Conductor, Sir Adrian Boult .The Garden of Fand Bax
The Garden of Fand is the sea. In Irish mythology, Fand, the daughter of Manannan, lord of the ocean, lures Cuchulain away from his country ; Emer, Cuchulain's wife, pursues them to Fand's enchanted island and finally prevails upon the goddess to give back her husband.
Though inspired by the legend, Bax's tone poem has no special relation to the events. In the earher part of the work the composer seeks to create the atmosphere of an enchanted Atlantic completely calm beneath the spell of the Other World. Upon its surface floats a small ship adventuring from the shores of Eirinn, beneath a sky of. pearl and amethyst, until on the crest of an immense, slowly surging wave it is tossed on to the shore of Fand's miraculous island.
Here is revelry unceasing between the ends of time, and the voyagers are caught away, unresisting, into the maze of the dance. A pause comes, and Fand sings her song of immortal love enchaining the hearts of her hearers for ever. The dancing and feasting begin again, and, finally, the sea rising suddenly overwhelms the whole island, the immortals riding in rapture on the green and golden waves, and laughing carelessly amidst the foam at the fate of the over-rash mortals lost in the depths. Twilight falls, the sea subsides,.. and Fand's garden fades out of sight.
Suite, The Fire-Bird (re-orchestrated by the composer, 1919) : Introduction-The Fire-Bird's Dance-The Dance of the Princesses (Khorovode)-Demon Dance — Lullaby— Finale Stravinsky