K68 Babel
Cantata based on words from Book of Moses I, Chapter 11, Verses 1–9 for Male Chorus and Orchestra, with Narrator (Male) – Babel. Kantate nach Moses I, Kapitel 11, Vers 1–9 für Männerchor, Orchester und Erzähler – Babel. Cantate pour chœur d’hommes, récitant et orchestre. Texte extrait de la Genèse, Livre de Moïse I, chap. 11, versets 1–9 – Babel. Cantata basata su testi della Genesi per coro mascile, orchestra e recitante
Title: The title Babel refers to the Assyrian/Babylonian word, which originally meant 'Gate of God'. In the translation to Hebrew, it lost its original meaning and came to be used as a term for confusion and, as a consequence of this, for evil. – The original title of Babel is in English in Strawinsky's autograph score and correspondence. In the printed editions, there are differences in the English text depending on each edition.
Scored for: a) First edition legend:3 Flauti grandi (3° anchi Flauto piccolo), 2 Oboi, 2 Clarinetti in b, 1 Clarinetto basso, 2 Fagotti, 1 Contrafagotto, 4 Corni in Fa, 2 Trombe in Do, 3 Tromboni, Timpani, Arpa, Archi [3 Flutes (3rd also Piccolo Flute), 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets in B b, 1 Bass Clarinet, 2 Bassoons, 1 Contrabassoon, 4 Horns in F, 2 Trumpets in C, 3 Trombones, Timpani, Harp, Strings]; b) Performance requirements:male narrator ; two-part male chorus, (Tenor, Bass); Piccolo Flute (= 3rd Flute), 3 Flutes (3rd Flute = Piccolo Flute), 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets in B b, 1 Bass Clarinet in B b, 2 Bassoons, 1 Contrabassoon*, 4 Horns in F, 2 Trumpets in C, 3 Trombones, Timpani, Harp, Striings (First Violins**, Second Violins**, Violas, Violoncellos, Double Basses).
* Ad libitum.
** Divided in three.
Performance practice: The contra-bassoon is only used at two moments: at figure 12 1-4for 4 minims (E-G-c-e), doubling the bassoon second in the low register, and at figure 15 3for a single minim f sharp, also doubling second bassoon. The score at these moments contains the marking '(ad libit.)'. The cantata may also be performed with the composer’s permission without contra-bassoon, if it is too expensive. Other instruments are used just as sparingly, for example the timpani, which also only have two entries, the first between figures 9 1and 9 3, where they each double the harp, one triplet on C and one on E, and the other at figure 26 3with two crotchets B and D. Strawinsky's own suggestion for this point is that the entry of the spoken voice should not happen exactly on the bar-line as it is marked in the score, but should have some flexibility.
Source: The first nine verses of the eleventh chapter from the first book of Moses (Genesis) contain the description of the building of the city of Babel and the construction of the man-made Tower which reaches up to Heaven, in order to make a name for themselves and to prevent people being scattered over all lands. God the Father saw the city and the tower, as well as the unity and power that they attained by it, and the danger that they would make use of it. So the Lord confused their speech that they were unable to build the city and scaltered them all over the lands.
Translation: The theologically ambiguous text for the cantata, which was evidently chosen by Strawinsky himself from the King James Bible, was translated for the printed editions from English into German by L. Andersen, a pseudonym for the publisher at Schott, Dr. jur. Ludwig Strecker. It must be a question of mystification; as the German text corresponds, apart from a few absent details, to the words of the unrevised Lutheran Bible of 1545.
Construction: Babel is a melodramatic cantata in four parts but in one movement for narrator, male chorus and large orchestra with a skilful formal structure consisting of different types of smaller movements such as the orchestral introduction, choral prologue, instrumental fugato and postlude in the large form of a passacaglia with variations. The only observation which Strawinsky himself made about Babel, was the explanation of the many types of miniature forms on the smallest scale. –
[I.]
