round dance, led by the solo oboe, and Ivan falls in love with Unearthly Beauty.
As the princesses dance with Ivan, they fail to notice that sunrise is coming, heralded by trumpet calls; by daylight, they must be back in the castle. Ivan tries to follow them in, but Unearthly Beauty warns him away.
However, the love-smitten Prince does succeed in breaking into the castle, setting off one of Stravinsky’ s most brilliant orchestral sequences— and one not included in the familiar Suite— as magical carillons alert Kastchei of danger; we hear his savage theme awaking in the brass. Terrifying roars of low brass and baleful bassoons announce his monstrous approach. The solo voice of the violin represents Unearthly Beauty pleading for mercy for Ivan, but Kastchei decides to turn him to stone like all his other victims.
In the nick of time, Prince Ivan remembers the magic feather and summons the Firebird to his aid. She forces Kastchei and his minions to dance until they drop in exhaustion; this is the famous“ Infernal Dance of King Kastchei,” a brutally rhythmic dance built on syncopations and showcasing all sections of the orchestra.
Putting them all to sleep with the rocking“ Lullaby” led by solo bassoon, the Firebird tells the Prince that Kastchei’ s soul lives in a buried egg. If he can crush it, he will kill the ogre and break the spell that binds the princesses. The Prince accomplishes this. Kastchei dies, those turned to stone are returned to life, and the castle vanishes. In the majestic Finale, Prince Ivan weds his Princess. Its melody, introduced by solo horn, is another authentic Russian folksong that spreads through the orchestra. The ballet ends in a blaze of bell-tolling Russian splendor.
Instrumentation: Four flutes including two piccolos, three oboes, English horn, four clarinets including E-flat clarinet and bass clarinet, four bassoons including two contrabassoons, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, three harps, piano, celesta, strings. Offstage: three trumpets, two Wagner tubas, two bass Wagner tubas.
Notes by Janet E. Bedell, Copyright © 2017
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