K063 Konzertante Tänze

K63 Danses concertantes

pour [petit*] orchestre – Danses concertantes for [small*] Orchestra – Konzertante Tänze für [kleines*] Orchester – Danze Concertanti per [piccola*] orchestra

[*] = Autograph, removed in the printing, as well as the subtitle Concerto .

Scored for: a) First edition: 1 Flute, 1 Oboe, 1 Clarinet in A and B b , 1 Bassoon, 2 Horns in F, 1 Trumpet in B b , 1 Trombone, Timpani, Strings (6 Violins, 4 Violas, 3 Cellos, 2 Basses; b) Performance requirements: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet* (A and B b ), Bassoon, 2 Horns in F, Trumpet in B b , Trombone, 2 Timpani, 4 Solo Violins, Solo Viola, Solo Violoncello, 6 Violins** (included 4 Solo Violins), 4 Violas** (included Solo Viola), 3 Violoncellos*** (included Solo Violoncello), 2 Double basses****.

* 1 Player.

** Divided in two.

*** Divided in three.

**** The number of players is specified as 24; with respect to that, the instructions in the score indicate a solo double bass playing pizzicato and “the others” ( gli altri ) playing arco at figure 214, which is possibly a written error.

Performance practice: The copy of the conducting score from Strawinsky’s estate (63-1) grants insights into his conception of the musical sound, in that he marks the woodwind and horns forte at figure 173 ⁴(page 110), the timpani forte ma non troppo , the trumpets and trombones mezzoforte and the strings fortissimo .

Summary: The Danses Concertantes are a five-part orchestral work for choreographic or concert purposes without a plot or breaks in between the sections and with balletic French titles (shortened first movement). It was intended by Strawinsky from the beginning to have a double function as a stage as well as a concert work.

Construction: The fact that the work is in five parts comes as a result of the structural (metro-architectual) planning. The variation movement forms the middle point and comes at scarcely eight minutes into the work; it is surrounded by the two main sections, two and four, in the character of an aurally perceptible sonata movement and also by the following Adagio , creating a temporal sense of equilibrium and running at just under five minutes. The short movements, one and five, additionally take on the function of the Introduction and Coda, respectively Prelude and Postlude. The five-part structure of Canticum Sacrum is later symbolically related to the five cupolas of San Marco. Here it is created from the structure of the work. In it, the classical formal elements, as is normal for Strawinsky, are carefully mixed: the Sonata, Suite and Variation are woven into each other. Fugal and imitative technique is entirely unused. This division is noteworthy in the ambiguous design from both the instrumental and choreographic point of view because Strawinsky prescribed the form in such a way that the absolute as well as the practical dance terms can be adopted. This two-faced vision for the work means that it is suitable for both stage and concert hall. –

The monothematic introductory movement, from which the melodic fragments are derived, takes on the function of the introduction as well as that of the soloistic entry of the dancers in a running motion, as well as solo dances in discrete episodes worked into the structure. The final movement repeats the first figures verbatim but shortens the continuation and concludes the entire work with its own final coda. One is certainly reminded of the March in Renard. –

The choreographical term Pas d’Action for the second movement is a mixture of a non-dialectic sonata form and a c oncerto grosso in a fairly balanced A-B-A1 form with a secondary section inserted at figure 34. It is so constructed in blocks, which was the reason why Strawinsky referred to the Sonata or the Concerto Grosso. –

The variation movement is a play on all possible variations of thematic transformation, carried out in small episodes, which simultaneously offers the choreographer the opportunity to create an entire world of different body movements soloistically or chorally: variation from a musical as well as choreographical standpoint. Specifically, Balanchine had immediately recognised these possibilities and expressed his enthusiasm and used them for his choreography. –

The Pas de Deux is constructed as a Grand Pas de Deux and allows the development of the masculine Allegro and the feminine Adagio entries in the same way as their connection with each other and their interlinking with an imaginary Corps de Ballet .

Structure

I

Marche Introduction

Crotchet = 96 (figure ⁵1 up to the end of figure 23 ⁵)

II

Pas d'Action

(figure 24 up to the end of figure 63)

Con moto Crotchet = 104 (figure 24 up to the end of figure 33 ⁵)

Meno mosso Crotchet = 80 (figure 34 up to the end of figure 47 ³)

Tempo I^o Crotchet = 104 (figure 48 up to the end of figure 63 ⁴)

III

Thème varié

(figure 63 up to the end of figure 134)

Lento Crotchet = 50 (figure 64 up to the end of figure 72 ⁴)

VAR. I

Allegretto Crotchet = 152 (figure 73 up to the end of figure 82 ⁵)

Crotchet = quaver [=] Crotchet = 76 (figure 83 up to the end of figure 86 ⁵)

Quaver = crotchet = 152 (figure 87 up to the end of figure 89 ⁵)

VAR. II

Scherzando Crotchet = 100 (figure 90 up to figure 98 ⁴)

Meno mosso Crotchet = 80 (figure 98 ⁵up to the end of figure 101 ⁵)

Tempo I^o Crotchet = 100 (figure 102 up to the end of figure 105 ⁴)

VAR. III

Andantino Quaver = 104-108 (figure 106 up to figure 118 ⁴)

VAR. IV (Coda)

Tempo giusto dotted Crotchet = 112 (figure 119 up to the end of figure 134 ⁴*)

IV

Pas de Deux

(figure 135 up to the end of figure 166)

