Histoire du soldat
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Histoire du soldat (sometimes written L'histoire du soldat; translated as The Soldier's Tale or A Soldier's Tale) is a 1918 theatrical work "to be read, played, and danced" ("lue, jouée et dansée") set to music by Igor Stravinsky. The libretto, which is based on a Russian folk tale, was written in French by C.F. Ramuz. It is a parable about a soldier who trades his fiddle to the devil for a book that predicts the future of the economy. The music is scored for a septet of violin, double bass, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, and percussion, and the story is told by three actors: the soldier, the devil, and a narrator, who also takes on the roles of minor characters. A dancer plays the non-speaking role of the princess, and there may also be additional ensemble dancers. The piece was written for small ensemble to compensate for the lack of players due to World War I (since so many were enlisted in the armed services).
The libretto has been translated into English by Michael Flanders and Kitty Black, and into German by Hans Reinhart.
A full performance of Histoire du soldat takes about an hour. There is a half-hour concert suite version, which was later arranged by the composer for violin, clarinet, and piano.
The music is in the modernist style and is rife with changing time signatures. For this reason, it is commonly performed with a conductor, though some ensembles have elected to perform the piece without one. Much of the music – especially the concerto-like violin part – is considered virtuosic.
The work was premiered in Lausanne on 28 September 1918, conducted by Ernest Ansermet.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
[edit] Part 1
As the work opens, Joseph, a Russian soldier, marches toward his hometown on leave, pack in tow. ("Marche du soldat"/"The Soldier's March") He rests by a stream and rummages through his pack. First he takes out his lucky St. Joseph medallion, then a mirror, then a photograph of his girlfriend. Finally, he finds what he was searching for: his fiddle. He begins to play. ("Petit airs au bord du ruisseau"/"Airs by a Stream") The devil appears disguised as an old man carrying a butterfly net, but Joseph does not notice him and continues to play. The devil sneaks up on Joseph from behind and startles him.
The devil asks Joseph to sell him his fiddle, and when Joseph refuses, he offers him a book that he says contains untold wealth. Joseph does not understand the book, but the devil convinces him that it's worth more than his cheap fiddle. Joseph then realizes the book contains events that happen in the future! The devil offers to take Joseph home for three days to teach him about the book if Joseph will teach him about the fiddle. After the devil describes the life of luxury he lives, Joseph accepts. After three days pass, the devil takes Joseph home. (Reprise: "Marche du soldat")
As Joseph walks the path towards his town, he notices something strange: everyone runs away as they see him. Finally, he arrives at his fianceé's house only to see her with her husband and children. Finally, he realizes that three years – not three days – have passed, and that the residents of the town think he's a ghost. ("Pastorale")
Joseph sees the devil in disguise as a cattle merchant and confronts him. The devils tries to calm Joseph by reminding him of the power of the book. Joseph started off as a peddler. With the knowledge he gained from the book, he quickly amassed great wealth. Soon, he realizes this material wealth means nothing, and all he wants is the things he had before – the things everyone else has. ("Petite airs au bord du ruisseau (reprise)") He realizes the poor have nothing in terms of material wealth, yet they have it all when it comes to happiness. He gets agitated and starts looking through the book for the solution, yet can't find anything.
The devil arrives disguised as an old female peddler. He takes some things out to sell to Joseph: first, a lucky medallion; next, a mirror; then, a photograph of a woman; finally, a fiddle. Joseph immediately perks up and tries to buy the fiddle from the devil. The devil hands Joseph the violin, but he can no longer play: the violin makes no sound. ("Petite airs au bord du ruisseau (reprise)") Joseph hurls the violin away and tears the book up.
[edit] Part 2
Joseph leaves his home with nothing. He marches past his old hometown. ("Marche du soldat (reprise)") He arrives at an inn where he hears the news that the king's daughter is sick, and whoever can raise her from her bed will be given her hand in marriage. An old army buddy spots Joseph in the inn and convinces him he should pose as an army doctor and try to save the princess. Joseph leaves to see the king. ("Marche royale"/"The Royal March")
When he arrives at the palace, the devil is already there disguised as a virtuoso violinist. Joseph turns over some cards and gets an air of confidence when they are all hearts. Suddenly, the devil makes his presence known, clutching the violin to his chest, and taunts Joseph. The narrator tells Joseph the reason the devil controls him is because Joseph still has the devil's money, and if Joseph loses all his money to the devil in a card game, he'll finally be free.
The plan works: the devil falls, and Joseph is free. He takes the violin and plays. ("Petit concert"/"The Little Concert") He triumphantally marches into the princess's chambers and starts to play another tune. The princess is miraculously resurrected by the music, and begins to dance. ("Trois danses"/"Three Dances" "1. Tango; 2. Valse; 3. Ragtime")
Joseph and the princess embrace. The devil arrives, and for the first time he is not disguised. As Joseph protects the princess from the devil, he realizes he can defeat the devil by playing his violin. ("Danse du diable"/"The Devil's Dance") The devil can't resist the music and begins to contort. Exhausted, he falls to the ground. The soldier takes the princess's hand, and together they drag the devil away, then fall into each others' arms. ("Petit choral"/"Little Chorale")
The devil pops his head in and begins to torment the couple, warning them that Joseph may not leave the castle or the devil will regain control of him. ("Couplets du diable"/"The Devil's Song")
Over the "Grand Choral" ("Great Chorale"), the narrator tells the moral of the story:
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Il ne faut pas vouloir ajouter Il faut savoir choisir; Un bonheur est tout le bonheur; |
You must not seek to add No one can have it all, One happy thing is every happy thing: |
The princess begins to get curious about Joseph's past, though Joseph knows he is forbidden to revisit it. Finally, she convinces him to sneak out of the palace and visit his mother. As they get near his hometown, Joseph goes ahead to find the frontier. As he arrives at his village, the devil is waiting for him, playing the violin. Joseph hangs his head and follows the devil slowly, but without resistance. ("Marche triomphale du diable"/"Triumphal March of the Devil")
[edit] Adaptations
In 1983, Sesame Street animator R.O. Blechman created an animated version for PBS's Great Performances featuring Max von Sydow as the voice of devil. This production was released on VHS the next year and on DVD in 2004. [1] [2]
In 1993, American novelist Kurt Vonnegut reworked the libretto into a tale about World War II Private Eddie Slovik, the first soldier in the United States military to be executed for desertion since the Civil War. [3]
[edit] References
- Igor Stravinsky, C.F. Ramuz, and John Carewe (ed.). Histoire du Soldat. London: Chester Music, 1987. ISBN 0-7119-3841-5
- Igor Stravinsky and C.F. Ramuz. Igor Stravinsky: The Soldier's Tale (Histoire de Soldat / Geschichte vom Soldaten). Vanessa Redgrave / Sting / Sir Ian McKellen / The London Sinfonietta / Kent Nagano. London: Pangea/MCA, 1990. ASIN B000009HYG
[edit] External links
- A Soldier's Tale at the Internet Movie Database
- Complete text of the Kurt Vonnegut adaptation
- Historia do Soldadopuppetry adaptation
