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The Miraculous Mandarin

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201:(wealthy Chinese man), stands immobile in the doorway. The tramps urge the girl to lure him closer. She begins another saucy dance, the Mandarin's passions slowly rising. Suddenly, he leaps up and embraces the girl. They struggle and she escapes; he begins to chase her. The tramps leap on him, strip him of his valuables, and attempt to suffocate him under pillows and blankets. However, he continues to stare at the girl. They stab him three times with a rusty sword; he almost falls, but throws himself again at the girl. The tramps grab him again and hang him from a lamp hook. The lamp falls, plunging the room into darkness, and the Mandarin's body begins to glow with an eerie blue-green light. The tramps and girl are terrified. Suddenly, the girl knows what they must do. She tells the tramps to release the Mandarin; they do. He leaps at the girl again, and this time she does not resist and they embrace. With the Mandarin's longing fulfilled, his wounds begin to bleed and he dies. 35: 1455: 1465: 337:
minor second returns again as the tramps rob the Mandarin. The attempted suffocation and stabbing are illustrated with great force in the orchestra. As the tramps hang the Mandarin from the lamp, the texture is blurred with glissandi on trombones, timpani, piano and cellos. The glowing body of the
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After an orchestral introduction depicting the chaos of the big city, the action begins in a room belonging to three tramps. They search their pockets and drawers for money, but find none. They then force a girl to stand by the window and attract passing men into the room. The girl begins a
144:, Germany, it caused a scandal and was subsequently banned on moral grounds. Although more successful at its Prague premiere, it was generally performed during the rest of Bartók's life in the form of a concert suite, which preserves about two-thirds of the original pantomime's music. 440:
In 2000 a new edition edited by Peter Bartók, the composer's son, was published. Based on the composer's written manuscripts, corrections, and the concurrently written score for piano with four hands, it restored a considerable amount of previously lost music.
187:, who makes comical romantic gestures. The girl asks, "Got any money?" He replies, "Who needs money? All that matters is love." He begins to pursue the girl, growing more and more insistent until the tramps seize him and throw him out. 307:
in the other trombones and the tuba. When the Mandarin enters the room, the trombones and tuba play downward glissandos, again spanning a minor third. Three measures later, this interval is played
354:. As the Mandarin begins to bleed, the downward minor-third glissando heard at his entry is echoed in the trombone, contrabassoon and low strings. The work then stutters arhythmically to a close. 194:. This time, she attracts a shy young man, who also has no money. He begins to dance with the girl. The dance grows more passionate, then the tramps jump him and throw him out too. 197:
The girl goes to the window again and begins her dance. The tramps and girl see a bizarre figure in the street, soon heard coming up the stairs. The tramps hide, and the figure, a
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on the trumpets and trombones. As the curtain rises, the violas play a wide-leaping theme that will be associated both with the tramps and the girl. The 3
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and the viola theme associated with her and the tramps. When the Mandarin seizes the girl, the minor second is heard again. The chase is represented by a
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singing wordlessly, once again in the interval of a minor third. The climax, after the girl embraces the Mandarin, is a theme given out
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Performances of the ballet suite outnumbered performances of the complete ballet until recent years. Recordings of the suite include:
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brought the complete score to the attention of a wider public. Performances of the complete ballet have grown in the years since.
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The score begins with an orchestral depiction of the "concrete jungle." The violins have rapidly rising and falling, wave-like
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are scored for the clarinet, each one longer and more florid than the last. The old rake is represented by trombone
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minor second as the tramps throw him out. When the Mandarin is heard in the street, the trombone plays a simple