Risoluto Crotchet = 66 (figure 135 up to the end of figure 139 ⁵)

Più mosso Crotchet = 66 (figure 140 up to the end of figure 147 ⁴)

Tempo I^o Andante sostenuto Crotchet = 54 (figure 148 up to the end of figure 152 ³)

Più mosso Crotchet = 84 (figure 153 up to the end of figure 162 ⁴)

Quaver = 108 [=] crotchet = 54 Tempo I^o (figure 163 up to the end of figure 163 ⁵)

L'istesso tempo, Andante sostenuto (figure 164 up to the end of figure 166 ⁵)

V

Marche - Conclusion

Crotchet = 96 (figure 167 up to the end of figure 174 ⁵)

* Figure 134 ⁴is an optional bar which is to be played if one wishes to end the composition at this point. Should per attaccare be played, it should replace this bar, which is a General Pause bar.

Corrections / Errata

Full score 63-1

1.) p. 1, figure 1¹, Violins, Violas, 1st/2nd Violoncellos: last [8.] semiquavers have to be marked with accents (>).

2.) p. 1, figure 1^1-2, Violins, Violas, 1st/2nd Violoncellos: a decrescendo marking should be inserted from the end of 1¹to the beginning of 1².

3.) p. 1, figure 1³, Violins, Violas, 1st/2nd Violoncellos: 4th semiquavers of the 1st ligature have to be marked with accents (>).

4.) p. 1, figure 2^1-2, Violoncellos, Double basses: >{ m ƒ |stacc< resp. > m ƒ |stacc< have to be added.

5.) p. 19, figure 27⁴, Flute, Clarinet: The phrasing mark over the last three notes of the bar [Flute: d3 to f3; Clarinet: g2 to g2] should be removed and replaced by a phrasing mark over the last two notes of the bar [Flute: f2 to f3; Clarinet: a^b 2 to g2].

6.) p. 19, figure 28¹, Oboe, Clarinet: the phrase mark over three semiquaver notes [Oboe g ^b1 to c ^b2; Clarinet a^b2 to d^b2] should be removed and replaced by a phrase mark over the last two notes of the bar [Oboe: e^b1 to c^b2; Clarinet: f2 to d^b2].

7.) p. 20, figure 28^3-5, Horns: 1st Horn: The phrasing mark from the end of bar 28 ³(f#2) to the end of bar 28⁴(f#2) should be removed and replaced by a phrasing mark from the end of bar 28³ (f#2) to the third quaver note of 28⁴(a1); a phrasing mark should be added from the end of 28⁴ (f#2) to the beginning of bar 28⁵(e2)*; the phrasing mark above the first two notes of figure 28⁵ [from e2 to c#2] should be removed*; a crescendo sign reaching to the first note of 28⁵(e2 and a1) should be added between the two horn parts from the end of bar 28⁴(f sharp 2 and g sharp 1); the phrasing mark from the third note of figure 28³(a#1) to the last note of figure 28⁴ (g#1) should be removed and replaced by a slur from the first note of figure 28¹(a1) to the third note of the bar (a1); a phrasing mark should be added between the last note of the bar at figure 28⁴(g#1) and the first note of the bar at figure 28⁵ (a1); the dot on the first note of figure 28⁴(crotchet a1) should be removed and instead, the following tied note (a1) should be shortened from a crotchet to a quaver.

8.) p. 36, figure 55², Bassoon: a phrase mark should be inserted from the first to the second crotchet.

9.) p. 36, figure 55^3-4, Bassoon: a phrase mark should be inserted from the first to the second crotchet, likewise from the second note [g#] of figure 55³to the first dotted crotchet of 55^3-4, and this note should be a g#.

10.) p. 36, figure 56¹, Clarinet: 1st semiquaver f# instead of f.

11.) p. 36, figure 56¹, Violins, Violas, Violoncellos: the last three quavers in the four-quaver group should have a phrase mark over them.

12.) p. 36, figure 56^1-2, an >etc simile< should be added from figure 56¹to figure 56 ².

13.) p. 36, figure 56²: >etc simile< instead of >simile<.

14.) p. 37, figure 57¹, Violins: 2. semiquaver b1 instead of b^b 1.

15.) p. 37, figure 59³, Violins: 1st crotchet c^b 2 has to be marked with an accent (>); a decrescendo sign has to be added to c ^b 2; Violas: 1st note fes1 has to be marked with an accent (>), 2 ^nd quaver has to be marked with a staccato dot and a decrescendo sign.

16.) p. 43, figure 66⁶, Viola: quaver a ^b -a^b instead of quaver a1-a ^b 1.

17.) p. 43, figure 68¹, Viola: crotchet e2 - quaver f#2 instead of crotchet e2 - f2; flat before the following crotchet has to be removed.

18.) p. 45, figure 71³, Bassoon: phrase mark beween the crotches has to be removed.

19.) p. 50, figure 79⁴, Bassoon: 2nd note > mp < instead of >ƒ p -<.

20.) p. 50, figure 79⁴, Trombone: > s ƒ p < instead of > mp -<.

21.) p. 50, figure 80¹, Bassoon: 2nd note > mp < instead of >ƒ p -<.

22.) p. 50, figure 80³, Trumpet: a >mp< marking should be added below the minim; Trombone: the minim should have a sfp marking and an accent sign >.

23.) p. 50, figure 80⁴, Horns: > m ƒ< below the minim chord has to be added.