The first excerpt (27 bars = figure 51 to the end of figure 73) is the orchestral introduction with subsequent melodrama. It begins with a unison figure over five bars, with six extended notes in the ‘celli and double basses, who play the Passacaglia theme. The Strawinsky biographers recall the introduction to The Firebird, to which it is technically and atmospherically related. It also employs the entire excerpt as its main motif of unity and begins with the melodic rotational treatment which is so typical of Strawinsky's American period, with the beginning note becoming the end note (1: e-g#-g-b-f-e; 2; g#-g-b-f-e- g#; 3: g-b-g#-e-a#-g; 4: b-e-g#-g-b-f; 5: b-e-g#-g-b-f; 6: e-g#-a-b-g#-e), and in addition, displaces the combination of intervals and rotating its round on itself. In the narration, artfully worked for three bars at figure 7, the first violins imitate in the augmented crotchet values the passing repetition played by the second violins in bar 1 of the Passacaglia theme. Just as the first note of this bar is identical to the last, the first section of Babel ends with the constructivist rotational sequence of bars with which it began. –
[II.]
The 34 bars of the second section up to the end of figure 15 are structured as a two-part choral cantata and devoted exclusively to the voice of God, for which Strawinsky uses two voice-parts, the tenors and basses, from the choir in order to avoid personifying God. He was certainly not intending to depict the Trinity. That is certainly also the case for the two triplets figures in the string accompaniment, which Strawinsky transforms into the eight-quaver Passacaglia rhythm and derives from several chords in the three-part divisistrings at the beginning of the section. The choral writing is strongly homophonic, which is essential to the projection of God as unity, and it is predominantly in contrary motion and exclusively syllabic and follows the scanning rules of the English language without experimenting in declamation. The melodic line is independent from the content of the text. – An interpretation of the text by means of the melodic writing does not work satisfactorily, in fact it works in the opposite way, because when God decides to go down to earth, in order to confuse the languages (‘let us go down’), the tenor part goes upwards from b1 to d2, the bass part from e to f, and the instruments continue in their own manner, without following a downward movement. –
[III.]
The third section begins with the melodramatic narration of the confusion of languages (8 bars = figures 16 and 17) and is an instrumental fugato over the following 27 bars, which is simultaneously a Passacaglia variation. The unity of the first section is lost. The hectic and quickly flowing legato stands just as much as a symbol of the Babylonian confusion of languages itself as for the even worse consequences of the distressed and confused running-around of the people, whose trust in their state has been destroyed. –
[IV.]
The fourth and final section (Figure 27 up to the end of figure 31 5) consists of 19 bars and, in connection with the melodrama, takes on the function of a coda. It represents the emptiness into which Babylon has sunk after its scattering, made clear from the narration section and accompanied by a long, held, scarcely moving expanses of sound. In the rising deathly stillness, one can only hear the held bottom G in the first bassoon at the end.
Structure
[First section = Instrumental section]
Largo Crotchet = 42 (27 bars = figure 51 up to the end of figure 7 3]
[ Speaking text figure 1 1-3]
[Speaking text figure 2 1-3]
[Speaking text figure 14+4 1]
[Speaking text figure 5 1-3]
[Speaking text figure 7 1-3]
[Second section = Choir section (Voice of God)]
sempre Crotchet = 42 (34 bars = figure 8 up to the end of figure 15 3)
[Third section]
Con moto Crotchet = 120 (35 bars = figure 16 up to the end of figure 26 3)
[Speaking text figure 16 2up to the end of figure 17 4]
[Fourth section]
Meno mosso Crotchet = 100 (19 bars = figure 27 up to the end of figure 31 5)
[Speaking text figure 27 2up to Ziffer 29 2]
Style: The work is neoclassical in style with some sparkling American influences, which can be heard in the use of the chorus for the voice of God and the pathos-rich and melodramatic sentimental American musical mentality. Strawinsky’s predilection for solving issues raised by the spoken text, which was certainly strengthened by musically accompanied radio broadcasts and television reports, led him latterly to a version of melodrama, the stylistic questionability he disregarded for the price of failure. A readily available and word-driven interpretation of the text of the building and destruction of the Tower is not possible in Babel . Regarding the reasons behind Strawinsky's manner of word-setting probably led to differences of opinion between Strawinsky and Nathaniel Shilkret. Shilkret was thinking of realistic interpretations, stemming from his mentality as a film composer; Strawinsky, on the other hand, was less interested in these realistic touches. He wished to avoid them in the case of Babel as much as possible, and but presumably after remonstrations from Shilkret, who above all saw the pictorial possibilities which the building and collapsing of the Tower offered, Strawinsky wanted to keep them down even more. For him the composition was not so much a theatrical play as the expression of faith. He asserted himself against Shilkret and raised in this connection the much debated problem of the voice of God being portrayed by the choir and handed over the narration to a speaker. – The melodic writing comes independently from the content of the text. One comes close to the meaning of the text in any case when one examines the formal construction, which adds much meaning. It is possible to find many meaningful points of formal interest in the text, but, taking into consideration the lack of definite indications and the considerable technical ability of Strawinsky, it is not clear whether the formal ordering is intentional or whether too much has been inferred. The choral part is strongly homophonic, which is essential for the symbolism of God as Oneness, and it is predominantly in contrary motion and exclusively syllabic and is set according to the stress patterns of the English language without experiments in declamation. The entries of the spoken text in the composition are neither rhythmic nor song-like, but are simply organised from the time of the entry. They lose their way as the simple narration of the situation like a speech bubble next to the music.
