This was a brilliantly engineered recording from Previn's heyday as principal conductor of the LSO. It remains one of my favourite Holst compositions. There are echoes of Stravinsky in its rhythmic muscle and of Florent Schmitt in its mystical orientalism but the piece is distinctively Holst. Wonderful!!
A wonderful LP by an orchestra and conductor at the top of their game, of pieces by a composer whose invention and wit never fails to give satisfaction.
I first heard this on the classical radio station and I wondered why it was called "The Perfect Fool." Here's my imagined storyline... First scene: a tyrant's castle, looming and menacing. The weather is dark and grim. A rider on a white horse dismounts and is guided inside. On the throne is the tyrant himself, an imposing man and cruel. He scowls appraisingly at the visitor. Here we meet the protagonist, a young jongleur - a jester, or fool - in his bright colors, handsome and humble. The tyrant has executed his former fool for incompetence and is hosting a trial for a new jester to reside with him in his castle to enjoy a life of fame and luxury. But! The great tyrant demands nothing less than perfection. One slip, one stumble, one dropped ball or ill-timed tumble, and the fool will perish like his predecessor. The tyrant lays forth the rules of the trial. The young jongleur humbly accepts. A period of silence while the jongleur prepares himself. With amazing dexterity, the young man begins his performance. He performs ever more daring stunts, coming close to disaster time and time again, but prevailing without a misstep. We soon see that this man really is a master of his trade - a perfect fool. His acrobatic dance takes him closer and closer to the king and his attendants. Unseen, the jongleur removes a bottle from his pouch and smashes it to the ground. Whoom! A sleeping spell overtakes the tyrant and his attendants. They all collapse in slumber. Quickly, the jongleur escapes into the depths of the castle. Here we enter the quieter middle segment of the piece, as the jongleur stealthily evades guards and servants while searching for his prize. The young man did not come to become the tyrant's perfect fool, after all. He used that merely as a means of infiltrating the otherwise impregnable fortress. He came to rescue a young lady, his childhood sweetheart, who had been captured in war and taken to be a slave at the tyrant's castle. The music expands as the jongleur finds her at last, and he explains his purpose to the young woman. She is overjoyed, but terrified at the possibility of being caught. Quietly, they steal away. They are just sneaking through the great hall, where the tyrant and his attendants are still under the jongleur's spell, when the magic suddenly wears off. The tyrant awakens. He blinks his eyes. Sees the jester and the slave girl escaping. The tyrant's eyes widen with sudden rage. He summons his attendants to arms! Again, the jester displays amazing dexterity as he dodges thrown spears, fends off guards, and whisks his lady love out of the castle. The tyrant's men assail him every step of the way. The jongleur springs onto his horses, swinging his lady on behind him, and they charge out of the gate just before the portcullis slams shut. They leap the drawbridge, arrows clattering all around. The tyrant himself appears upon the gatehouse, leaning out with a wand in hand. Once! Twice! He hurls lightning bolts at the fleeing riders, but misses both times. They escape into the forest and the castle recedes into the distance. Tension fades. The perfect fool has performed his greatest feat.
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This was a brilliantly engineered recording from Previn's heyday as principal conductor of the LSO. It remains one of my favourite Holst compositions. There are echoes of Stravinsky in its rhythmic muscle and of Florent Schmitt in its mystical orientalism but the piece is distinctively Holst. Wonderful!!
A wonderful LP by an orchestra and conductor at the top of their game, of pieces by a composer whose invention and wit never fails to give satisfaction.
I'm playing this piece at the moment in my orchestra at music school. It sounds great - we have an amazing conductor!
Holst - one of my favourite geniuses.
I first heard this on the classical radio station and I wondered why it was called "The Perfect Fool." Here's my imagined storyline...
First scene: a tyrant's castle, looming and menacing. The weather is dark and grim. A rider on a white horse dismounts and is guided inside.
On the throne is the tyrant himself, an imposing man and cruel. He scowls appraisingly at the visitor. Here we meet the protagonist, a young jongleur - a jester, or fool - in his bright colors, handsome and humble.
The tyrant has executed his former fool for incompetence and is hosting a trial for a new jester to reside with him in his castle to enjoy a life of fame and luxury. But! The great tyrant demands nothing less than perfection. One slip, one stumble, one dropped ball or ill-timed tumble, and the fool will perish like his predecessor.
The tyrant lays forth the rules of the trial. The young jongleur humbly accepts. A period of silence while the jongleur prepares himself.
With amazing dexterity, the young man begins his performance. He performs ever more daring stunts, coming close to disaster time and time again, but prevailing without a misstep. We soon see that this man really is a master of his trade - a perfect fool. His acrobatic dance takes him closer and closer to the king and his attendants. Unseen, the jongleur removes a bottle from his pouch and smashes it to the ground. Whoom! A sleeping spell overtakes the tyrant and his attendants. They all collapse in slumber.
Quickly, the jongleur escapes into the depths of the castle. Here we enter the quieter middle segment of the piece, as the jongleur stealthily evades guards and servants while searching for his prize. The young man did not come to become the tyrant's perfect fool, after all. He used that merely as a means of infiltrating the otherwise impregnable fortress. He came to rescue a young lady, his childhood sweetheart, who had been captured in war and taken to be a slave at the tyrant's castle.
The music expands as the jongleur finds her at last, and he explains his purpose to the young woman. She is overjoyed, but terrified at the possibility of being caught. Quietly, they steal away.
They are just sneaking through the great hall, where the tyrant and his attendants are still under the jongleur's spell, when the magic suddenly wears off. The tyrant awakens. He blinks his eyes. Sees the jester and the slave girl escaping. The tyrant's eyes widen with sudden rage. He summons his attendants to arms!
Again, the jester displays amazing dexterity as he dodges thrown spears, fends off guards, and whisks his lady love out of the castle. The tyrant's men assail him every step of the way. The jongleur springs onto his horses, swinging his lady on behind him, and they charge out of the gate just before the portcullis slams shut. They leap the drawbridge, arrows clattering all around. The tyrant himself appears upon the gatehouse, leaning out with a wand in hand. Once! Twice! He hurls lightning bolts at the fleeing riders, but misses both times. They escape into the forest and the castle recedes into the distance. Tension fades. The perfect fool has performed his greatest feat.
Lively performance. Great presence!
Cannot stop thinking about his plannet suite.
Incredibly beautiful music but how infrequently is it performed here?
I have been playing for over 20 years, but didn't know this until about 2 months ago. Very weird.
Esto es Metal