24.) p. 50, figure 81¹: Trumpet: the 1st note is not legible, and the 2nd should have a > sfp <;

Trombone: the last note of the bar should have a > sfp < and an accent marking >.

25.) p. 50, figure 81²Bassoon: the last note of the bar in the bassoon part should have a mp sign, and the last chord in the horns a mf sign.

26.) p.50, figure 81³, Horns, Trumpets: a >poco sfp < should be added underneath the last notes in the bar.

27.) p. 51, figure 81⁴Horns, Trumpets: a >{ sim< should be entered underneath the minim in the system, and the trombone note should have an accent sign > and an mp sign.

28.) p. 51, figure 82², Trombones: mp -sign has to be added to the note, which has to be marked with an accent (>).

29.) p. 54, figure 86^3-5, Bassoons: a crescendo marking stretching across all three bars, and each of the [five] two-note groups should have a phrasing mark.

30.) p. 54, figure 86⁵, Horns: > p sub.< has to be added after the m ƒ-sign.

31.) p. 57, figure 90², Bassoon: a decrescendo-sign has to be added after the crotchet.

32.) p. 57, figure 90³, Oboe: a decrescendo-sign has to be added above the quaver ligature.

33.) p. 61, figure 97⁴, Violine, Violas: the first value has to be marked with an accent (>).

34.) p. 62, figure 98³= ²99, Trombone: quaver b ^b - semiquaver b ^b - semiquaver rest - quaver a -

semiquaver a - semiquaver rest instead of crotchet b ^b - crotchet a.

35.) p. 64, figure 101⁵, Bassoon: 3. semiquaver of the 2nd ligature b ^b 1 instead of b1.

36.) p. 65, figure 102², Bassoon: a decrescendo-sign has to be added after the crotchet.

37.) p. 65, figure 103¹, Bassoon: a decrescendo-sign has to be added after the crotchet.

38.) p. 68, figure 107², Flute [beginning of the page]: a phrasing mark coming out of the empty space should be inserted before the 1st note in the bar, c#.

39.) p. 69, figure 110², Clarinet, Bassoon: a >sub pp < should be inserted in the middle of the system after the last beat of the bar.

40.) p. 69, figure 110²⁺³, Bassoon: the last semiquavers values g#1 instead of g1.

41.) p. 69, figure 110³, Clarinet, Bassoon: a >sub pp < should be inserted in the middle of the system after the last beat of the bar; likewise, a >{[*] p < should be entered after the second beat of the bar and a >sub pp < after the last beat.

42.) p. 69, figure 110⁴, Clarinet: > p < has to be added below and above the first value.

43.) p. 69, figure 111¹, Clarinet: > sub pp < should be inserted below and above the quaver rest; similarly, a > { p < should be added under the next note.

44.) p. 71, figure 112⁴, Clarinet: the last note of the 3rd demisemiquaver-ligature f#2 instead of f2.

45.) p. 69, figure 114², Violoncello: 2nd semiquaver c instead of c#.

46.) p. 74, figure 119⁴, Trombone: the accent sign over the first note, the crotchet g, should be removed, and a decrescendo sign added up to the next note, the second one, in the bar

47.) p. 78, figure 124^4-5, Horns, Trumpets, Trombones: a >{ sub p < should be inserted twice from the end of figure 124⁴to the beginning of figure 124⁵.

48.) p. 78, figure 124⁵, Bassoon: >ƒƒ< has to be added after >marc.<.

49.) p. 79, figure 125³, Bassoon: an f marking should be added at the beginning of the bar, and a vertical line for emphasis should be entered above the accented first two quavers, so that the >dim.< is corrected to a >sim.<.

50.) p.79, figure 125⁴, Bassoon: a vertical line for emphasis should be added above the accented first two notes.

51.) p.79, figure 126², Bassoon: a vertical line for emphasis should be added above the accented first two notes.

52.) p. 80, figure 127^2-5, Horns, Trumpets: all [five sets of two] phrase marks should be removed.

53.) p.81, figure 128³, Oboe: the note that is tied over should be read f sharp 2 instead of the incorrect f2, and the last quaver, f1, should have a natural sign added to it.

54.) p. 81, figure 128⁴⁺⁵, Horns, Trumpets: all [2 x 2] phrase marks have to be removed.

55.) p. 82, figure 129^3-4, Oboes, Clarinets, Bassoons: a crescendo sign with the word >poco< should

be inserted from the end of the bar at figure 129³to the end of the bar at figure 129⁴.

56.) p. 83, figure 131¹, Horns, Trumpets, Trombones: the > sf < should read > sff <, and a >{ poco sf < should be inserted between the Horns and Trumpets systems.

57.) p. 83, figure 131⁴, Trombone: the tenuto marking [horizontal line] over the first note, G ^b , should be removed and a decrescendo sign added beginning at the first and ending at the second note.

58.) p. 86, figure 135^1-2, Violins: he marks over the first note in both bars a downward, and over the first note of the demisemiquaver group an upward dagger, while he includes a triangle symbol.

59.) p. 88, figure 139²Flute, 3. quaver ligature b ^b 1: a bracket flat [ b ] has to be added.

60.) p. 89, figure 141⁴, Oboe: > m ƒ< has to be added before the 1st note.

61.) p. 91, figure 144², Trombone: the minim g should have an accent sign > over it.