Interpretations: Heinrich Lindlar tried in 1957 to interpret Strawinsky’s inspiration of realizing the word of God not as a solo voice but as a two-part, male-voice chorus of tenors and basses, rather casually, and certainly not from a Trinitarian standpoint, but in the sense of a “rudimentary pluralism of the Godhead of the Old Testament”, and he remarked upon a series of other compositions from the same period that behaved in the same way (Dallapiccola 1950, Britten 1951, Fortner 1952). An author such as Vlad, who was close to Strawinsky and who incidentally quoted Lindlar often in agreement with him, contradicted him in this matter. In this case, it was, in his opinion, Strawinsky’s intention to not individualise the voice of God so as to avoid humanising it. To realize it chorally was thus one of the possible impartial solutions. If this was Strawinsky’s intention, which Lindlar implied, then he would have set the part in three voice-parts in order to avoid any misunderstanding. In the television work “The Flood”, he similarly set the voice of God in two parts, though not chorally, but in the same register, tenor-bass.
Dedication: not known.
Duration: 5' 13".
Date of origin: Hollywood 1944 till 12. April 1944.
First performance: on 18th November 1945* in the Wilshire Ebel Theatre in Los Angeles as part of the première of the seven-part cycle Genesis with Edward Arnold as the narrator, a choir trained by Hugo Strelitzer, and the Werner Janssen Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Werner Janssen.
* Not 1946.
Remarks: At the beginning of 1944, the American film composer and patron of the arts, Nathaniel Shilkret, turned to several eminent composers who had emigrated to America, and attempted to compile some short works for a Suite written by a group of composers on texts from Genesis in the Old Testament. The commissioner, Nathaniel Shilkret, born on 1st January 1895 in New York, was originally a clarinettist and from 1916 to 1935, he was the musical director of the Victor Talkling Machine Company, and subsequently an arranger for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studios in Hollywood. He consulted Béla Bartók, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Paul Hindemith, Darius Milhaud, Serge Prokofiev, Arnold Schönberg, Igor Strawinsky, Alexander Tansman, Ernst Toch and Shilkret himself. Compositions on which several composers collaborated are attested to in music history more frequently than one would imagine but due to their inevitable lapses in style, but always remain curiosities and focusses on the greatest of the artists whose work mostly suffers under its being forced to adapt its style. Strawinsky accepted the commission and chose the final piece of the cycle, the building of the Tower of Babel, while Schönberg wrote the prologue. The others that accepted were Tansman (The Fall of Sin), Milhaud (Cain and Abel), Castelnuovo-Tedesco (The Flood) and Toch (Message = Bible). Shilkret took the chapter of the Creation. Bartók, Hindemith and Prokofiev did not take part. The contract with Shilkret was settled on 24th August 1945. Strawinsky submitted his completed score on 12th April 1944. The première of the Suite was performed thanks to the Werner-Janssen orchestra one-and-a-half years later.
Significance: Babel was the first original English word-setting of Strawinsky in his catalogue of works.
Legal problems: Inevitably, problems with the rights could not be avoided. Strawinsky had at the time not yet signed a general contract with Boosey & Hawkes, but the rights were owned by Shilkret. When Associated Music Publishers enquired of Strawinsky regarding Babel at the beginning of 1945, long before the premiere, he wrote back on 3rd May 1945 to Winter that everything was new to him with regard to his cantata. He had not heard from Janssen for a long time. With regard to the rights, these remained with Shilkret. Shilkret would in any case also produce the material, i.e. the parts. The contract did not rule out another publishing house taking part, provided that an agreement on the financial conditions could be reached. Four years later, on 5th May 1949, Strawinsky shared with Robert Craft (who presumably wanted to perform the piece) that the parts for Babel were probably in Shilkret’s possession. The orchestral autograph score was however still with Strawinsky.
