Английская Википедия:Chess (Madetoja)
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Infobox musical composition Chess (in Finnish: Шаблон:Lang; literal translation: 'Chess Game'),Шаблон:Efn Op. 5, is a theatre score—comprising four numbers—for orchestra by the Finnish composer Leevi Madetoja; he wrote the music in 1910 to accompany the Finnish author Eino Leino's one-act "historical tableau"Шаблон:Efn of the same name. In particular, Madetoja's music occurs during the pantomime Шаблон:Lang in the middle of the play. The scene, a dream sequence in which 16 white and 16 black chess pieces come to life and play a game, is an allegory for the political intrigue that transpired in 1464 between rivals for the Swedish thrown: Charles VIII of Sweden and Christian I of Denmark. Chess premiered on 15 February 1910 in Helsinki at Finnish National Theatre during a lottery soirée, with Madetoja conducting the Шаблон:Ill.
History
Шаблон:Multiple image Chess premiered on 15 February 1910 in Helsinki at Finnish National Theatre. The occasion was a lottery soirée organized by the Association for Feeding Elementary School Children.Шаблон:Efn As the musicologist Glenda Dawn Goss has written about turn-of-the-century Finland, such charitable evenings were common:
The soirée opened with the Шаблон:Ill playing the overture from the opera The Merry Wives of Windsor (1849) by the German composer Otto Nicolai.Шаблон:Sfn After this, the program included three short one-act stage works, the first of which was Leino's historical tableau Chess; Madetoja's incidental music, which he conducted and the Apostol performed, accompanied the pantomime Шаблон:Lang (including dances choreographed by Maggie Gripenberg) in the middle of the play.Шаблон:Sfn The finale of Chess included an additional musical number, albeit not by Madetoja: Jesu dulcis memoria a Christian hymn attributed to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, which was sung backstage by the 40-member mixed choir Шаблон:Ill.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Efn The next day, Hufvudstadsbladet characterized the score by "our promising young composer Leevi Madetoja" as "appealing and beautiful",Шаблон:Sfn while and Uusi Suometar described its as "rich in atmosphere".Шаблон:Sfn
Additional praise followed Madetoja's first composition concert in Helsinki on 26 September 1910, at which he conducted the Piano Trio and excerpts from the Symphonic Suite and Chess.Шаблон:Sfn For example, Martin Wegelius wrote in Helsingin Sanomat: "Rarely it is possible to return from a first-timer's concert with such great feelings of satisfaction. Indeed very few of us Finns are equipped with such extensive spiritual gifts, that he is able to 'break through' with those so quickly, to conquer the audience in only one evening. Leevi Madetoja did it yesterday and did it in a way which can only be called unique."Шаблон:Sfn The positive reviews did, however, contain a note of concern: given Madetoja's plans to travel to Paris for additional education, the critic Шаблон:Ill of Uusi Suometar worried about the negative influence "French modern atonal composition" could have on "this fresh northern nature [Madetoja]".Шаблон:Sfn
Structure and roles
Leino's play is in one act; a pantomime Шаблон:Lang occurs in the middle, during which Madetoja's music is played. As such, the only characters that interact with his score are the 32 chess pieces that the protagonist, Niilo Olavinpoika, has dreamt to life. The score lasts about 16 minutes.
| Roles | Description | Premiere cast (2 February 1910) |
|---|---|---|
| Niilo Olavinpoika | Lord of Särkilahti, chess player | [[[:Шаблон:Em]]] |
| Dominus Bartholomaeus | Chess player (Шаблон:Em) | |
| Шаблон:Lang | The personification of Death (Шаблон:Em) | |
| Kirves | Olavinpoika's friend | |
| Chess pieces [4 rooks, 4 knights, 4 bishops, 2 kings, 2 queens, 16 pawns (young men and ladies)] | ||
Discography
Chess has been recorded commercially just once:
| Conductor | Orchestra | Шаблон:AbbrШаблон:Efn | Time | Recording venue | Label | Шаблон:Abbr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Шаблон:Sort | Oulu Symphony Orchestra | 2000 | 15:43 | Madetoja Hall, Шаблон:Ill | Шаблон:Ill | Шаблон:Center |
Notes, references, and sources
Notes
References
Sources
Шаблон:Leevi Madetoja Шаблон:Portal bar Шаблон:Italic title
