KN27 Pas-de-deux (L’Oiseau bleu) [1941]
Bluebird Pas-de-deux from “The Sleeping Beauty” by Peter I. Tchaikovsky, orchestrated by Igor Strawinsky – Pas-de-deux (Der Blaue Vogel) aus dem Ballett “Dornröschen” von Peter I. Tschaikowsky, rückinstrumentiert von Igor Strawinsky – Pas-de-deux (L’Ucello Blu) dal balletto “La Bella Addormentata“ di Peter Tschaikowsky, orchestrato in forma ridotta da Igor Strawinsky
Scored for: a) First edition: Flauto grande, Oboe, 2 Clarinetti La, Fagotto, Corno Fa, 2 Trombe Sib, 2 Tromboni, Timpani, Piano, 5 Violini, 4 Viole, 3 Violoncelli, 2 Contrabassi [Flute, Oboe, 2 Clarinets La, Bassoon, Horn Fa, 2 Trumpets Sib, 2 Trombones, Timpani, Piano, 5 Violins, 4 Violas, 3 Violoncellos, 2 Double Basses]; b) Performance requirements: 1 Flute, 1 Oboe, 2 Clarinets in La, 1 Bassoon, Horn in Fa, 2 Trumpets in Sib, 2 Trombones, 2 Timpani, Piano, Strings (5 Violins*, 4 Violas*, 3 Violoncellos*, 2 Double basses*).
* required minimum instrumentation
Duration: 5′ 04″.
Remarks: With the entry of the United States of America into the Second World War, the American orchestra began to shrink because more and more musicians were being called up so that problems arose in the performance of larger works. As a result, the Ballet Theatre on 23 West 53rd Street in New York, which was represented by Richard Pleasant, turned to Strawinsky with the request for an arrangement of the ‘Pas de Deux’ from Tchaikovsky’s ballet on the Sleeping Beauty, La Belle au Bois Dormant Op.66, a number which was no longer playable under the circumstances, for a smaller orchestra. Strawinsky accepted. The contract was signed on 3rd February 1941 with a three-year duration and a fee of 20 dollars for every performances of Strawinsky’s arrangement. Strawinsky went on to produce a smaller instrumentation in which the piano takes on the role of making up for the reduced number of strings. Otherwise, Strawinsky did not alter the original instrumentation. He appeared to like this work because he had it published and even conducted it himself. It left traces in his next composition Danses Concertantes, and Strawinsky himself noticed that both works shared an almost identical body of sound. He had the copyright registered to his name on 8th February 1941, and this can be traced back to the date of the completion of the work.
Versions: The piece was published in 1953 by Schott Music Publishers as a pocket score. During Strawinsky‘s lifetime, there were 2 editions producing 1.300 copies in total (31/10/1953: 800; 14/03/1969: 500). Between Strawinsky’s death and the end of the century, there were an additional 3. edition, producing only 200 copies (19/11/1985).
Recording: New York City December 17, 1964, with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra under direction of Igor Strawinsky
CD-Edition: II-2/10–13
Editions
a) Overview
N27-1 (1953) Ps; Schott Mainz; 33 pp.; B.S.S 37500; 4409
N27-1 (1969) Ps; Schott Mainz; 33 pp.; B.S.S 37500; 4409
b) Characteristic features
N27-1 STRAWINSKY / Tschaikowsky / Pas-de-deux / für kleines Orchester / Partitur / [Vignette] / EDITION SCHOTT / 4409 // IGOR STRAWINSKY / PAS – DE – DEUX / (L’OISEAU BLEU – BLUEBIRD) / from P. Tschaikowsky’s Ballet / THE SLEEPING BEAUTY / (LA BELLE AU BOIS DORMANT) / arranged for small orchestra by / Igor Strawinsky / [Asterisk] / Score / 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 // [text on spine°°°] STRAWINSKY PAS-DE-DEUX // (Pocket score stapled 15 x 23 (8° [gr. 8°]); 33 [33] pages + 4 cover pages black on grey veined [front cover title with publisher’s emblem orange oval 1.9 x 2.5 wheel of Mainz in a frame containing text in bottom half >PER MARE< [#] >ET TERRAS< left and right, 2 empty pages, page with publisher’s advertisement >Studien-Partituren<* production date >45<] + 2 pages front matter [title page, legend >INSTRUMENTATION< English + note on performance >This chamber orchestra version of Tschaikowsky’s PAS– / DE-DEUX (from his ballet THE SLEEPING BEAUTY) / danced in different ballet companies under the title of / BLUEBIRD, was arranged by me for a reduced group of / instruments used by them. To obtain a normal balance I / recommend an amount of five violins, four violas, three / cellos and two double basses as a minimum. / [#] Igor Strawinsky< + detailed duration English [5’15” = Adagio: 2’8”; Variation I: 45”; Variation II: 42”; Coda: 1’40”] + 1 page back matter [page with publisher’s advertisement >Studien-Partituren<** production date >105<]; title head >PAS-DE-DEUX / (L’oiseau bleu — Bluebird)<; authors specified 1st page of the score unpaginated [p. 1] next to movement title >Adagio< flush right >Music by P. Tschaikowsky<; arranger specified 1st page of the score below and next to movement title flush left partly in italics >Arranged for small orchestra / by Igor Strawinsky in 1941<; legal reservations 1st page of the score below type area flush left >Copyright 1953 by Schott & Co. Ltd., London<; plate number [1. page of the score:] >37500a< [pp. 2–33:] >37500<; production indication p. 33 flush right as end mark >Druck u. Verlag von B. Schott’s Söhne in Mainz <) // (1953)
° Flash original.
