The Augmented Station Orchestra
Conducted by Warwick Braithwaite
We hear several of the leading tunes of this charming fairy-tale Opera in its Overture - the Children's Prayer, at the opening (Horns); the Witch's Magic (Trumpets); the Song of the Sandman, and so forth.
Liadov was born in 1855 and died in 1914. Kikimora is a good example of his delight in witchcraft. It is a picture of a figure from Russian folk-lore, thus described in the Score:-
'Kikimora lives and grows with the Sorcerer in the rocky hills. From mom to evening the wise Cat tells her tales of wondrous lands. From twilight to dawn she rocks in a crystal cradle. For seven years has Kikimora been growing up. Slender and dusky is Kikimora; her head is the size of a thimble and her body as slender as a wisp of straw. Kikimora howls and complains from morn to even; Kikimora hisses and whistles from twilight to midnight; from midnight to dawn she spins. And as she spins, Kikimora plots evil against all mankind'.
Such is the picture conjured up by the composer. He helps himself by using the Celesta and Xylophone.
This is one of Delius's lovely mood impressions. The motion of a boat is subtly suggested throughout.
Some features are (1) Strings muted from beginning to end; (2) Gliding phrases moving by tiny steps, i.e. (for those who understand the term), moving 'chromatically'.
Note how, after a fairly long Introduction, the Main Tune of the piece enters as a 'Cello Solo; once having entered, it persists, being heard in one instrument or another almost everywhere to the end.