Versions: Strawinsky settled the contract with Schott on 29th May 1950. The Schott edition brought out a piano version in 1952 with the piano part spread over four systems without dividing Primo and Secondo. I n the first print-run, there is a characteristic printing error in the inside title ( > und < instead of > and < ) , which was removed in the same year. In the Strawinsky estate, there is a printed edition without its own title. The empty grey-brown cover was written on by Strawinsky himself. Were it not for small discrepancies, one could imagine there having been a special print-run: it was however probably a sample copy before the main print-run. A further edition, used a different division of the title picture with the music unchanged. Schott sold approximately 122 copies between the middle of 1956 and the middle of 1962, and between the middle of 1964 and the middle of 1969, 162 copies were made, including at least 12 complimentary copies. The pocket-score was brought out at the beginning of 1953 and was probably printed in 1952, as the copy in the British Library bears the date 15th January 1953. There was also a new edition in September 1954 according to Strawinsky's entries. Apart from in the piano version, the sung texts was not written out in English-German, but German-English. A further print-run happened in the business year 1966/1967, producing 300 copies. The success of the print-run was limited, but was more successful than with the piano edition. Schott sold approximately 243 pocket scores in total between the middle of 1956 and the middle of 1962, and between the middle of 1964 and the middle of 1969, a further 309, of which at least 39 complimentary scores must be taken into account. The orchestral score and parts were only available on hire in Strawinsky's lifetime.
Print run: 700 copies of the vocal score were published in 2 printings during Strawinsky`s lifetime, after his death up to the end of the century there were a further 2 print runs of 450 copies (13rd Dezember 1952: 400; 13rd July 1962: 300, and 07/07/1972: 300; 30/11/1987: 150).1600 copies of the pocket score were published in 4 printings during Strawinsky`s lifetime (1st July 1953: 500; 2nd January 1956: 500; 30st November 1966: 300; 30st December 1971: 300) and after his death up to the end of the century there were a further 2 printings of 300 copies each (27/6/1978: 300; 28/6/1985: 300). The date of the plate book and the registrating of the British Library are contradictory. 700 copies of chorus part were produced during Strawinsky`s lifetime(5th May 1952: 200; 24th August 1962: 200; 29th January 1970: 300); after his death up to the end of the century there were a further print runs of 600 copies (20/5/1976). The chorus part is a score to rent.That is why it has no edition number but a plate number (37847). The libraries investigated do not have a copy. In Strawinsky’s estate is a full score.
Historical recording: Toronto in Kanada 29th November 1962, John Colicos (narrator), Festival Singers of Toronto (Choirmaster: Elmer Iseler) and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Igor Strawinsky.
CD edition: XI -1 /23.
Autograph: The signed and dated orchestral autograph score was given from Strawinsky’s estate into the ownership of the Library of Congress, Washington D.C.
Copyright: 1952 by Schott & Co. in London (Vocal score); 1953 by Schott & Co. in London (Pocket score).
Editions
a) Overview
68-1 1952 VoSc; E-G; Schott Mainz; 12 pp.; B·S·S 37846; 4342.
68-1 Straw ibd. [no corrections, but annotations].
68-1 [62] [1962] ibd.
68-2 1952 Chorus part [not identified; hire material]; 37847.
68-3 1953 PoSc; G-E; Schott Mainz; 18 pp.; B·S·S 37844; 4412.
68-3 [56] [1956] ibd.
68-3 [66] [1966] ibd.
68-4 [1952] FuSc [hire material]; Schott Mainz; 18 pp.; 37844.
