A Trio Of Stravinsky Chamber Works

The Los Angeles Philharmonic continues its Chamber Music 2 Series with a rousing all Stravinsky program this Spring! Widely acknowledged as one of the most influential composers of the 20th century, the Russian-born classical music icon is perhaps best known for his soaring concert works for ballet The Firebird, Petrushka and The Rite Of Spring, but his masterful ear for melody, exciting folk-tinged rhythms and lush orchestral writing are equally as evident in his works for smaller ensembles. 

Interestingly, the program starts and begins with The Soldier's Tale, a theatrical piece for a septet comprised of the violin, double bass, clarinet, bassoon, cornet, trombone and percussion. First performed in Switzerland in 1918, it illustrates 'The Runaway Soldier and the Devil', the old Russian folk tale about a soldier who sells his magic violin to Lucifer in exchange for monetary wealth. The deeply witty chamber work is rich in drama, tension and angular, jazz-infused melodies, as well as notoriously difficult time signature changes that give way to moments of ecstatic clarity and simplicity. 

Program
Stravinsky - L'Histoire du soldat for violin, clarinet and piano
Stravinsky - Octet for Winds
Stravinsky -  L'Histoire du soldat