62.) p. 91, figure 144³, Clarinets, Bassoons, Trumpets, Trombones: the note at the end of the bar in each of these parts should have an accent sign >

63.) p. 91, figure 144^3-4, Clarinets, Bassoons, Trumpets, Trombones: a decrescendo marking should be added from the last note of figure 144³to the second note of the subsequent bar, figure 144⁴.

64.) p. 92, figure 144⁵: all last notes have to be marked with accents (>).

65.) p. 92, figure 145², Oboe: the last note has to be marked with an accent (>).

66.) p. 92, figure 145^2-3, Oboe: there should be a decrescendo sign from the last note of figure 145 ²to the subsequent note [figure 145 ³].

67.) p. 92, figure 146⁴: all last notes have to be marked with accents (>).

68.) p. 92, figure 147²Trumpet: the last note has to be marked with an accent (>).

69.) p. 93, figure 149¹, Flute: the phrase mark from the 1st note of the second beamed group to the final note of the fourth group (b ^b 2 to e1) should be removed and replaced by phrase marks for each of the three sets (b ^b 2 to c2, g2 to b ^b 1, c2 to e1).

70.) p. 93, figure 150⁴, Flute: an f marking should be inserted at the beginning of the bar.

71.) p. 94, figure 152³, Flute: a decrescendo sign should be inserted starting at the second quaver and finishing at the end of the bar.

72.) pp. 95-97, figure 153¹to figure 157¹: these 17 bars should be repeated.

73.) p. 95) figure 154³, Violins: the last note a ^b 2 should be marked with an accent (>).

74.) p. 95) figure 154^3-4Violins: a decrescendo sign should be inserted starting from the last note of bar at figure 154³, a ^b 2, and continuing to the first note of the bar of figure 154⁴, which is tied over from the preceding bar.

75.) p. 95, figure 155², Trumpets: an >mf< should be added before the quaver.

76.) p. 96) figure 155⁴, Flute und Oboe: quaver has to be marked with an accent (>).

77.) p. 96, figure 155^4-5, Flute and Oboe: a decrescendo sign should be inserted from the quaver at figure 155⁴to the first note of the following bar, figure 155 ⁵; this note is tied over from the preceding bar.

78.) p. 97, figure 156⁴, Violin: the tied-over first note of the bar should be read as g ^b 2. 79.) p. 97, figure 157¹, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Violins [not: Violas, Violoncellos, Double Basses]: a decrescendo sign should be added from the second half of the bar.

80.) p. 99, figure 160^3-4, Trombone: >marc. in mf < should be read as >marc. in mf & stacc.<.

81.) p.101, figure 162¹, Flute: the phrase mark over four notes, from g#2 to f#2, should be extended to the fifth note, a#2; the staccato dot over the fourth note should be removed, and a crescendo sign should be added from the fourth to the fifth note.

82.) p.101, figure 162¹, Oboe: the phrase mark over four notes, b1 to g#2 should be extended to the fifth note, a sharp, the staccato dot over the fourth note should be removed, and a crescendo sign should be added from the fourth to the fifth note.

83.) p. 101, figure 162¹, Bassoon: the phrase mark for the second group, which spans four notes, a# to g#, should be removed, and a crescendo sign should be added from the first to the second [tied-over] note of the group.

84.) p. 101, figure 162¹, Horns: the phrase mark that appears under in the second set, b1 to f#1,

should be removed, and a crescendo mark should be added from the third-last to the penultimate [first to the second] chord in the group, which is tied over.

85.) p. 101, figure 162²Bassoon: last note e1 instead of f#1.

86.) p. 101, figure 162⁴: >meno mosso< has to be added above strings after the end of the bar.

87.) p. 102, figure 163⁵: quaver = quaver has to be added above strings after the end of the bar.

88.) p. 103, figure 164^1-2: the Tempo marking quaver = quaver should be inserted above the strings before the beginning of the bar of figure 164²**.

89.) p. 106, figure 168¹, Violins, Violas, 1st/2nd Violoncellos: a > p sub.< should be added for the second half of the bar in each of the parts concerned, and the last semiquaver note in each

part should have an accent > added to them.

90.) p. 106, figure 168³, Violins, Violas, 1st/2nd Violoncellos: a > p sub.< should be entered in each of the parts concerned for the second half of the bar, and the fourth semiquaver note in each part the bar should have an accent sign > added to them.

91.) p. 107, figure 169²: 1st notes have to be added an accent (>).

92.) p. 108, figure 171², Horns, Violins, Violas: likewise, the first note in the bar in each of the parts concerned should also have an accent sign > added.

93) p. 110, figure 172^3-4= ^2-1173, Bassoon: at figure 172³, the bass clef should change to a tenor clef, and from figure 172 ⁴after the quaver, it should revert from tenor clef to bass clef.

94.) p. 110, figure 173⁴, Double basses: an ff sign should be added at the beginning of the bar.

95.) p. 111, figure 174⁵: a crescendo sign should be inserted in all parts starting at the penultimate (in the timpani and Double basses, third-last) and finishing at the last note, and the last note in the timpani should [likewise] have a marcato wedge added to it./span>

* blue.

