Oriental Suite Gurdjieff

Newsletter 2/2006

Gurdjieff / de Hartmann Orchestrations

Information Flyer PDF >>

Between 13 and 25 December 1923 the Gurdjieff Institute gave a series of eight public demonstrations of the Sacred Gymnastics and Movements at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris. The music, composed by Gurdjieff to accompany these dances, was orchestrated by Thomas de Hartmann and performed by an orchestra of thirty-five musicians. In January 1924, Gurdjieff and his pupils sailed to America for a series of public demonstrations in New York, Boston, and Chicago. At Gurdjieff ’s request, de Hartmann adapted the full orchestral scores for a smaller ensemble that would accompany the demonstrations there.

The four CDs enclosed with this book contain both the Paris orchestrations and the American versions, all recorded for the first time by the Metropole Orchestra and the Little Orchestra. An addenda section features music intended for Gurdjieff ’s unfinished ballet The Struggle of the Magicians. In order to complete the reconstruction of the orchestral Gurdjieff/ de Hartmann music, the Oriental Suite, compiled by de Hartmann in 1956, is included as well. The 256-page book is profusely illustrated with many new photos and unique historical documents. It further contains recollections of people who were present when these demonstrations were given, as well as a sampling of the extensive press coverage generated by the Gurdjieff Institute during its first—and final—public appearance.

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With recollections of
Mary C. Bell
J. G. Bennett
E. C. Bowyer
Raymond G. Carroll
Thomas de Hartmann
Olga de Hartmann
Anna Butkovsky-Hewitt
Maud Hoffman
Jessmin Howarth
Edward Moore
Gorham Munson
C. S. Nott
P. D. Ouspensky
Denis Saurat
Clifford Sharpe
Tcheslaw Tchekhovitch
Louise Welch
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Distributors
in europe, asia & south america
Basta Music
Aalsmeerderweg 14
1432 cr Aalsmeer
The Netherlands
info@bastamusic.com
www.bastamusic.com

in north america
Gurdjieff Books & Music
1634 s. e. 10th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97214
u.s.a.
info@gurdjieffbooksandmusic.com
Phone (503) 226-0116
Fax (503) 227-4069
www.gurdjieffbooksandmusic.com

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Tracklist

Disc I: Metropole Orchestra 1923

1: N1 – First Obligatory
2: N2 - Second Obligatory (First March)
3: N3 - Third Obligatory (March Forward)
4: N3bis - Fourth Obligatory (Counting)
5: N4 - Fifth Obligatory (Note Values)
6: N5 - Sixth Obligatory (Mazurka)
7: N6 - Initiation of the Priestess
8: N7 - Ho-Ya
9: N8 - The Great Prayer
10: N9 - The First Dervish Prayer
11: N10 - Trembling Dervish
12: N11 - Funeral of a Dervish
13: N20 - The Big Group
14: N21 - The Big Seven
15: N27 - Turning

Disc II: Metropole Orchestra 1923

1: N18 - The Spinners
2: N19 - The Shoemaker
3: N26 - Rug Weaving #2
4: N12 - The Sacred Goose
5: N13 - Woman’s Dance
6: N14 - Essentuki Obligatory
7: N14bis - The Waltz
8: N15 - Women of Essentuki
9: N23 - Music for the Greek Round
10: N24 - Women’s Round Dance
11: N25 - Pythia
12: N0 - Entrance March
13: N10 1/2 - introduction
14: N16 - Les Automates
15: N17 - The Fall of the Priestess
16: N22 - Round Dance in G-minor
17: N25bis - Untitled
18: N27 1/2 - Untitled
19: N28 - Lezginka
20: N29 - Armenian Dance
21: N30 - Black Magician
22: N31 - Tempo di Valse
23: N32 - Pilgrims
24: N33 - Turkish Dance
25: N34 - Untitled Dance
26: N35 - Arabian Dance

Disc III: Little Orchestra 1924

Disc IV: Little Orchestra 1924

1: N27 - Turning
2: N12 – Sacred Goose
3: N13 – Oriental Dance
4: N14 – Essentuki Obligatory
5: N14bis – The Waltz
6: N15 – Women of Essentuki
7: N18 – The Spinners
8: N19 – The Shoemaker
9: N26 – Rug Weaving #2
10: N23 – Music For The Greek Round
11: N24 – Women’s Round Dance
12: N25 - Pythia

ORIENTAL SUITE (1956)- Metropole Orchestra:

13: I - Song of the Aisors
14: II - Seid Dance
15: III - Song of the Fisher Women
16: IV - Bagpipe Music
17: V - Tibetan Masked Dance