68-4 Straw [1952] ibd.
b) Characteristic features
68-1 STRAWINSKY / BABEL / Kantate / Klavierauszug – Vocal Score / [vignette] / EDITION SCHOTT / 4342 // Babel / Kantate nach Moses I, Kapitel 11, [#*] Cantata from the Book of Moses I, / Vers 1-9 für Männerchor, Orchester [#*] Capital 11, Verse 1-9 for Male Chorus / und Erzähler von [#*] und** Orchestra, with Narrator (Male) by / Igor Strawinsky / 1944 / [asterisk] / Klavierauszug [#*] Vocal Score / Singpartitur [#*] Choral Parts / Orchestermaterial nach Vereinbarung [#]* Orchestral material on hire / B. SCHOTT'S SÖHNE [#***] SCHOTT & Co. Ltd. / MAINZ: Weihergarten 5 [#***] London W.1: 48 Great Marlborough Str. / Paris: Editions Max Eschig [#***] New York: 25 West 45 thStreet / 48 Rue de Rome [#***] Associated Music Publishers Inc. / Printed in Germany – Imprimé en Allemagne // (Vocal score with chant stapled 23.1 x 30.3 (2° [4°]); Sung and speaking texts English-German; 12 [11] pages + 4 cover pages thicker paper dark grey on grey veined [front cover title with publisher’s emblem orange oval 2.8 x 3.5 wheel of Mainz in a frame containing text in bottom half >PER MARE< [#] >ET TERRAS< left and right, 3 empty pages] + 3 pages front matter [title page with publisher’s emblem***, empty page, legend >Distribuzione dell’ orchestra< Italian + duration data >circa 5 minuti< Italian] + 2 pages back matter [empty page, page with publisher’s advertisements >IGOR STRAWINSKY<**** production data >24<]; title head >BABEL<; author specified 1st page of the score unpaginated [p. 2] below title head flush right >Igor Strawinsky / 1944<; fictitious translator specified 1st page of the score below title head flush left >Deutsche Übersetzung nach / dem Englischen von L. Andersen<; legal reservation 1st page of the score below type area flush left >Copyright 1952 by Schott & Co. Ltd., London<; plate number >B·S·S 37846<; production indication p. 12 below type area flush right as end mark >Druck und Verlag von B. Schott's Söhne in Mainz<) // [1952]°
° According to the plate book, the print run took place on 13th December 1952. Despite the late date for this run, they were able to publish the edition for the first time in 1952 and not at the beginning of 1953. Hofmeister dates it as 1952, as does the German National Library.
* A vertical dividing line spanning 3 lines.
** misprint original.
*** A separating vignette round spanning 4 lines ø 2 cm wheel of Mainz in a frame containing text in bottom half >PER MARE< [#] >ET TERRAS< left and right.
**** Compositions are advertised with edition numbers behind fill character (dotted line) >Babel. Kantate nach Moses I,11. Kap., 1—9, für Sprecher, Männerchor und / Orchester° Klavierauszug 4342 / Concerto für 2 Klaviere° 2520 / Concerto in D für Violine und Orchester° Studienpartitur 3504 / [#] Klavierauszug 2190 / Concerto in Es (Dumbarton Oaks) für Kammerorchester° Studienpartitur 3527 / [#] Klavierauszug für 2 Klaviere 2791 / Circus-Polka für Klavier zu 2 Händen° 4282 / für 2 Klaviere zu 4 Händen° 4283 / für Orchester° Studienpartitur 4274 / Danses concertantes für Kammerorchester° Studienpartitur 4275 / >Der Feuervogel, Ballett° Klavierauszug 3279 / Daraus einzeln: / Berceuse für Klavier zu 2 Händen (Willms)° 2547 / Berceuse für Violine und Klavier (Transkription vom Komponisten)°° 2081 / Berceuse für Violine und Klavier (Transkription vom Komponisten / und S. Dushkin)° 2186 / Ronde des princesses für Klavier zu 2 Händen (Willms)° 2548 / Prélude et Ronde des princesses für Violine und Klavier (Transkrip- / tion vom Komponisten)° 2080 / Danse infernale, Berceuse et Finale für Klavier zu 2 Händen (Agosti)°° 2378 / Scherzo für Violine und Klavier (Transkription vom Komponisten / und S. Dushkin)° 2250 / Feuerwerk. Eine Fantasie für großes Orchester° Studienpartitur 3464 / [#] Klavierauszug zu 4 Händen 962 / Das Kartenspiel. Ballett° Klavierauszug 3296 / [#] Studienpartitur 3511 / Musikalische Poetik. Vorlesungen an der Harvard-University° 3612 / Pas de deux nach dem Ballett „Dornröschen“ von Tschaikowsky für Orchester / [#] Studienpartitur 4409 / Pastorale. Lied ohne Worte / Gesang und Klavier° 2295 / Gesang und 4 Blasinstrumente° Partitur 3399 / Violine und Klavier ( Strawinskyund S. Dushkin)° 2294 / Violine und 4 Blasinstrumente° Partitur 3313 / Scherzo fantastique. Fantasie für großes Orchester° Studienpartitur 3501 / Sonate für 2 Klaviere zu vier Händen° 4015 / Symphonie en Ut° Studienpartitur 3536 / Symphony in three movements° Studienpartitur 4075 / Belowschale. Russiane Bauernlieder. 4 Chöre für gleiche Stimmen / Beim Heiland von Tschigissy — Herbst — Der Hecht — Freund Dicksack / [asterisk] / Igor Strawinsky. Mensch und Künstler / Ein Buch des Sohnes Théodore über seinen Vater° 4202 / Auf Wunsch steht ein ausführliches Verzeichnis zur Verfügung.< [° fill character (dotted line) ; °° without fill character (dotted line)].
