BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ilan Volkov - Stravinsky: Jeu de cartes, Agon & Orpheus (2009)

Tracklist

01. Jeu de cartes, K59: I. Introduction – Pas d'action – Entry and Dance of the Joker – Waltz-Coda
02. Jeu de cartes, K59: II. Introduction – March of the Hearts and Spades – Variations I-IV – Pas de quatre for the 4 Queens – Coda
03. Jeu de cartes, K59: III. Introduction – Waltz – Battle of the Spades and Hearts – Final Dance and Coda
04. Agon, Ballet, K88: Ia. Pas de quatre
05. Agon, Ballet, K88: Ib. Double pas de quatre
06. Agon, Ballet, K88: Ic. Triple pas de quatre
07. Agon, Ballet, K88: IIa. Prelude
08. Agon, Ballet, K88: IIb. Pas de trois I. Sarabande-Step
09. Agon, Ballet, K88: IIc. Pas de trois I. Gaillarde
10. Agon, Ballet, K88: IId. Pas de trois I. Coda
11. Agon, Ballet, K88: IIIa. Interlude
12. Agon, Ballet, K88: IIIb. Pas de trois II. Bransle simple
13. Agon, Ballet, K88: IIIc. Pas de trois II. Bransle gay
14. Agon, Ballet, K88: IIId. Pas de trois II. Bransle double
15. Agon, Ballet, K88: IVa. Interlude
16. Agon, Ballet, K88: IVb. Pas de deux
17. Agon, Ballet, K88: IVc. Coda
18. Agon, Ballet, K88: IVd. 4 Duos
19. Agon, Ballet, K88: IVe. 4 Trios
20. Orpheus, Ballet in 3 Scenes, K76, Scene 1: I. Orpheus Weeps for Eurydice – II. Air de danse – III. Dance of the Angel of Death – IV. Interlude
21. Orpheus, Ballet in 3 Scenes, K76, Scene 2: V. Pas des furies – VI. Air de danse – VII. Interlude – VIII. Air de danse, conclusion – IX. Pas d'action – X. Pas de deux – XI. Interlude – XII. Pas d'action
22. Orpheus, Ballet in 3 Scenes, K76, Scene 3: XIII. Apotheosis of Orpheus

Stravinsky’s ballet music contains some of the composer’s most dazzling inspirations, and his work with Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes brought him to international attention before the first world war. But it was through his collaborations with Diaghilev’s protégé George Balanchine that Stravinsky evolved the individual ‘neoclassical’ style of his own that is arguably his greatest contribution to the musical language of the twentieth century.

Contemporary audiences were thrilled by the innovative nature of these works. Walter Terry wrote in the Herald Tribune at the premiere of Agon that it was ‘quite possibly the most brilliant ballet creation of our day … true, Agon is not warm, not overtly human, but its very coolness is refreshing and it generates excitement because it totally ignores human foibles, dramatic situation, and concentrates wholly on the miracle of the dancing body’.

Five of Stravinsky’s ballets have been recorded on two discs (the second to be released in January) by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under maestro Ilan Volkov. Volkov’s mastery of a range of Russian music is well-represented on Hyperion and has been greatly acclaimed on the concert platform.

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