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FREDERICK DELIUS Hassan, RT I/9 The Story of Hassan of Bagdad and How He Came to Make the Golden Journey to Samarkand Complete Incidental Music to the Poetic Prose Play in Five Acts (1911-13) by James Elroy Flecker (1844-1915) with Linking Narration by Meurig Bowen 'General Dance', Act II, Scene 1, contributed by Percy Grainger (1882-1961)
Act I: 18:49 1. Prelude. ? Slow - Quietly but expressively - Marcato - 4:23 Rather slower - Passionately - Curtain. Very slow 2. Narrator: 'We are in old Bagdad' * 2:29 3. Interlude between Scenes 1 & 2. ? Very quietly - 1:50 4. Scene 2. Moonlight. The street of Felicity, by the fountain of the two pigeons, in front of the house. ? Very quietly 0:26 5. Narrator: 'It is later that night' *0:57 6. Serenade. ? Con moto moderato1:49 7. Narrator: 'The shutters open, and Yasmin appears' *2:27 8. Melos. ? Hassan falls under the shadow of the fountain. The first light of dawn shines in the sky. Very quietly 0:52 9. Chorus behind the scenes. ? Not too slow 2:08 10. Narrator: 'The first light of dawn shines in the sky' *1:27
Act II: 18:45 11. Prelude. ? With Animation - Becoming slower and more sombre 0:50 12. Narrator: 'The filthy, inanimate bulk of Hassan. . . ' *0:37 13. Fanfare preceding the Ballet (Gaily, outside) ?0:08 Ballet 14. 1. Dance of the Beggars. ?? There enters the most awful selection of Eastern beggars the eye could imagine. Quick and vigorously 1:20 Frederick Long bass (Chief Beggar) 15. Narrator: 'And then, after the Beggars' *0:06 16. 2. Chorus of Women. ?? (Enter a band of fair and dusky beauties. ) Quietly 2:22 17. 3. Divertissement. ? Con moto 2:27 18. Narrator: 'Rafi is then announced as The King of the Beggars' *0:58 19. 4. General Dance. ?? Andante moderato - Allegro - Piu mosso 2:53 20. Narrator: 'Rafi is asked why he hates the Caliph so' *0:46 21. Chorus of Beggars and Dancing Girls (from behind the scene, after the descent of the iron curtain). ?? Comodo 1:21 22. Narrator: 'This House of the Moving Walls. . . ' *0:51 23. Scene 2. The Street of Felicity. ? Very quietly 0:38 24. Narrator: 'The SOS message has fallen from the balcony. . . ' *1:11 25. Music accompanying Ishak's poem. *? Not too slow 1:32 26. Narrator: 'Yasmin's regard for Hassan has instantly shifted' *0:39
Act III: 11:46 27. Prelude. ?? Moderato - Slower 1:33 28. Scene 1. ?? Curtain 0:43 29. Narrator: ''Hassan is installed at the Caliph''s Palace'' *0:26 30. Interlude between Scenes 1 and 2. ?? Very quietly - Slower 1:43 31. Narrator: ''The slaves inform Hassan that there is a beautiful lady. . . '' *1:05 32. Scene 2. The great Hall of the Palace. ?? With vigour - Quieter 2:26 33. Narrator: ''We are in the Great Hall of the Caliph''s Palace'' *1:00 34. Fanfares, in the great Hall of the Palace ?0:11 35. Narrator: ''As more and more people gather. . . '' *0:29 36. Entry of the Caliph. ? Pompously 0:17 37. Narrator: ''The Caliph declares the trial of the beggars open'' *0:09 38. Fanfares ?0:21 39. Narrator: ''Then Rafi, King of the Beggars, is summoned'' *1:17
Act IV: 7:52 40. Prelude. ? Slow - Passionately - 4:14 Passionately but not too quick - Slower - Heavily 41. Narrator: ''In the Palace''s dark vaults'' *0:26 42. Interlude between Scenes 1 and 2. ? Slow and ponderously 1:57 43. Narrator: ''Sunlight streams through the cell''s grating'' *1:14
Act V: 23:12 44. Prelude. ?? Quick - Slower, softer - Not too quick - 2:29 Curtain. The Garden of the Caliph''s Palace, in front of a pavilion. Sunset. Quietly - Enter the Caliph with attendants as Hassan comes from his Pavilion - 45. The song of the Muezzin at sunset ? - 1:08 Ruairi Bowen tenor (Muezzin) 46. Narrator. ''With another sunset approaching'' *1:51 47. The Procession of Protracted Death. ? March tempo - Slower and slower - Still slower 2:53 48. Narrator: ''The long, dreadful execution ensues. . . '' *1:29 49. Prelude to the last scene ? With flowing movement - Slower - Quicker 3:03 50. Closing Scene. ?? Slow - 10:16
(The Caravan recedes farther and farther into the distance. ) - (Dying away in the distance) Ruairi Bowen tenor
Total time: 80:07
Choral: Britten Sinfonia Voices Orchestra: Britten Sinfonia Thomas Gould (violin) Jamie Phillips (Conductor) |