by C. F. Ramuz
Translated by D. F. Aitken
Music by Igor Stravinsky Conducted by Paul Sacher
Produced by Douglas Cleverdon
Max Rostal (violin)
Frederick Thurston (clarinet)
Cecil James (bassoon)
Harold Jackson (trumpet) James Whelan (trombone)
James Merrett (double-bass)
James Blades (percussion)
In 1918 Stravinsky was living in Switzerland. Cut off from the outside world and without any prospect of seeing his largeicale works performed, he determined to write something for the limited resources at his immediate disposal. Having secured the backing of Werner Reinhardt , the assistance of Ernest Ansermet , and the collaboration of the Vaudois poet Ramuz, he wrote and produced there The Soldier's Tale. It is based on the old Russian story of the army deserter whose soul is claimed by the devil, but, says the composer, ' although the character of the subject is specifically Russian, the situations and sentiments unfold a moral so common to the human race as to make an international appeal.' Deryck Cooke