** Strawinsky: >but always in 4<.

Style: The Danses Concertantes , which in part were created in parallel to the Symphony in C, develop the neo-classical idiom of the end of Strawinsky’s French time including its jokiness and levity without trying to rework the sounds of Tchaikovsky or be touched, by the influences of American light music, which created problems for the next abstract Ballet Scenes to come as well as other compositions up to the end of the war. The stylistic proximity to the Sonata for Two Pianos can especially be heard in the fourth movement. As for the claim made by the American side that the Danses Concertantes could to a certain extent be considered as a satire on the genre of the classical ballet (CD text), there is no proof. The Danses Concertantes are a discussion of the identification between stage and concert music without capricious background thoughts, and on the other hand, Strawinsky was reinterpreting the traditions of classical ballet again, leading them to climax starting with the Danses Concertantes , through the Scènes de Ballet to the kaleidoscopic abstraction of Agon. From the point of view his artistic output, Agon may be the most meaningful and the Ballet Scenes the least meaningful of the three abstract ballet compositions. Strawinsky had received a letter from Poulenc, presumably written on July 10, 1922, in which the composer friend of Strawinsky told him about his plans for Les Biches.

Dedication: > The music of this work was / composed in honor of the splendid / Janssen Symphony orchestra by / whom it was first performed / under my direction on February / 8th, 1942 in Los Angeles, California / Igor Strawinsky <.

Duration: 18' 21"*.

* The sketches contain exact second-by-second instructions.

Date of origin: From the beginning of 1940 until Hollywood 13th January 1942; he worked on the Coda variation, according to information taken from the sketches, on 20th August 1941.

First performance: The concertante first performance took place on 8th February 1942 in Los Angeles by the Werner Janssen Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Igor Strawinsky in the series of the Werner Janssen symphony concerts, the staged first performance on 10th September 1944, New York City Center, Balletts Russes de Monte Carlo, with the set (constructed by E. B. Dunkel Studios) and the costumes (produced by Karinska) by Eugene Berman in choreography by George Balanchine.

Remarks: On the history of the composition of the Danses Concertantes there is currently very little known apart from that it was commissioned by Werner Janssen, and to fulfil his wish Strawinsky looked back to earlier sketches. Janssen had built up his own orchestra and series of symphonic concerts in Los Angeles and had a very good reputation, like the Straram orchestra in Paris, with which it was a comparable institution. Janssen also played a role in the European history of new music. The Coda variation was, according to the location in the sketches, worked on 20th August 1941. A letter from Hollywood of 5th October 1943 to Nabokov states that Vladimir Golschmann, who was Director of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra from 1931 to 1958 and was a very close friend of Strawinsky, performed the concert version of the Dances Concertantes in the last concert of the Museum of Modern Art on April. Strawinsky recalled in his memory of this concert a taperecording of one of the rehearsals which was however of low quality.

Significance: With the concert version of the Danses Concertantes , Strawinsky published the series of his plot-less ballets, or as they are called today, his abstract ballets, which should be presented with Agon as the last, compellingly based in terms of formal construction as well as historical spirit in the metaphysical development of the composer. The concert version of the Danses Concertantes is firstly no more than a self-standing instrumental work of five sections running into one another, of which the titles, which come from balletic terminology, seem to suggest a choreography. For the next piece in this genre, the Ballet Scenes , which is a similarly constructed instrumental work, the choreography is already involved in the composition process by generally held instruction, but by the manner of the instrumentation of the composition, the direction is given to the choreographer, a fact which is very difficult to depart from, as the early attempts of the Ashton choreography show. In Agon finally, the lack of a plot turns into a choreographic programme which forces only geometrical paths of movement which lead above all to the limit of what is physically possible in the formation made by Balanchine. The fact that the cycle of Strawinsky’s ballets ends with Agon is almost a symbol. If there was a comparable but inconsequential inspiration independent from the practical necessity of its own development, then it was the stage work ‘ Les Biches’ by Francis Poulenc with its background title (in French, La biche = the doe, with a secondary meaning of a ‘lady of the night’) and its abstract content. Strawinsky had received a letter from Poulenc that was presumably written on 10th July 1922, in which the latter, who was already friends with Stravinsky, informed him of his plans for Les Biches .

Concert Arrangement: The transcription for two pianos played an important role from the start. It was not made out by Strawinsky himself, but by the pianist Ingolf Dahl. Strawinsky regarded Dahl very highly and expressed regret in his letter dated 28th June 1942 for the latter’s difficulties with the publishers, which had arisen from certain reasons that were not described in more detail. Stravinsky once again extolled Dahl’s qualities. He was, for Strawinsky, the person best suited for the transcription work and had attended several rehearsals and the performance of the Danses . Dahl’s transcription became more than just a piano transcription after an orchestral original. The work suited him so well pianistically that the opinion prevailed in the publishers that this work for two pianos should not in fact be called a transcription, but should be characterised in its own right. Strawinsky immediately agreed to this. He saw in Dahl’s version a genuine piece for the piano-duet repertoire and wanted to avoid everything that could contribute to keeping off taking the piano version of the Danses in their repertoire for piano duets. That would have been in the first line the title “transcription” in order to indicate a non-original work by another hand. In this way it was agreed to no longer refer to it as a transcription, but to characterize it specially in order to turn it into a genuine piece of repertoire for piano duet. In this way, the subtitle ‘Concert Arrangement’ was arrived at, under which the original American edition, which was provided with a second copy for the second pianist, was sold from 1944.

