For his debut recording with Linn, conductor Oliver Knussen has assembled an impressive cast of contemporary composers for The Soldier’s Tale: Harrison Birtwistle as the soldier and George Benjamin as the Devil, with actress Dame Harriet Walter as the narrator. The longest work on this disc, The Soldier’s Tale mixes fiendishly difficult changes of time signature with Stravinsky’s newly discovered love of jazz with melodies which echo his larger pre-war scores. It is also a work that demonstrates immense clarity and moving simplicity at times, and a sardonic wit at others.

With such a starry cast this recording will be of particular interest to those with an interest in contemporary music, especially considering the addition of two new Birtwistle world premiere versions of Chorale from a Toy Shopwritten specially for the recording.

The rest of the programme includes an exquisite Knussen arrangement of Maxwell Davies’s Canon ad honorem Igor Stravinsky, intermixed with Stravinsky’s own late commemorative miniatures.

TRACKS: LISTEN AND DOWNLOAD

Track		Time	Listen
1	Fanfare for a New Theatre Fanfare for a New Theatre Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble	00:47		€ 1,50
2	Canon ad honorem Igor Stravinsky Canon ad honorem Igor Stravinsky Composer Peter Maxwell Davies Conductor Oliver Knussen Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble Arranger Oliver Knussen	02:10		€ 1,50
3	Chorale from a Toy Shop – for Igor Stravinsky (2016 Version for Winds) Chorale from a Toy Shop – for Igor Stravinsky (2016 Version for Winds) Composer Harrison Birtwistle Conductor Oliver Knussen Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble	01:23		€ 1,50
4	Chorale from a Toy Shop – for Igor Stravinsky (2016 Version for Strings) Chorale from a Toy Shop – for Igor Stravinsky (2016 Version for Strings) Composer Harrison Birtwistle Conductor Oliver Knussen Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble	01:25		€ 1,50
5	The Soldier’s Tale, Part I: I. Introduction. The Soldier’s March The Soldier’s Tale, Part I: I. Introduction. The Soldier’s March Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Soloist Dame Harriet Walter, Sir Harrison Birtwistle Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble Writer Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz	02:38		€ 1,50
6	The Soldier’s Tale, Part I: II. Music for Scene 1. Airs by a Stream The Soldier’s Tale, Part I: II. Music for Scene 1. Airs by a Stream Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Soloist George Benjamin, Dame Harriet Walter, Sir Harrison Birtwistle Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble Writer Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz	06:52		€ 3,00
7	The Soldier’s Tale, Part I: III. Reprise. The Soldier’s March The Soldier’s Tale, Part I: III. Reprise. The Soldier’s March Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Soloist Dame Harriet Walter Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble Writer Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz	04:33		€ 1,50
8	The Soldier’s Tale, Part I: IV. Music for Scene 2. Pastorale The Soldier’s Tale, Part I: IV. Music for Scene 2. Pastorale Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Soloist George Benjamin, Sir Harrison Birtwistle Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble Writer Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz	04:54		€ 1,50
9	The Soldier’s Tale, Part I: V. Music for the End of Scene 2 The Soldier’s Tale, Part I: V. Music for the End of Scene 2 Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Soloist Dame Harriet Walter Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble Writer Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz	03:12		€ 1,50
10	The Soldier’s Tale, Part I: VI. Reprise. Airs by a Stream The Soldier’s Tale, Part I: VI. Reprise. Airs by a Stream Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Soloist Dame Harriet Walter, Sir Harrison Birtwistle Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble Writer Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz	04:18		€ 1,50
11	The Soldier’s Tale, Part I: VII. Music for Scene 3. Airs by a Stream The Soldier’s Tale, Part I: VII. Music for Scene 3. Airs by a Stream Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble	00:53		€ 1,50
12	The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. I. Reprise. The Soldier’s March The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. I. Reprise. The Soldier’s March Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Soloist Dame Harriet Walter Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble Writer Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz	04:09		€ 1,50
13	The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. II. Royal March The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. II. Royal March Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Soloist George Benjamin, Dame Harriet Walter, Sir Harrison Birtwistle Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble Writer Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz	07:15		€ 3,00
14	The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. III. Little Concert The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. III. Little Concert Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Soloist Dame Harriet Walter Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble Writer Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz	02:56		€ 1,50
15	The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. IV. Three Dances. Tango The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. IV. Three Dances. Tango Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble	02:03		€ 1,50
16	The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. V. Three Dances. Waltz The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. V. Three Dances. Waltz Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble	01:52		€ 1,50
17	The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. VI. Three Dances. Ragtime The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. VI. Three Dances. Ragtime Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble	02:07		€ 1,50
18	The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. VII. The Devil’s Dance The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. VII. The Devil’s Dance Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble	02:07		€ 1,50
19	The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. VIII. Little Chorale The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. VIII. Little Chorale Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble	00:36		€ 1,50
20	The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. IX. The Devil’s Song The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. IX. The Devil’s Song Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Soloist George Benjamin Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble Writer Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz	00:42		€ 1,50
21	The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. X. Great Chorale The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. X. Great Chorale Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Soloist Dame Harriet Walter Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble Writer Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz	04:40		€ 1,50
22	The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. XI. Triumphal March of the Devil The Soldier’s Tale, Part II. XI. Triumphal March of the Devil Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble	02:18		€ 1,50
23	Double Canon (Raoul Dufy in memoriam) Double Canon (Raoul Dufy in memoriam) Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble	01:25		€ 1,50
24	Epitaphium für das Grabmal des Prinzen Max Egon zu Fürstenberg Epitaphium für das Grabmal des Prinzen Max Egon zu Fürstenberg Composer Igor Stravinsky Conductor Oliver Knussen Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble	01:18		€ 1,50
25	Tombeau – in memoriam Igor Stravinsky Tombeau – in memoriam Igor Stravinsky Composer Harrison Birtwistle Conductor Oliver Knussen Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble	02:11		€ 1,50
26	Canon in memoriam Igor Stravinsky Canon in memoriam Igor Stravinsky Composer Peter Maxwell Davies Conductor Oliver Knussen Band Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble	01:24		€ 1,50