°° Dividing horizontal line of 8.87 cm, i.e. column width.
°°° Moved to the advertising side.
* Compositions are advertised in three columns with edition number behind fill character (dotted line) under the framed [sole] heading >Kammermusik< from >Bach, Joh. Seb.< to >Windsperger, Lothar<, amongst these >IGOR STRAWINSKY / Pastorale für Sopran, / Oboe, Englischhorn, / Klarinette u. Fagott° 3399 / Wiegenlieder d. Katze / f. tiefe Frauenstimme / und 3 Klarinetten° 3466< [° fill character (dotted line)].
** Compositions are advertised in three columns with edition number behind fill character (dotted line) under the framed heading >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. Orchest.°° 3469 / Suite II f. kl.Orchest.°° 3470 / Concerto in Es für / Kammer-Orchester° 3527 / Ragtime für elf Instru– / mente° 3458 / Konzert in D für Vio– / line und Orchester° 3504 / Pastorale für Sopran, / Oboe, Englischhorn, / Klarinette und Fagott°° 3399 / Pribaoutki. Scherz– / lieder für mittlere / Stimme u. 8 Instrum.°° 3465 / Wiegenlied. Katze / f. tiefe Frauenstimme / und 3 Klarinetten° 3466<; under the framed heading >Opern und Ballette< from >Falla, Manuel de< to > 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].
N27-2 STRAWINSKY / Tschaikowsky / Pas — de — deux / Studien-Partitur / [Vignette] / EDITION SCHOTT / 4409 / // IGOR STRAWINSKY / Pas — de — deux / (L’oiseau bleu — Bluebird) / from P. Tschaikowsky’s ballet / “The sleeping Beauty” / arranged for small orchestra / Miniature Score / Edition Schott 4409 / B. SCHOTT’S SÖHNE · MAINZ / Schott & Co. Ltd., London · B. Schott’s Söhne (Editions Max Eschig, Paris / Schott Music Corp. (Associated Music Publishers Inc.), New York / Printed in Germany // (Pocket score stapled 14.9 x 22.8 (8° [gr. 8°]); 33 [33] pages + 4 cover pages thicker paper grey black on licht grey veined [front cover title with publisher’s emblem orange oval 1.9 x 2.5 wheel of Mainz in a frame containing text in bottom half >PER MARE< [#] >ET TERRAS< left and right, 2 empty pages, page with publisher’s advertisement >STUDIEN-PARTITUREN / Eine Auswahl zeitgenössischer Orchesterwerke<* production date >40<] + 2 pages front matter [title page, legend >INSTRUMENTATION< English + note on performance >This chamber orchestra version of Tschaikowsky’s PAS– / DE-DEUX (from his ballet THE SLEEPING BEAUTY) / danced in different ballet companies under the title of / BLUEBIRD, was arranged by me for a reduced group of / instruments used by them. To obtain a normal balance I / recommend an amount of five violins, four violas, three / cellos and two double basses as a minimum. / [#] Igor Strawinsky< + detailed duration English [5’15” = Adagio: 2’8”; Variation I: 45”; Variation II: 42”; Coda: 1’40”] + 1 page back matter [empty page]; title head >PAS-DE-DEUX / (L’oiseau bleu –Bluebird)<; authors specified 1st page of the score unpaginated [p. 1] next to movement title >Adagio< flush right >Music by P. Tschaikowsky<; arranger specified 1st page of the score below and next to movement title justified text flush left partly in italics >Arranged for small orchestra / by Igor Strawinsky in 1941<; legal reservation 1st page of the score below type area flush left >© Schott & Co. Ltd., London, 1953<; plate number [only] in connection with production indication p. 33 below type area flush right as end mark >Verlag: B. Schott’s Söhne, Mainz 37 500 a<) // (1969)
* Compositions are advertised with edition number behind fill character (dotted line) from >BÉLA BARTÓK< to >ERNST TOCH<; amongst these >IGOR STRAWINSKY / Babel° 4412 / Circus-Polka° 4274 / Concerto in Es (Dumbarton Oaks)° 3527 / Danses concertantes° 4275 / Der Feuervogel, Ballett-Suite (1945)° 4420 / Feuerwerk, Fantasie° 3464 / Vier norwegische Impressionen°° / Ode (Eleg. Gesang) für kleines Orchester°°° / Das Kartenspiel, Ballett° 3511 [° fill character (dotted line); °° with fill character (dotted line), without edition number; °°° without fill character (dotted line) and without edition number].
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