Igor Stravinsky - In memoriam Dylan Thomas (1954)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
In memoriam Dylan Thomas (1954)

Alexander Young, tenor
Columbia Chamber Ensemble
Igor Stravinsky, Cond.


Some notes on In memoriam Dylan Thomas
by Igor Stravinsky

Since I began to get more and more acquainted with his work and later on, after I met him in person--in May 1953--I cherished the project to compose an opera on a libretto to be done by Dylan Thomas.
He was as enthusiastic about it as I was and he wanted to arrange for his coming to visit me in California and put up the structure of this opera. In fact, he was on his way to me in Hollywood when he passed away suddenly after arriving in New York from the England.
This was a terrible blow to me as well as to all those who knew Dylan Thomas's genius.
During the following months I thought of composing something to Dylan Thomas's memory. No poem of his could fit my purpose better than the one he has composed to the memory of his father.
I used these beautiful verses without changing them, of course.
Here my music is entirely canonic. It requires tenor voice and string quartet.
Having thus composed the Song I decided to add a purely instrumental prelude and postlude (called Dirge-Canons) which are antiphonal canons between a quartet of trombones and the string quartet.
The complete name of the whole composition is:

IN MEMORIAM DYLAN THOMAS
Dirge-Canons and Song

It was complete in the spring of 1954.
The world première was given by the Monday Evening Concerts at Los Angeles on Septemper 20, 1954. Robert Craft conducting. Aldous Huxley pronunced a dedicatory address.


"Do not go gentle into that good night" (1951)
by Dylan Thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• igor
• stravinsky
• memoriam
• dylan
• thomas
• twelve-tone
• serial
• technique

[123must]

Very movin' !

A lot of thanks

[pljaime]

This is a marvelous work of serialism. The chord at the end is beautiful and visionary. Thank you for posting this

[AfroDeezeeYak]

@Enantiodromialist Stravinsky.....a lifelong Avant-Gade composer? AHAHAHAHA

[NitramZiarreh]

this is a masterpiece, and anyone who declares himself a "committed avant-gardist" is full of shit.

[dowen679]

@Enantiodromialist yes, well perhaps you feel that way because late Stravinsky is not 'avant-garde', so perhaps you're drawn to different qualities from those which are represented in his music.

[Enantiodromialist]

I have to say — as a lifelong and committed avant-gardist — late Stravinsky is worse than I could have possibly imagined.

[Sagutzar]

First.