Early Music Show Radio 3

[jm365]

Today's Early Music Show on Radio 3 at 2 p.m. features 'choreographer and dance historian Darren Royston' exploring the 16th century dancing manual Choreographie published in 1589.

[FLOSS]

As far as I can see it is a programme about Thoinot Arebeau's book Orchesographie which Cyril Beaumont translated and published in 1925. I wonder whether they will mention that the publication of the book in translation prompted the creation of two masterpieces, Peter Warlock's Capriol Suite (1926) and Ashton's  ballet of the same name which he made for Rambert in 1930, using Warlock's music ? 

 

Capriol Suite is probably one of Warlock best known works . Although he said his suite was simply a reworking of the tunes in Arebeau's book those who admire Warlock's music regard those tunes as simply a starting point for a composition which far exceeds its source material.. Ashton made his Capriol Suite  for Rambert's company which premiered it in 1930 and it stayed in its repertory for years. I saw the ballet when it was danced by SWRB sometime in the 1980's I think in connection with Ashton's eightieth birthday. Knowing that Ashton had used a sixteenth century dance manual in its creation I went to see his Capriol Suite expecting to see little more than a choreographic curiosity, a work  limited by its source material giving some indication of Ashton's skill but in itself little more than a piece of juvenilia, parts of which would be of interest but only in giving an indication of what the future might hold. for its creator .The reality was completely different,it is not a masterpiece in the way Scenes de Ballet or Fille are, but it is a ballet full of charm, originality and invention in the way that Les Patineur's is. I confess I was surprised by how theatrically effective the ballet was and I came away wondering why it had been neglected for years. Perhaps the problem was that the main auditorium is too big for it but that does not explain why no one else danced it. Perhaps the problem is that most young choreographers would love  to have half the choreographic assurance, originality, imagination and creativity  which Ashton displays in it and it might depress them if it were seen too frequently or perhaps it is simply the fact that charm and entertainment have not been fashionable for years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 15, 2019 by FLOSS

[maryrosesatonapin]

9 hours ago, FLOSS said:

Perhaps the problem is that most young choreographers would love  to have half the choreographic assurance, originality, imagination and creativity  which Ashton displays in it and it might depress them if it were seen too frequently or perhaps it is simply the fact that charm and entertainment have not been fashionable for years.

 

Ha ha!