The Firebird
The Brigantes Orchestra
Welcome!
The Brigantes is Sheffield’s orchestra. Today we will hear the music from a Russian ballet called “The Firebird”. The Firebird is like a phoenix. You may have heard about another phoenix in the Harry Potter books called Fawkes. The Firebird was known for its spectacular dances and we will hear the music it danced to today. Have fun!
Quentin Clare
This is Quentin. He is the conductor (the person who waves the stick!). Quentin thinks he is in charge of the orchestra - although the players may not agree!
The conductor makes everyone play at the right time and speed. Conductors like to be told how well they did - so make sure you clap loudly! If you cheer lots at the end, he may even play a bit again.
Igor Stravinsky
This is Igor. He was born a long time ago in 1882, but he only died in 1971. Some of your teachers and grandparents will have been alive then! Igor was Russian. He had a difficult childhood because his Dad was mean and Igor hated school. He had few friends. He studied music and became one of the world’s best composers. He wrote a ballet called the Rite of Spring that was so modern it nearly caused a riot!
Sarah Helsby-Hughes
This is Sarah. She was born a long time after 1882 - but she won’t tell us when!
Sarah is an opera singer and director. You can divide up singers by how high they sing. The highest singers are called Sopranos. Sarah will explain what happens today.
David Milsom
This is David. David plays and teaches the violin. He has also set up his own mini-orchestra. It is called the “West Riding Ensemble”. Despite its name, they do not play sitting on horses!
David is the leader of the orchestra. The leader helps the players to follow the conductor and play at the right speed. If Quentin is like the Football manager waving his arms on the side, David is the captain of the team on the pitch.
Alex Kane
This is Alex. Alex plays the bassoon. He has a major role in the music you will hear today.
The bassoon looks like a HUGE stick. In fact, it is a long tube folded up many times. If you straightened it out, it would be over 2 and a half metres long. That’s huge!
The Orchestra
Orchestras come in all sizes. Today, we have around 60 players. There are different sections of an orchestra. They are:
Woodwind
Strings
These are instruments that are plucked or the strings are rubbed with a bow. String instruments include the violin, viola, cello, double-bass, or harp.
These instruments are made of wood (except the flute - but it used to be). You blow them to make a noise. Woodwind instruments include clarinet, flute, or oboe.
Brass
These instruments are made of metal. Like woodwinds, you blow them to make a noise. Brass instruments include trumpet, tuba, trombone and French horn.
Percussion
These are instruments that you hit to make a noise! They are good for making rhythm. Examples include the drums and xylophone.
Talk to the players at the end, if you want. They don’t bite!
The Firebird
Music, Dance, and DANGER!
It is night-time in the forest. Everything is quiet. On the forest floor, small animals scurry in the dark. They are looking for food, but trying not to get eaten!
Into the sky, the Firebird soars!
Her wings glitter and light up the sky, like jewels.
But deep in the woods, hidden in the darkness, there is danger.
Who is that man with a net in his hand? Who is it that dares to capture the Firebird?
The Prince
Here is the Prince. His name Prince Ivan is the youngest son to the King. His brothers are bigger, stronger heroes than him. But Ivan is kind, he is fair, and he is good at listening. He is also quite good at music!
Ivan does not try to catch the Firebird because he is evil. No! He is curious about what this beautiful creature is.
But the Firebird does not want to be caught. She twirls, and soars, and flaps her wings. Such fury!
Ivan holds on tight. Soon, the Firebird becomes too tired to fight and gives in. She turns to Prince Ivan with a sad face and SINGS! With such sad music, she begs to be let go.
Prince Ivan cannot bear to hear such sadness. He lets the Firebird go. But she does not disappear straight away.
As she swoops into the air, a feather falls to the ground. She sings, “I cannot give you diamonds or pearls. But, if you are ever in danger, wave this feather. I will come to help you.”
The Prince keeps on walking through the night until he comes to a dark castle. It is surrounded by high walls. The castle belongs to King Kaschei. He is an evil man, full of fury. He will destroy anyone he finds annoying. He is even more scary than a headteacher!
A trumpet blows and the doors in the castle wall open. Into the dark come thirteen women. They do not know the Prince is there. “Let’s go crazy!” one says.
So, they dance in the moonlight. Slowly at first, and then faster and faster.
The Princess
And then, the Prince sees her .... Their eyes meet. “My name is Prince...” Ivan says, but he loses his words. She is the most beautiful girl in the world. “Nothing compares to you!” He says.
The Princess is called Elena. She and her sisters are King Kaschei’s prisoners. Anyone who tries to enter the castle to rescue her or fight with the King is turned into a stone statue.
King Kaschei
The King is woken up! He sees what is happening and is furious! “I know you are here to cause trouble! You’ve got that look! I will not let you steal my prisoners” he says. And he throws himself at the Prince.
The King and the Prince struggle and fight. Ivan is becoming exhausted. He knows he is going to lose and will be turned to stone.
But then he remembers the one thing he has that is better than any weapon!
Ivan waves the feather in the air and the Firebird appears like magic!
She dances so beautifully that everyone cannot help but watch. Colours explode into the sky, and sparks of colour - red, blue, yellow, green, orange, and purple - rain down onto the ground. And with time, everyone becomes more and more tired. Until they finally fall into a deep and magical sleep.
Happily ever after...
As the sun comes up in the morning, it is a beautiful day. Everyone wakes up from their sleep. Apart from one person...
The Prince and the Princess are alive! The Firebird has saved them. King Kaschei has been turned into a statue. As the Prince and Princess look around, all of the statues of King Kaschei’s enemies have turned back to real people too. They are saved!
“I want to be your love!” the Princess says. And the Prince smiles, “I would die for you!”
As the Prince turns to leave the castle, the Princess holds his hand... “Take me with you”. And that is how their story became the greatest romance ever sold.
The first production
The ballet (dancing) version of the Firebird first opened in Paris in 1910.
This picture is of two of the dancers. One is Prince Ivan, and the other is the Firebird. Look at the fancy costumes!
Everyone who came to see it loved the dancing and the music. Rachmaninoff, a famous composer, said “What a work of genius this is! This is true Russia.”
Got questions at the end?
If you enjoyed the concert and have questions - don’t be shy!
Our players will be around at the end of the concert to answer questions or to show you their instruments.
You can even ask the conductor what on Earth he was doing with his baton (the white stick he waves about)!
What’s
happening tonight?
We have another concert here tonight. We will play the Firebird again with some other music.
One of the pieces is by Pyotr (say it like Peter) Tchaikovsky. He wrote a lot of romantic music, full of love and passion. The piece we will play is called Romeo and Juliet. It is about 2 teenagers in love. Their families hate each other - a bit like gangs. The main tune is really beautiful and has been used in a lot of TV and films.