Production: The first news of the interest of a choreographer in this music goes back to Strawinsky’s letter to Vittorio Rieti of 10th March 1942 and from 19th March 1942 to Ernest Voigt of Associated Music Publishers. It describes a visit by Serge Denham and Leonid Massine who wanted to convince him to work on a Donizetti Ballet. They had brought a pianist with them and played fragments of Donizetti’s opera music to Strawinsky. Strawinsky agreed verbally but requested, as was usual for him, for a written contract which was never produced. The conversation also arose at this opportunity for the recently premièred Danses Concertantes and all of those present seem to have been willing to première the abstract ballet on stage as well. These plans came to nothing although, as was included in a letter of Strawinsky to Gretl Urban from 24th August 1945, the matter was not laid to rest. After that, Balanchine took on the piece. But his New York production of 1944 went almost unnoticed, probably due to the War and is not featured in larger depictions of Balanchine. Balanchine once again choreographed the Danses Concertantes after Strawinsky’s death on 20th June 1972, this time with the New York City Ballet in the New York State Theater with the solo dancers John Clifford and Linda Yourth and a twelve-man ballet troupe, the composition of which corresponded to the cast of Agon (as with the première, 8 women and 4 men).

Versions: Strawinsky conducted the 1942 première of the Danses Concertantes from the manuscript and photocopied orchestral material; he owned the photocopied score and the complete range of parts and had also applied for the Copyright in his own name, as can be seen from a letter from Strawinsky of 19th March 1942 to Ernest Voigt. Despite suggestions in the correspondence, which give 1943 as the year of the printing (Stravinsky to Voigt, 30th August 1943). As a result of the corrections taken up in the next October by Strawinsky, which bear the Copyright mark of 1944, it can be assumed that the American orchestral score was first published in 1944 by Associated Music Publishers. it may be astounding to see that at the height of the War, the back page of the cover displayed Schott’s emblem of the lion with the wheel of Mainz in its paws with the text ‘Per Mare et Terras’ running around it. From the correspondence, it emerges that Strawinsky was waiting for his author’s copies while the corrections for the piano edition for Ingolf Dahl, as Strawinsky himself had learnt in the morning by telephone from Dahl, were still incomplete. For Dahl, this problem was solved until 5th September 1943 while Strawinsky’s exemplars were still awaited. These letters therefore appear problematic because the score at this point could not have been completely printed; for case, Strawinsky noticed several unfortunate printing or written errors which he reported in a letter of 27th October 1943, this time to Arthur Mendel. There were corrections to the orchestral score but none to the parts. From that can be safely assumed that the score cannot have been published in the year 1943. In the account records of Associated Music Publishers, the pocket score is appears for the first time in the period 1st September 1943 to 29th February 1944; of the run of 505 copies, only 28 were sold but 63 were given for free. The contract between Strawinsky and Associated Music Publishers bears the date 19th June 1942. Strawinsky received a set fee of $500 and was in the usual manner separated into performance income and sale of copies. As in all contracts, he reserved the rights himself. From a commercial point of view, the score did not sell well. More were given out than were sold. Up to the end of 1946, sales ran to 73 sold with 106 free copies. Up to the end of 1950, there were 129 sold and 25 free copies recorded by Associated Music Publishers in addition. With the accessibility of the European market and the acquisition of the publishing rights by Schott in Mainz 1946, this changed slightly.

Print runs: In 1952, Schott produced the pocket score in several versions and forms, finally in their series ‘Music of the Twentieth Century’. There were 2,800 copies produced of the Danses Concertantes in Strawinsky’s lifetime in 5 print runs since the first print run of 500 copies on 2nd April 1952 (22nd June 1953: 500; 12th January 1961: 300; 30th September 1963: 500; 27th May 1970: 1000), and from Strawinsky’s death up to the end of the century, 1635 copies, including remaining and publishers’ copies in 4 further print runs (10/10/1978: 500; 29/5/1985: 400; 16/8/1990: 300 + 12 +6; 25/6/1992: 400 + 11 + 6). The Mainz publishers sold approximately 302 copies from the middle of 1956 to the middle of 1962 and 362 copies from the middle of 1964 to the middle of 1969. The number of free copies (20 in the period 1964-1969) remained small. The new version, which was produced by Schott in 1960/61, was limited to 300 copies. The orchestral material was always available to hire only. Strawinsky received his copy of the pocket score in April 1952. The publication date of 1944 for the piano edition by Dahl (Concert Arrangement) is certain, although the contributory copy in London arrived on 7th December 1960. The library in London received the contributory copy of the pocket score on 25th February 1953, but the score was published in 1952. In 1946, the inventory of the American publishers was transferred over to Schott in Mainz, and Schott issued the pocket score in 1952 in several editions and formats, finally in a series of editions entitled ‘Music of the 20th Century’. The orchestra material was only available on hire. Strawinsky received his free copy of the pocket score in April 1952 (London: 25th February 1953) .

Historical Records: Hollywood Republic Studio 20th January 1957, RCA-Victor-Chamber Orchestra conducted by Igor Strawinsky; Hollywood 20th January 1967, Columbia Chamber Orchestra conducted by Robert Craft.

CD edition: XII/2 (Record Craft).

Autograph: >The handwritten copy of the orchestral score is in Stanford University in California.

Copyright: 1942 by Igor Strawinsky; 1944 by Associated Music Publishers, Inc., New York; 1946 Copyright assigned to B. Schott's Söhne Mainz.

Editions

a) Overview

63-1 1944 FuSc; Associated Music Publishers New York; 111 pp.; A.S. 1944238.

63-1^Strawibd. [with annotations].

63-2 1944 VoSc [Dahl]; Associated Music Publishers New York; 56 pp.; A.S. 19439-56.

