are advertised without column divisions, without fill character (dotted line) and without price from >Prokofiew, S. < to >Tschérépnin, N. <, amongst these >Strawinsky, I. [#] Le Roi des étoiles<.
** Compositions are advertised without column divisions, without fill character (dotted line) and without price from >Arensky, A.< to >Pachulski, H.<, Strawinsky not mentioned.
*** The plate number is identical to the plate number of the orchestral edition; this is probably an error by the typesetter (from the year 1913).
14
K Catalog: Annotated Catalog of Works and Work Editions of Igor Strawinsky till 1971, revised version 2014 and ongoing, by Helmut Kirchmeyer.
© Helmut Kirchmeyer. All rights reserved.
http://www.kcatalog.org and http://www.kcatalog.net