Monday 1 December 2014

Day 1 - Lieutenant Kijé (Opus 60) - The Cleveland Orchestra


Day one on the calendar is where I traditionally get people telling me *puts on whiney voice* ‘it's all too early’, so I like to start with something a little more ‘seasonal’ than outright Christmas – and frankly, if this doesn’t get you poking around in the cupboard for the festive jumper and the flashing Santa hat then there’s probably no hope for you.

Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev wrote the score for the film ‘Lieutenant Kije’ in 1933, which formed part of his Symphonic Suite for Orchestra, Opus 60 - the Troika Suite. 

The link here to the whole 19 minute opus disappeared from YouTube but then I knew all along that you heathens were just skipping to about 8’ 16” where the traditional ‘Sleigh Ride’ theme begun, the tune immortalised for another generation by Greg Lake. That was a shame as the first part of the Opus is equally interesting as Sting used it on his 1985 hit ‘Russians’ the ‘B side’ of which was ‘Gabriel’s Message’ – Day 11 on the 5th Advent Calendar. 

See I don’t just chuck these things together!

Anyway, in order not to displease the Cleveland Orchestra by linking to another performance, here's the bit you all went too anyway.

1 comment:

  1. A great start to this year's calendar. Hadn't heard all of this so have learned something new as well!

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