    63-2^Strawibd. [without annotations].

63-3 1952 PoSc; Schott Mainz; 111 pp.; B·S·S 38095; 4275.

63-4 (1970) PoSc [Musik 20. Jh. ]; Schott Mainz; 111 pp.; 38095; 4275.

b) Characteristic features

63-1 IGOR STRAVINSKY / DANSES CONCERTANTES / for Chamber Orchestra / [*] / [vignette] / ● Score ° $7.50 / Two pianos, four hands ° $ 3.50 / ASSOCIATED MUSIC PUBLISHERS, INC. · NEW YORK / Printed in U. S. A. // IGOR STRAVINSKY / DANSES CONCERTANTES / for Chamber Orchestra / [*] / [vignette] / ASSOCIATED MUSIC PUBLISHERS, INC. · NEW YORK / Printed in U. S. A. // (Full score [library binding] 22.8 x 30.3 (4° [4°]); 111 [111] pages + 4 cover pages thicker paper blue on green [front cover title with publisher’s emblem centre 5.2 x 5.7 female head crowned with a lyra centre on stage with raised curtain and facing the audience, 2 empty pages, empty page with publisher’s emblem oval blue on green centre 2.5 x 3.6 lion with wheel of Mainz in its paws in aframe containing text >PER MARE< [#] >ET TERRAS<°° running full circlewriting encircling + 4 pages front matter [title page, empty page, page with (world) premiere data handwritten printed in line etching >The music of this work was / composed in honor of the splendid / Janssen Symphony orchestra by / whom it was first performed / under my direction on February / 8 ^th, 1942, in Los Angeles, California. / Igor Strawinsky<, empty page] + 1 page back matter [empty page]; title head >DANSES CONCERTANTES<; author specified 1st page of the score unpaginated [p. 1] below movement title numbered in Roman numeral (without dot) >I / Marche–Introduction <** flush right >IGOR STRAVINSKY (1941-1942)<; legal reservation 1st page of the score below type area centre >Copyright 1942 by Associated Music Publishers, Inc.<; plate number [only] 1st page of the score >A.S. 194238<; end of score dated p. 111 handwritten printed in line etching >Igor Strawinsky / January 13, 1942 / Hollywood<; end mark p. 111 flush right below end of score dated >M<) // (1944)

° Fill character (dotted line).

°° It is astonishing that in the middle of the War, an American edition was published with the old Schott vignette „über alle Meere“.

* Dividing horizontal line of 5 cm, centrally thickening to 0.2 cm.

** Quasi-handwritten (decorative) script italic.

63-1^Straw

The copy from Strawinsky’s estate is signed >Igor Strawinsky< on the front cover title page above >IGOR STRAWINSKY<, but there is no date. It contains corrections, mostly accents and slurs.

63-2 IGOR STRAVINSKY / DANSES CONCERTANTES / for Chamber Orchestra / [°] / [vignette] / Score * $ 7.50 / ● Two pianos, four hands ** $ 3.50 / ASSOCIATED MUSIC PUBLISHERS, INC. · NEW YORK / Printed in U.S.A. // (Reduction for two pianos stapled 23.3 x 30.8 (4°) with 2. exemplar enclosed stapled without cover pages 23 x 30.8 ([4°]); 56 [56] pages + 4 cover pages thicker paper blue on green [front cover title with publisher’s emblem centre centred 5.2 x 5.7 female head crowned with a lyra centre on stage with raised curtain and facing the audience , 2 empty pages, empty page with publisher’s emblem oval blue on green centre 2.5 x 3.7 lion with wheel of Mainz in its paws and writing encircling >* PER MARE ET TERRAS *<]; without front matter [without title page]; without back matter; title head >Danses Concertantes<; author specified 1st page of the score paginated p. 1 below movement number in Roman numeral (without dot) and next to movement title >I / Marche – Introduction< flush right centred >Igor Stravinsky / (1941-1942)<; arranger specified next to movement number and below movement title flush left centred >Concert Arrangement / for Two Pianos / by Ingolf Dahl<; legal reservation 1st page of the score below type area centre >Copyright, 1944, by Associated Music Publishers, Inc. < ; plate number >A.S. 19439-56<; production indication 1st page of the score centre below legal reservation >Printed in U.S.A.<; without end mark S. 56) // [1944]

° A dividing (horizontal) 5 cm line centrally bloated to 0.2 cm.

* 9 dots.

** 2 dots.

63-2^Straw

Strawinsky’s copy is without annotations.