68-1Straw
The copy from Strawinsky’s estate is undated and contains no musical corrections (errata). He used this as the original for the title pages of the orchestra score. He crossed out the line >Vocal Score / Singpartitur [#] Choral Parts / Orchestermaterial nach Vereinbarung [#] Orchestral material on hire< on the inner title page and replaced it with >full score<. He crossed out the line >Klavierauszug – Vocal Score< on the outer title page with the comment >no, full score<.
68-2 Choral part [not identified; hire material].
68-3 STRAWINSKY / Babel / Cantata / Partitur – Score / [vignette] / EDITION SCHOTT / 4412 // Babel / Kantate nach Moses I, Kapitel 11 [#*] Cantata from the Book of Moses I, / Vers 1-9 für Männerchor, Orchester [#*] Chapter 11, Verses 1-9 for Male Chorus / und Erzähler von [#*] and Orchestra, with Narrator (Male) by / Igor Strawinsky / 1944 / [asterisk] / Partitur [#**] Score / Orchesterstimmen nach Vereinbarung [#**] Orchestral material on hire / Klavierauszug [#**] Vocale° Score / Singpartitur [#**] Chorus part / 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 // (Pocket score stapled 15 x 20.7 (8° [8°] ); 18 [18] 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 with containing text in bottom half >PER MARE< [#] >ET TERRAS< left and right, 2 empty pages, page with publisher’s advertisements >Studien-Partituren<*** production data >105<] + 2 pages front matter [title page, legend >Distribuzione dell’ orchestra< Italian + duration data >circa 7 minuti< Italian] without back matter; title head >Babel<; author specified 1st page of the score unpaginated [p. 1] below title head flush right centred >Igor Strawinsky / 1944<; fictitious translator specified 1st page of the score next to author specified flush left >Deutsche Übersetzung nach / dem Englischen von L. Andersen<; legal reservation 1st page of the score below type area flush left >Copyright 1953 by Schott & Co. Ltd., London<; plate number [1. page of the score:] >B·S·S 37846 a < [pp.2-18:] >B·S·S 37844<; production indication p. 18 flush right as end mark >Druck u. Verlag von B. Schott’s Söhne in Mainz<) // [1953]
° Original spelling.
°° Slash original.
°°° D ividing horizontal line of 8.7 cm, i.e. column width .
* A vertical dividing line spanning 3 lines.
** A vertical dividing line spanning 4 lines.
*** Compositions are advertised in three columns with edition numbers 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° 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<; below the framed heading >Opern und Ballette< compositions by >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].
