Le Chant du Rossignol Poème Symphonique pour Orchestre. Reduction pour piano à deux mains par Jacques Larmanjat [Kirchmeyer 26], ca 1924

File — Box: 6, Folder: 9-10

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Musical manuscript in the hand of Jacques Larmanjat with annotations, corrections, and substantial rewriting of one passage in the hand of the composer. Undated, but 1924 based on letters written by Stravinsky in September and October of that year to Ernest Oeberg and Ernst Ansermet respectively in which Stravinsky declares that his corrections to Larmanjat's piano reduction are so extensive that he considers the reduction his own rather than Larmanjat's.

Folio (348 x 267 mm.). 1 leaf (recto manuscript title in ink, presumably in Larmanjat's hand, with added note in pencil initialled by Stravinsky, verso blank), 30 pp. + 1f. (blank) + 1f. (recto pencilled annotations, verso blank).

Notated in ink on 20-stave music paper with numerous additions and corrections to notation in the composer's hand, including portions scratched out and re-written. With additional markings in red ink and pencil.

Ten measures (performance numbers 89-91, page 27) cancelled and replaced by a new version entirely in the composer's hand on a separate sheet of paper tipped-in to inner margin.

With a manuscript note in Stravinsky's hand to margins of page 25 instructing the engraver to print the music of a portion of the work (performance numbers 85-86) on three staves as opposed to two.

Scope and Contents A printed proof of the same work extensively annotated and corrected by Stravinsky in ink, crayon, and pencil, with many portions rewritten, some substantially, including autograph manuscript inserted within the score. 34 pp. + 8 inserted leaves of varying sizes consisting of manuscript additions in the composer's hand ranging in length from a few measures to extensive passages. With a manuscript note in Stravinsky's hand to margin of page 14 (Part II, "Les deux rossignols") to the engraver asking that the staves be reorganized to better accommodate the music, etc.

In a large brown envelope with annotation in Stravinsky's hand in blue crayon: "Epreuve et manuscrit de la reduction à 2 ms. du Chant du Rossignol fait par J. Larminjat d'après mes instructions.”

Kirchmeyer 26. This version not recorded by De Lerma.

Dates

ca 1924

Language of Materials

From the Collection: The materials are written in English, Russian, French, and Italian.

Conditions Governing Access

This material is open for research.

Stored onsite at the Woodson Research Center.

Biographical / Historical

An important source. The extent and significance of Stravinsky's autograph contributions to the proof are such that it can be considered more of an actual working manuscript than a traditional proof.

Originally an opera in three acts to a libretto by Stepan Mitusov after the tale by Hans Christian Andersen, Le Rossignol was first performed in Paris in 1914. At Diaghilev's request, Stravinsky arranged music from the second and third acts as a ballet score, Chant du rossignol (Paris, 1920); the previous year it was given in concert, and it is now better known as a symphonic poem. The Oxford Dictionary of Music.

Larmanjat (1878-1952) was a French composer, theatre director, director of the Conservatoire de Rennes (1935-1945) and of the National Radio (1945-1949).