63-3 STRAWINSKY / Danses concertantes / for Chamber Orchestra | für Kammerorchester / Partitur / Score / [vignette] / EDITION SCHOTT / 4275 // Danses concertantes / for Chamber Orchestra [#*] für Kammerorchester / by [#*] von / Igor Strawinsky / [Asterisk] / Partitur / Score / Orchestral parts on hire – Orchesterstimmen nach Vereinbarung / B. SCHOTT'S SÖHNE /** MAINZ / [°] / Schott & Co., Ltd., London W. 1 [#] Editions Max Eschig, Paris [#] Assoc. Music Publ. Inc., New York / 48 Great Marlborough Street [#] 48 Rue de Rome [#] 25 West 45 th Str. / Printed in Germany – Imprimé en Allemagne // [with text on spine:] >STRAWINSKY DANSES CONCERTANTES< // (Pocket score sewn 0.8 x 15 x 22.9 (8° [Lex. 8°]); 111 [111] pages + 4 cover pages thicker paper black on grey veined front cover title with publisher’s emblem orange oval 1.9 x 2.5 wheel of Mainz in the frame and containing text in bottom half >PER MARE< # >ET TERRAS< left and right, 3 empty pages] + 4 pages front matter [title page, empty page, legend >Instruments<*** English + duration data [20'] English, empty page] + 1 page back matter [page with publicher’s advertisement >Studien-Partituren Orchesterwerke<**** production date >105<]; title head >DANSES CONCERTANTES<; author specified 1st page of the score unpaginated [p. 1] below movement number in Roman numeral (without dot) and movement title >I / Marche-Introduction <°° flush right >IGOR SRAVINSKY (1941-1942)<; legal reservation 1st page of the score below type area centre >Copyright 1942 by Associated Music Publishers, Inc.<; plate number [1. page of the score:] >B·S·S 38095 ^a< [pp. 2-104, 110-111:] >B·S·S 38095< [pp. 105-109:] >B·S·S 3809<; end of score dated p. 111 handwritten printed in line etching centred >Igor Strawinsky / January 13, 1942 / Hollywood<; production indication below end of score dated flush right as end mark >M<) // [1952]

° D ividing horizontal line of 9.87 cm, i.e. the width of the printed page.

°° Quasi-handwritten (decorative) script italic.

* Separating vertical line, spanning two lines.

** Slash original.

*** W ith an exact specification of the string forces (6 violins, 4 violas, 3 ‘violoncelli, 2 double basses).

**** Compositions are advertised in three columns with edition numbers behind fill character (dotted line) under the heading in a text box >Orchesterwerke< from >Albeniz, Isaac< to >Wunsch, Hermann<, amongst these >Strawinsky, Igor / Scherzo fantastique° 3501 / Feuerwerk. Brillante / Fantasie° 3464 / Symphonie in C° 3536 / Symphonie°°° in three / movements° 4075 / Der Feuervogel, Suite°° 3467 / Suite I für kl. Orchester°° 3469 / Suite II f. kl. Orchester°° 3470 / Concerto in Es für / Kammer-Orchester° 3527 / Ragtime für elf Instru- / mente° 3468 / Konzert in D für Vio- / line und Orchester° 3504 / Pastorale für Sopran, / Oboe, Englishhorn, / Klarinette und Fagott°° 3399 / Pribaoutki. Scherz- / lieder für mittlere / Stimme u. 8 Instrum.°° 3465 / Wiegenlieder d. Katze / f. tiefe Frauenstimme / und 3 Klarinetten° 3466<; unter der gekasteten Rubrik >Opern und Ballette< Kompositionen von >Falla, Manuel de< bis >Strawinsky, Igor / Die Geschichte vom / Soldaten, gelesen, / gespielt und getanzt° 3428 / Das Kartenspiel, / Ballett° 3511 / Reinecke, Burleske° 3493< [° fill character (dotted line); °° without fill character (dotted line); °°° original spelling].

63-4⁽⁷⁰⁾ Schott / Musik des 20. Jahrhunderts / [°] / Strawinsky / Danses concertantes / for Chamber Orchestra / Danses concertantes / für Kammerorchester / Ed. 4275 / [Vignette] // IGOR STRAWINSKY / Danses concertantes / for Chamber Orchestra / für Kammerorchester / Studien-Partitur / Edition Schott 4275 / B. Schott's Söhne · Mainz / Schott & Co. Ltd. · London / Schott Music Corp. · New York // (Score sewn 23.1 x 30.2 (4° [4°]); 111 [111] pages + 4 cover pages thinner board black on bright yellow [flush right front cover title page with publisher’s emblem 0.7 x 1.2 in yellow in a black block with the wheel of Mainz inside a frame without text, 2 empty pages creme-white, page with publisher’s advertisement bright yellow >Schott / Music of the 20 th Century<* + production indication + price >Printed in Germany< [#] >70 s<] + 4 pages front matter [title page flush right, movement index without headline, legend >Orchestra< English + duration data [20'] English, empty page<] + 1 page back matter [empty page]; title head in connection with author specified 1st page of the score unpaginated [p. 1] and movement number in Roman numeral (without dot) with movement title >Igor Strawinsky / Danses concertantes / I Marche Introduction< flush right; legal reservation 1st page of the score below type area flush right with indent copyright-sign >© 1942 by Associated Music Publishers, Inc. / assigned to B. Schott's Söhne, Mainz, 1946<; end of score dated p. 111 handwritten printed in line etching centred >Igor Strawinsky / January 13, 1942 / Hollywood<; plate number [only] in connection with production indication p.111 flush right as end mark >Verlag: B. Schott's Söhne, Mainz 38095<**) // (1970)

° Dividing line the width of the printed page.

* Compositions are advertised with edition numbers from >Wolfgang Fortner< to >Bernd Alois Zimmermann<, amongst these >Igor Strawinsky° [#] Ode. Triptychon für Orchester (1943) [#] Ed. 5942 / [#] Scherzo fantastique [#] Ed. 3501 / [#] Danses concertantes [#] Ed. 4275 / [#] Symphony in three Movements [#] Ed. 4075< and editions of Eulenburg from >Tadeusz Baird< to >Goffredo Petrassi<, Strawinsky not mentioned [° indent left].

** A bove the number 0, a small letter >M< has been printed.

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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.
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