68-3 [56] STRAWINSKY / Babel / Cantata / Partitur – Score / [vignette] / EDITION SCHOTT / 4412 // Babel / Kantate nach Moses I, Kapitel 11, [#*] Cantata based on words from Book of Moses I, / Vers 1-9 für Männerchor, Orchester [#*] Chapter 11, Verses 1-9 for Male Chorus / und Erzähler von [#*] and Orchestra, with Narrator (Male) by / Igor Strawinsky / 1944 / [asterisk] / Partitur [#**] Score / Orchesterstimmen nach Vereinbarung [#**] Orchestral material on hire / Klavierauszug [#**] Vocale° Score / Singpartitur [#**] Chorus part / B. SCHOTT'S SÖHNE /*** MAINZ / [°°] / Schott & Co., Ltd., 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 // (Pocket score stapled 15 x 23 (8° [gr. 8°] ); sung and spoken texts German-English; 18 [18] pages + 4 cover pages thicker paper black on grey veined [front cover title with publisher’s emblem dark orange oval 1.9 x 2.5 wheel of Mainz in a frame with containing text in bottom half >PER MARE< [#] >ET TERRAS< left and right, 2 empty pages, page with publisher’s advertisements >STUDIEN-PARTITUREN / zeitgenössischer Orchesterwerke<**** production data >105<] + 2 pages front matter [title page, legend >Distribuzione dell’ orchestra< Italian + duration data >circa 7 minuti< Italian]; title head >BABEL<; author specified 1st page of the score unpaginated [p. 1] below title head flush right centred >Igor Strawinsky / 1944<; fictitious translator specified 1st page of the score next to author specified flush left >Deutsche Übersetzung nach / dem Englischen von L. Andersen<; legal reservation 1st pageof the score below type area flush left >Copyright 1953 by Schott & Co. Ltd., London<; plate number [1. page of the score:] >B·S·S 37844 a < [pp.2-18:] >B·S·S 37844<; production indication p. 18 flush right as end mark >Druck u. Verlag von B. Schott's Söhne in Mainz<) // [1956]
° Original spelling.
°° D ividing horizontal line of 8.7 cm, i.e. column width .
* A vertical dividing line spanning 3 lines.
** A vertical dividing line spanning 4 lines.
*** Slash original.
**** Compositions are advertised in three columns with edition numbers behind fill character (dotted line) from >WERNER EGK< to >ALEX. TSCHEREPNIN<, amongst these >IGOR STRAWINSKY / Scherzo fantastique° 3501 / Circus-Polka° 4274 / „Feuerwerk“, Fantasie°° 3464 // STRAWINSKY (Fortsetzung) / Symphonie in C° 3536 / Symphony in three / movements° 4075 / „Der Feuervogel“, / Suite (1919)° 3467 / „Der Feuervogel“, / Suite (1945)°° 4420 / Vier norwegische Im- / pressionen°°* / Ode (Elegischer Ge- / sang) in 3 Teilen für / kleines Orchester°°* / Suite I für kleines / Orchester° 3469 / Suite II für kleines / Orchester° 3470 / Pas de deux (L’oiseau / bleu) (Tschaikowsky)°°° 4409 / Concerto in Es (Dum- / barton Oaks) f. Kam- / merorchester° 3527 / Danses concertantes° 4275 / Konzert in D für Vio- / line und Orchester° 3504< [° fill character (dotted line) ; °° fill character (dotted line) ; °°° fill character (dot) ; * without edition number].
68-4 Babel / Kantate nach Moses I, Kapitel 11 [#*] Cantata from the Book of Moses I, / Vers 1-9 für Männerchor, Orchester [#*] Capital 11, Verses 1-9 for Male Chorus / und Erzähler von [#*] und° Orchestra, with Narrator (Male) by / Igor Strawinsky / 1944 / [asterisk] / Partitur [#**] Score / Orchesterstimmen nach Vereinbarung [#**] Orchestral material on hire / Klavierauszug [#**] Vocale° Score / Singpartitur [#**] Choral Parts / 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 // (Full score [library binding] 27.4 x 34.6 ([4°]) ; 18 [18] pages without cover pages, + 2 pages front matter [title page, legend >Distribuzione dell’ orchestra< Italian + duration data >circa 7 minuti< Italian] without back matter; title head >BABEL<; author specified 1st page of the score unpaginated [p. 1] below title head flush right centred >Igor Strawinsky / 1944<; fictitious translator specified 1st page of the score next to author specified flush left >Deutsche Übersetzung nach / dem Englischen von L. Andersen<; legat reservation 1st page of the score below type area flush left as stamp centred >Ausschließlich als Leihmaterial vervielfältigt / Rental Material only for sale<; plate number [only] 1st page of the score >B·S·S 37844<; without production indication; p. 18 without end mark<) // [1953]
° Original spelling.
°° Slash original.
°°° D ividing horizontal line of 14.4 cm, i.e., column width .
* A vertical dividing line spanning 3 lines.
** A vertical dividing line spanning 4 lines.
68-4 Straw
Strawinsky ’ s copy contains no annotations or corrections.
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