Chess (Madetoja)
Incidental music by Leevi Madetoja / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chess (in Finnish: Shakkipeli; literal translation: 'Chess Game'),[lower-alpha 1] Op. 5, is a theatre score—comprising four numbers—for orchestra by the Finnish composer Leevi Madetoja; he wrote the music in 1910 to accompany the Finnish author Eino Leino's one-act "historical tableau"[lower-alpha 2] of the same name. In particular, Madetoja's music occurs during the pantomime divertissement in the middle of the play. The scene, a dream sequence in which 16 white and 16 black chess pieces come to life and play a game, is an allegory for the political intrigue that transpired in 1464 between rivals for the Swedish thrown: Charles VIII of Sweden and Christian I of Denmark. Chess premiered on 15 February 1910 in Helsinki at Finnish National Theatre during a lottery soirée, with Madetoja conducting the Apostol's Concert Orchestra [fi].
Chess | |
---|---|
Incidental music by Leevi Madetoja | |
Native name | Shakkipeli |
Opus | 5 |
Text | Shakkipeli by Eino Leino |
Composed | 1910 |
Duration | Approx. 16 mins. |
Premiere | |
Date | 15 February 1910 (1910-02-15) |
Location | Helsinki, Grand Duchy of Finland |
Conductor | Leevi Madetoja |
Performers | Apostol's Concert Orchestra [fi] |