PR O. KO. F I fF Y NDERELLA |

During the summer of 1941 spent by the river Kama in the Urals, Prokofiev completed the score for . He dedicated it to Tchaikovsky and it was one of the many works, basically lyrical, melodic, and economical, written in his final form of congenial expression before he fell into Soviet disfavor.

Born in 1891, Russia’s foremost composer had been something of a child prodigy, composing his first little pieces when he was five years old and entering the St. Petersburg Conservatory at the age of thirteen, where he studied under Rimsky-Korsakov. During the Revolution he fled abroad and travelled widely, visiting England and America where The Love for Three Oranges, commissioned by the Chicago Opera, was produced in 1921. Later, in Paris, he composed Chout, the first of three ballets for Diaghilev.

' Eventually, the call of his homeland proved too strong, and Prokofiev returned to Russia to be received Moira Shearer as Cinderella © Robert Helpmann and as The Ugly Sisters photographs by Roger Wood, London with honors and open arms. But in 1948 he and several other Russian composers were accused by the Communist Party of creating music that was ‘divorced from reality’ and marked by ‘formalist perversions’. Prokofiev duly admitted the error of his ways and returned to reality. But it is for the fantasy and lively ACT il

wit — so nearly extinguished by Soviet autocracy — of his earlier works that he will be remembered. He No. 20 Andante At the Palace, the guests dance a Gavotte and the Court Jester leaps and was a master of orchestration and when he died on March 4, 1953, he left a large number of works in Lraz10S0 darts among them (20). The Ugly Sisters, showing off in the most absurd almost every musical category. No. 22 Allegro pesante manner, perform a set dance with two unfortunate partners (22). The Courtiers e ben ritmato : ; : No. 28 Allegro, ma non dance a Mazurka (28), and then, to the tinkle of fairy bells, the Cinderella theme Prokofiev said that in composing the dances for Cinderella and the Prince, he wished to reveal the poetry troppo is heard and the Seasons and Stars make their entry in a series of pas de chats of their love — the focal point of the theme and musical pattern. Certainly, in this ballet Prokofiev found a No. 29 Allegretto followed by the radiant Cinderella (29). The delighted Prince bows before her new emotional depth and greatly enriched his art. Always forceful and often sharply rhythmical, he now ae : : oe and the whole company take part in a lilting waltz (30). Cinderella dances a solo wrote soft, lyrical melodies giving, for him, unusual predominance to the strings of the orchestra and including No. 34 Moderato expressing her happiness (32), and then a page enters bearing three oranges, many delightful but, hitherto, rare waltzes. (34). Prokofiev's power.to enchant grows with each hearing of this work, which is true ballet music, always No. 35 Allegro con brio _ the rarest fruits of the Kingdom, which the Prince presents to Cinderella No. 36 Adagio She gives one each to her flattered Stepsisters who perform a comic dance (35). ‘completely danceable and often, as in the Ballroom Scene, brilliantly sustained. It has atmosphere, charm, No. 37 Allegro On an empty stage the Prince and Cinderella declare their love for each other in and tension, and in style pays a crystalline tribute to Tchaikovsky. No. 38 A , spressivo an exquisite pas de deux to an accompaniment that swells and subsides in a paean . a triumphant . pie Sed of ecstasy (36). All return to the dance as the music surges into ACT | waltz (37) when an ominous ticking is heard. The clock strikes midnight, and to the strident persistence of its dissonances, Cinderella flees from the ball (38). No. 1 Andante dolce After an overture in which the Cinderella and Love themes are interwoven, No. 50 Andante No. 2 Allegretto the curtain rises on the Ugly Sisters preparing for the ball. Needles flashing, dolcissimo ACT lll No. 9 Andante dolce bobbing up and down in their chairs, the sisters put some last stitches in their From an enchanted garden by the sea, lit by the Stars and blessed by the Fairy-Godmother, Cinderella No. 10 Allegretto finery, but soon the usual quarrel occurs (2). and her Prince sail away to live happily ever after. A ripple of the celesta brings the curtain down. No. 11 Adagio Left behind, Cinderella dreams of the ball she may not attend and, with her No. 12 