1489: 887: 705: 1338: 529: 819: 1504: 669: 640: 1271: 1234: 1160: 1514: 1331: 867: 852: 732: 683: 659: 626: 580: 236:. This motif will reappear at the violent actions of the tramps. The sound of car horns is imitated by 1008: 1003: 988: 1458: 1317: 1285: 1240: 880: 714: 696: 599: 1265: 1432: 1209: 608: 1229: 1223: 1216: 1072: 687: 1421: 1202: 1188: 1029: 1426: 590: 1416: 931: 644: 198: 1079: 357:
The scoring is generally heavy, and Bartók employs many colorful techniques here, including
1401: 1363: 1247: 1260: 8: 1299: 617: 121: 1047: 1411: 1040: 108: 96: 1380: 1439: 1406: 956: 604: 631: 252:, another very important interval. As the tramps throw him out, the minor second in 1278: 903: 673: 469: 184: 133: 129: 59: 48: 1254: 1142: 473: 392: 358: 113: 665: 655: 576: 1345: 728: 710: 586: 561: 423: 857: 842: 1483: 1195: 679: 622: 485: 477: 376: 362: 210: 141: 137: 80: 34: 654:
The landmark 1983 performance of the complete ballet by Hungarian conductor
1181: 719: 465: 434: 396: 233: 701: 692: 613: 595: 493: 489: 384: 249: 214: 553: 517: 513: 429: 300: 807:"Classical Candor: Bartok: The Miraculous Mandarin Suite (CD review)" 537: 521: 417: 412: 404: 371: 245: 501: 380: 351: 268: 217:. One of the central motifs of the work is set forward in bar 3—a 541: 533: 509: 497: 481: 457: 366: 347: 304: 237: 183:—a "decoy game", or saucy dance. She first attracts a shabby old 525: 125: 1464: 872: 557: 549: 453: 339: 319: 315: 267:
returns. The music for the shy young man is a slow dance in
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The girl goes back to the window and performs a second
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between 1918 and 1924, and based on the 1916 story by
650:Notable recordings of the complete ballet include: 314:The girl's dance for the Mandarin contains both a 1481: 745: 1168:Eight Improvisations on Hungarian Peasant Songs 22: 391:in the strings. Other special effects include 888: 136:. Premiered on 27 November 1926 conducted by 383:on the piano, harp and celeste; and scales, 895: 881: 338:Mandarin is represented by the entry of a 1055:Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta 303:theme harmonized by 3 lines of parallel 162:Third seduction game—the Mandarin enters 658:, a friend of the composer's, with the 399:the brasses and strings, a cymbal roll 1482: 379:and tremolos on the piano; scales and 346:by the low brass against minor-second 876: 778:"Classical Music News from NAXOS.COM" 724:City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra 213:over the very unusual interval of an 107: 1086:Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion 171:Suddenly the Mandarin's head appears 1520:Orchestral compositions with chorus 822:: The Fischer recording's award on 124:73 (BB 82), is a one act pantomime 13: 804: 672:(This recording received the 1998 444: 433:in the cellos; and, at one point, 375:in the horns, trombones and tuba; 109:[ˈɒˈt͡ʃodaːlɒtoʃˈmɒndɒrin] 14: 1531: 1293:Three Rondos on Slovak Folk Tunes 1035:Divertimento for String Orchestra 836: 1463: 1454: 1453: 33: 1175:Fifteen Hungarian Peasant Songs 902: 636:Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra 174:The Mandarin falls to the floor 16:Pantomime ballet by Béla Bartók 859:Video (33:28) – Béla Bartók – 844:Video (33:51) – Béla Bartók – 813: 798: 784: 770: 706:Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra 1: 1510:Music for orchestra and organ 1386:Béla Bartók Music High School 567: 168:The chase—the tramps leap out 676:in the Orchestral category.) 492:(second and fourth doubling 407:on the gong; rolled timpani 7: 670:Budapest Festival Orchestra 147: 10: 1536: 1332:Twenty Hungarian Folksongs 733:Seattle Symphony Orchestra 684:Chicago Symphony Orchestra 660:Detroit Symphony Orchestra 627:Chicago Symphony Orchestra 581:Chicago Symphony Orchestra 284:, also interrupted by the 70:27 November 1926 1449: 1394: 1373: 1355: 1318:Eight Hungarian Folksongs 1309: 1286:Three Hungarian Folktunes 1241:Romanian Christmas Carols 1152: 1134: 1064: 1017: 966: 941: 923: 910: 753:"The Miraculous Mandarin" 715:London Symphony Orchestra 697:Boston Symphony Orchestra 600:Boston Symphony Orchestra 65: 54: 44: 32: 21: 1433:Suite paysanne hongroise 1325:Five Hungarian Folksongs 1210:Nine Little Piano Pieces 738: 609:Los Angeles Philharmonic 427:playing in the strings; 387:, trills, tremolos, and 204: 1073:44 Duos for Two Violins 950:The Miraculous Mandarin 450:The Miraculous Mandarin 153:Beginning—Curtain rises 118:Der wunderbare Mandarin 92:The Miraculous Mandarin 28:The Miraculous Mandarin 1495:Ballets by Béla Bartók 1427:Polymodal chromaticism 1091:Sonata for Solo Violin 1025:Concerto for Orchestra 999:Violin Concerto No. 2 994:Violin Concerto No. 1 591:Philadelphia Orchestra 456:(2nd and 3rd doubling 117: 100: 23: 1500:Suites by Béla Bartók 1490:1926 ballet premieres 794:. The Kennedy Center. 