Feu d'artifice


Feu d'artifice, Op. 4 is a composition by Igor Stravinsky, written in 1908 and described by the composer as a "short orchestral fantasy". It usually takes less than four minutes to perform.

Composition

Stravinsky composed Feu d'artifice as a wedding present for Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's daughter Nadezhda and Maximilian Steinberg, who had married a few days before her father's death. Feu d'artifice helped develop Stravinsky's reputation as a composer, although it is not considered representative of his mature work. The work has some hints of bi-tonality but is for the most part similar in style to that of Rimsky-Korsakov who, at the time, was his teacher and mentor. It has the form of a scherzo but is still labeled "orchestral fantasy" because of its short length. Alexander Siloti conducted the premiere on 6 February 1909. Stravinsky got the commission from Sergei Diaghilev to write The Firebird in part because Diaghilev heard this piece of music, and was impressed with its orchestration.

Instrumentation

The work is scored for piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 3 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 6 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, 2 percussionists, 2 harps, celesta, and strings.

Selected recorded versions

Notable recordings of the complete fantasy include:
OrchestraConductorRecord CompanyYear of RecordingFormatNotes
Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New YorkIgor StravinskyColumbia Masterworks MM 65328 January 194678rpm, 4-disc set, 12-inchWith The Firebird Suite
London Symphony OrchestraAntal DorátiMercury Records1959CD
Montreal Symphony OrchestraCharles DutoitDecca Records1984CD
Concertgebouw OrchestraHans Werner Henzen/a1985TV
Chicago Symphony OrchestraSeiji OzawaRCA1993CD
Chicago Symphony OrchestraPierre BoulezDeutsche Grammophon1994CD
Vienna PhilharmonicLorin MaazelRCA2000CD