CCVI. STRAVINSKY, Igor: Scènes de ballet

CCVI. STRAVINSKY, Igor (1882-1971)

Scènes de ballet (1944)
1. Introduction
2. Danses (Corps de ballet & Ballerina)
3. Pantomime
4. Pas de deux
5. Pantomime
6. Variations (Danseur & Ballerina)
7. Pantomime
8. Danses (Corps de ballet)
9. Apothéose
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, cond.
(17:44)
[scrolling score]

Commissioned by Broadway producer Billy Rose.

"Scènes de ballet is a period piece, a portrait of Broadway in the last years of the War. It is featherweight and sugared -- my sweet tooth was not yet carious, then -- but I will not deprecate it, not even the second Pantomime, and all of it is at least well made." -- Stravinsky

But here comes the funny part:

Rose telegraphed Stravinsky:

"YOUR MUSIC GREAT SUCCESS STOP COULD BE SENSATIONAL IF YOU WOULD AUTHORISE ROBERT RUSSELL BENNETT TO RETOUCH ORCHESTRATION STOP BENNETT ORCHESTRATES EVEN THE WORKS OF COLE PORTER."

To which Stravinsky replied:

"SATISFIED WITH GREAT SUCCESS."