645:New York Philharmonic 159:Second seduction game 101:A csodálatos mandarin 24:A csodálatos mandarin 1402:Hungarian folk music 1364:Homage to Paderewski 1248:Romanian Folk Dances 984:Piano Concerto No. 3 979:Piano Concerto No. 2 974:Piano Concerto No. 1 915:List of compositions 820:www.gramophone.co.uk 452:is scored for three 156:First seduction game 1505:Expressionist music 1300:Two Romanian Dances 1196:Fourteen Bagatelles 861:Miraculous Mandarin 846:Miraculous Mandarin 618:Berlin Philharmonic 476:and third doubling 311:by the full brass. 39:Béla Bartók in 1927 1412:Musical cryptogram 1339:Five Songs, Op. 15 1041:Hungarian Pictures 932:Bluebeard's Castle 792:"Monthly Calendar" 369:in the woodwinds; 1515:Orchestral suites 1477: 1476: 957:The Wooden Prince 757:Universal Edition 605:Esa-Pekka Salonen 472:(second doubling 165:Dance of the girl 88: 87: 1527: 1467: 1457: 1456: 1279:Three Burlesques 897: 890: 883: 874: 873: 864: 849: 830: 828: 817: 811: 810: 805:Puccio, John J. 802: 796: 795: 788: 782: 781: 780:. www.naxos.com. 774: 768: 767: 765: 763: 749: 674:Gramophone Award 484:(third doubling 437:in the violins. 359:chromatic scales 336: 335: 334: 333: 298: 297: 296: 295: 282: 281: 280: 279: 266: 265: 264: 263: 231: 230: 229: 228: 215:augmented octave 134:Melchior Lengyel 111: 106: 84: 83: 77: 75: 60:Melchior Lengyel 37: 26: 19: 18: 1535: 1534: 1530: 1529: 1528: 1526: 1525: 1524: 1480: 1479: 1478: 1473: 1445: 1390: 1381:Bartók (crater) 1369: 1351: 1305: 1272:Ten Easy Pieces 1255:Slovakian Dance 1235:Rhapsody, Op. 1 1161:Allegro barbaro 1148: 1143:Cantata Profana 1130: 1096:String quartets 1060: 1013: 989:Viola Concerto 962: 937: 919: 906: 901: 858: 843: 839: 834: 833: 826: 818: 814: 803: 799: 790: 789: 785: 776: 775: 771: 761: 759: 751: 750: 746: 741: 641:David Robertson 570: 474:E-flat clarinet 447: 445:Instrumentation 395:in the flutes; 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Retrieved 756: 747: 720:Simon Rattle 666:Iván Fischer 656:Antal Doráti 649: 577:Antal Doráti 571: 500:in C, three 466:English horn 449: 448: 439: 428: 422: 416: 408: 400: 388: 385:double stops 370: 356: 343: 329: 313: 308: 291: 275: 259: 241: 224: 208: 196: 191: 189: 180: 177: 128:composed by 91: 90: 89: 1422:Night music 1203:Mikrokosmos 1189:Four Dirges 1030:Dance Suite 967:Concertante 904:Béla Bartók 848:– Symphony. 762:19 December 702:Marin Alsop 693:Seiji Ozawa 614:Zubin Mehta 596:Seiji Ozawa 494:Wagner tuba 250:minor third 248:spanning a 130:Béla Bartók 49:Béla Bartók 1484:Categories 1018:Orchestral 824:Gramophone 568:Recordings 518:tenor drum 514:snare drum 430:scordatura 344:fortissimo 301:pentatonic 242:lockspiele 232:rhythm in 120:) Op. 19, 105:pronounced 74:1926-11-27 1374:Namesakes 1080:Contrasts 863:– Ballet. 829:s website 731:with the 722:with the 713:with the 704:with the 695:with the 682:with the 668:with the 643:with the 634:with the 625:with the 616:with the 607:with the 598:with the 589:with the 538:xylophone 522:bass drum 502:trombones 496:), three 480:), three 470:clarinets 468:), three 460:), three 418:col legno 413:harmonics 411:; string 409:glissandi 389:glissandi 381:arpeggios 372:glissandi 352:woodwinds 246:glissandi 192:lockspiel 181:lockspiel 97:Hungarian 1459:Category 1440:Triptych 1261:Sonatina 579:and the 530:triangle 498:trumpets 488:), four 482:bassoons 367:tremolos 348:tremolos 305:tritones 238:fanfares 199:mandarin 148:Synopsis 66:Premiere 55:Based on 1395:Related 1065:Chamber 1048:Kossuth 942:Ballets 868:YouTube 853:YouTube 562:strings 542:celesta 534:tam-tam 526:cymbals 510:timpani 504:, bass 458:piccolo 350:in the 140:at the 72: ( 1135:Choral 688:Chorus 583:(1953) 560:, and 454:flutes 401:a deux 397:muting 363:trills 340:chorus 211:scales 126:ballet 114:German 1469:Audio 1310:Songs 1153:Piano 1125:No. 6 1120:No. 5 1115:No. 4 1110:No. 3 1105:No. 2 1100:No. 1 924:Opera 827:' 739:Notes 558:choir 554:organ 550:piano 490:horns 462:oboes 320:fugue 316:waltz 205:Music 45:Music 764:2020 686:and 546:harp 506:tuba 421:and 405:roll 365:and 185:rake 866:on 851:on 122:Sz. 1486:: 755:. 564:. 556:, 552:, 548:, 544:, 540:, 536:, 532:, 528:, 524:, 520:, 516:, 512:, 508:, 415:; 361:, 116:: 112:; 103:, 99:: 1127:) 1098:( 896:e 889:t 882:v 809:. 766:. 330:8 292:8 276:4 260:8 225:8 95:( 76:)

Index


Béla Bartók
Melchior Lengyel
Cologne Opera
Hungarian
[ˈɒˈt͡ʃodaːlɒtoʃˈmɒndɒrin]
German
Sz.
ballet
Béla Bartók
Melchior Lengyel
Eugen Szenkar
Cologne Opera
rake
mandarin
scales
augmented octave
minor seconds
fanfares
glissandi
minor third

4

pentatonic
tritones
waltz
fugue
chorus
tremolos
woodwinds
chromatic scales

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