Presto broom for a partner, executes a light dance on pointe (9). Then, in a Gavotte, A ballet based on Cinderella was first given in Parts in 1823, and a number of choreographers from No. 13 Andantino she mischievously imitates the awkward steps of her Stepsisters (10). Petipa to Fokine have used this theme. But the first important large scale version was that set to sognando To a strange little air, first given by the flute, the Fairy-Godmother appears Prokofiev's music and presented at the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, in 1945, with Olga Lepeschinskaya as No. 14 Vivace, con brio (11), and in a lovely transformation scene the Fairies of the Seasons each dances Cinderella. This was the conventional three-act ballet but when produced in England three years after with No. 15 Allegro a characteristic variation. The fresh gaiety of Spring (12) is followed by the choreography by Frederick Ashton, the later version omitted the Prince’s world quest and the usual dzver- derat ouenese was languors of Summer (13). The Fairy-Godmother dances a scintillating solo (14), tissements numbers. Ashton also discarded the character of the Stepmother, and instead of the Affected Sister No. 16 Allegro ee: prod eraio and Autumn whirls in the wind, leaves falling around her (15). The dance of and Malicious Sister of the Bolshoi production, the Ugly Sisters were male roles played with robust humour. No. 17 Vivo Winter is crisp and sharp, and her music has an icy tinkle (16). The variations end and devolved from the English pantomime. No. 19 Allegro with all dancing together (17) ; the stage fills as the Star Fairies sway into a glitter- The ballet was rehearsed in under two months and the choreographer was so occupied with its prepara- espressivo ing waltz, and Cinderella drives to the ball (19). tion and other work, he had little time to develop his own part as the elder of the sisters. He decided he would be a colourless foil to Robert Helpmann as the flamboyant, domineering junior. But his interpretation was so unexpectedly touching and his characterization so masterly that when the curtain fell on a brilliant first night, Ashton found he had created a principal role. Some weeks beforehand, had the misfortune to injure her ankle and so the honor fell to Moira Shearer of dancing the leading part in the first English full-length ballet. It was one of her most CONDUCTOR ROBERT IRVING, born at Winchester in 1913, studied at Winchester successful roles. With Michael Somes as a romantic Prince, she will long be remembered for her radiant and New College, Oxford, where he took his Mus. Bach. and conducted Rameau’s beauty, her sensitive interpretation, and the airy elegance of her dancing. When, after the wistful humor of Castor and Pollux with the Oxford Opera Club. Between 1934-46 he studied piano, the first act, she appeared at the ball, a dazzling vision of white and gold, she was everyone's dream of a ‘cello and conducting at the Royal College of Music. After a short period as fairy tale Princess. Notes by PIGEON CROWLE répétiteur at the Royal Opera House, he returned to Winchester to join the musical staff. He also appeared in London as solo pianist, After the war, during which he Ballet Music on Angel Records flew as navigator with the R.A.F. and was awarded the D.F.C. and Bar, he was Sadler’s Wells Ballet Silver Jubilee Ballet Music from the Operas Photo: ass : engaged by the B.B.C. as associate conductor of its Scottish Orchestra, He joined Robert Irving Royal Opera House Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan Philharmonia (35307) WieBesn the Sadier’s Wells Ballet Company (now ) in 1949. He was appointed Covent Garden (35521) Sleeping Beauty and Pavlova Ballet Favorites . Herbert von Karajan Philharmonia ' (35006 ) Musical Director prior to its first American tour; in 1956 he was promoted to Efrem Kurtz Philharmonia (35544) Coppélia and Musical Adviser. Stravinsky: Petrouchka (complete) André Cluytens Paris Opera Orchestra (35416) Efrem Kurtz Philharmonia (35552) Menotti: Madrigal Fable He has conducted symphony concerts with London’s major orchestras including the Russian Ballet (Albums 1, 2 and 3) The Unicorn, The Gorgon and The Manticore Igor Markevitch Philharmonia (35151-2-3) Thomas Schippers Recorded in cooperation ROYAL PHILHARMONIC with which this recording was made. with New York City Ballet (35437/L)

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