The Tale of the Priest and his Worker Balda, Op. 36 (1934)

The variant title ‘The Tale of the Pope and his Servant Balda’ is given sometimes. The film, produced by Soyuzmultfilm, was never completed and with the excepti on of 60 meters (the fragment ‘Bazaar’) all of it was destroyed during the siege of Leningrad in 1941.

Only 18 items of the score have survived in the author’s hand writing or copier manuscript in different archives. 24 items of the music survived as rough drafts, 11 of which are missing in the scores. The published version was compiled by Vadim Bibergan, one of Shostakovich’s students at the Leningrad Con servatory. He made numerous alterations, expanded several reprises and changed the instrumental arrangement. For detailed information concerning the publication sources and editorial interventions see the comments of DSCH 126. Bibergan’s ver sion also served as basis for the ballet ‘Balda’ staged at the Moscow Bolshoi Theatre in 1999.

A suite from the music compiled by the composer (‘Overture’, ‘The Priest’s Servants’ Dream’, ‘March of Ducks’, ‘The Priest’s Dance with the Devil’, ‘Dance of the Bell-Ringer’, ‘Dance ot the Dead Men’, ‘Finale’) was publicly performed by the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Alexander Melik-Pashaev on 1 June 1935 in a concert during the First Leningrad International Festival of Arts. No. 18 (‘The Priest’s Daughter’s Dream’), retitled ‘Sentimental Romance’, is included in the ‘Ballet Suite No. 2’, 1951. 

Music to an animated cartoon film by Mikhail Tsekhanovsky, after Alexander Pushkin’s tale

Part I
1. Overture (Allegro non troppo)
2. Bazaar. Introduction (Allegro)
3. Noisy Bazaar (Presto – Meno mosso – Presto – poco meno mosso – Presto)
4. First Carousel [Allegretto]
5. Balda’s March (Allegro moderato)
6. Dance of the Bell-Ringer (Moderato – Allegro molto – Presto)
7. Second Carousel (Allegretto)
8. The Bear’s Dance (Moderato)
9. Balda’s Song [Allegro moderato]
10. Balda’s Meeting with the Priest (Moderato)
11. Balda’s Dialogue with the Priest (Allegretto)
12. Finale of Part I. March (Allegretto)
Part II
13. The Village (Presto)
14. Balda’s First Job [Allegro – Più mosso]
15. The Metropolitan. Tea-Time (Presto)
16. Overture to a Party [Allegro non troppo]
17. Lullaby [Lento]
18. The Priest’s Daughter’s Dream (Moderato)
19. Waltz [Andantino – Poco più mosso – Tempo I – Andante]
20. Balda’s Second Job (Allegro)
21. The Priest’s Dance with the Devil [Allegro]
22. The Dead Men’s Dance [Allegretto – Poco più mosso – Allegro]
23. The Ghouls’ Procession (Moderato)
24. Balda’s Dialogue with the Old Demon (Allegretto)
25. Balda’s First Dialogue with the Imp (Allegro – Presto – Moderato – Presto – Meno mosso)
26. The Devil’s Couplets [Allegro]
27. Balda’s Second Dialogue with the Imp (Allegro – Allegro non troppo – Adagio)
28. The Three Fillips (Allegro)
29. Balda’s Gallop (Presto)