Walter Piston

Walter Piston / The Incredible Flutist (Ballet Suite)

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• published: 14 May 2012
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Walter Piston (1894-1976) The Incredible Flutist (Ballet Suite) (1938) 00:00 - Introduction - Siesta in the Market Place 01:09 - Entrance of the Vendors 03:24 - Entrance of the Customers 03:53 - Tango of the Merchant's Daughters 07:20 - Arrival of the Circus 07:50 - Circus March 08:24 - The Flutist 09:59 - Minuet 10:39 - Spanish Waltz 11:31 - (Eight o'clock strikes) 11:50 - Siciliano 14:19 - Polka Finale Performed by Howard Hanson and the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra. Recorded by Mercury in 1958. "Piston's well-known music for the ballet The Incredible Flutist marked virtually his only departure from adherence to the efficacy of the abstract or 'absolute'--what Saint-Saëns called 'de la musique pure'. There can be no gainsaying the composer's sincerity in the dedication to the Eighteenth-century ideal, but neither can it be denied that this lone programmatic work in his catalogue earned for him the largest part of that affection in which he was held by the general public... [T]he music was 'written in collaboration with' the first choreographer, Hans Wiener (better known to dance audiences as Jan Veen), and not merely adapted for the stage as is so often the case. The premiere production--given on May 30/31, 1938, at Symphony Hall, Boston, by the Veen company and the 'Pops' Orchestra under Arthur Fiedler--seems to have been repeated there the following spring only. There was a lone performance in November of 1938 at Providence, Rhode Island, and two more at Rochester, New York, in April of 1939 and 1940 (the latter two with choreography by Thelma Biracree). In November of 1940 the Suite was introduced by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Reiner conducting. From that day forward it has been among the handful of serious contemporary works to earn popular attention in our concert halls--but extremely rarely since, for whatever reason, in the balletic theater... "Because [the reference points marked in the score] allude to a scenario that is unknown to the newest generation of concertgoers, it is obligatory to include this précis of the action from the August 1938 issue of Dance magazine: 'The siesta is over. With a hearty yawn and a wide stretch the village shakes off its drowsiness. First to wake up, the Apprentice opens the shop, and life begins its eventful flow. The Merchant's Daughters demonstrate their father's wares to Shoppers. The Busybody and the Crank have their argument. But what is this? ... A march is heard! The Band, the Circus Band, marches in, followed by the people in the circus. They're all here: the Barker, the Jugglers, the Snake Dancer, the Monkey Trainer with her Monkeys, the Crystal Gazer, and, of course, the main attraction, the Flutist. 'The Flutist is a remarkable fellow, an incredible fellow. He not only charms snakes; he also charms, believe it or not, the Snake Dancer. He is so romantic, the Incredible Flutist, and perhaps just a bit promiscuous, for he also charms the Merchant's Daughter, and they meet at eight o'clock that very evening. 'When the clock strikes eight, young couples are all over the place, and love is in the air. Even the prudish, rich widow cannot resist the charged atmosphere and grants the Merchant the kiss he's been begging for well night two years. But they don't fare so well. Their sustained embrace is discovered, and the poor rich Widow faints right into the arms of her bewhiskered boy friend. But the Incredible Flutist hies to her rescue. A little dancing, a little fluting, and the Widow comes out of her swoon, none the worse for wear. And then ... the Band strikes up, the spell is broken; the Circus, Incredible Flutist and all, leave the village.' " - James Lyons