Bartók's The Wooden Prince

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Image courtesy of L'Auditori

The Wooden Prince, which premiered in Budapest in 1917, composed by Béla Bartók is a story that seems to have a timeless relevance. Although major works such as his First Violin Concerto and the opera Bluebeard’s Castle had already been performed, at the time he was not recognized by his peers as a prominent composer. His fortunes would change, however, thanks to this ballet, a score that requires a huge orchestra, and conveys the magic of a fairy tale in a simplistic yet captivating style.

Featuring a very brief, solemn orchestral introduction and a soloist’s rendition of Max Bruch’s First Violin Concerto, the delicacy of the violin prefaces the almost brusque entrance of the orchestra parallels the development of a Romantic tension between the individual and nature. This is the overarching subject of the cosmic drama, with skillfully shaped melodic symphonies and a gracefulness reminiscent of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto.

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