Ever since I got into studying Exotica, Les Baxter has always been a huge inspiration. I’ve written about this man’s music, approach to orchestration, and influence on Exotica in previous posts, so check them out (if you haven’t already) to get a feel for what I’m talking about.

Just a moment ago, as I was working on a new flute duo that will be premiered in 2 weeks at Tiki Oasis 2008, I decided to take a pause and listen to a favorite recording of Igor Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps, known in English as The Rite of Spring. I recently saw a high school orchestra perform this work at the Esplanade (ok, not just “any” old high school orchestra… they were the Boston Univ. Tanglewood Institute Young Artists Orchestra, that Helen and I are proud alumnae of!), so the piece has been fresh on my mind.

Anyways, whenever I hear or perform that piece, I always remember the times we had to solfege it in college, at NEC. And more specifically, where the RE flat-SI flat-MI flat-SI flat motif begins, 2 bars and a beat before Reh. #13, in the violins. When people talk about the section that follows, “The Augurs of Spring — Dances of the Young Girls” the focus of conversation is usually the sporadic accents or the juxtaposition of F-flat and E-flat chords. We forget that, in all the jumble of sound, that that RE flat-SI flat-MI flat-SI flat motif continues throughout; that it ties together the entire package. From the Violins, it gets passed to the English Horn, and later to the Trombones. And then, back to the Violins, just in time for a beautifully legato melody played by French Horn. Even when we get swept off our feet by a 4-voice Trombone choir, the harmony and rhythmic accompaniment is led by our RE flat-SI flat-MI flat-SI flat theme.

Baxter’s “Jungle River Boat” operates on a similar motif, except the non-pedal tones go higher then lower (and of course, tranposed to a different key); it is: SI-FA#-LA-FA#. In terms of orchestration, the motif gets passed around, though is mostly played by harp and clarinet, and the listener is treated to a sweeping legato melody played by various combinations of wind instruments. However, you should keep in mind that the four-note motif basically continues throughout the whole piece.

I can understand what you may be thinking: “So what, it’s just a four note ostinato, Stravinsky didn’t invent the wheel, and Baxter wasn’t riding in a used Stravinskymobile.” I probably would think that too, and in fact I did, before realizing WHAT ALBUM “Jungle River Boat” was released on. That’s right: Baxter’s Le Sacre du Sauvage (in English: The Rites [or Ritual] of the Savage). I did a bit of poking around on the Internet to see if anyone else noticed the specific similarity between JRB and that section of the Stravinsky. I didn’t quite find what I was looking for, but did stumble across this quote at LesBaxter.com:

The title of Les’ debut points right to Stravinsky—whose Le Sacre Du Printemps (English title: “The Rite Of Spring”) is a work Les claimed “changed the world”. Le Sacre Du Sauvage is more often referred to by its English translation, Ritual Of The Savage.

It does not tax credibility one iota to say Ritual is the record wherein exotica is crystallized once and for all as a genre with stylistic standards and practices. Certainly it marked a stylistic jumping point for Les Baxter, who would turn again and again to music that certainly makes its initial statement on this record.

Well, at least somebody else thinks so! In lieu of being able to build myself a time machine to see Baxter and Denny work, I think we’ll just have to use our best judgement and decide for ourselves if there truly is a connection between “Jungle River Boat” and that section in RIte of Spring. Ah, how I’d love to sit down with either of Les or Marty and talk about orchestration and their musical influences. Guess I’ll just have to wait until the Pearly Gates, someday …

In the meantime, I need to find a way to get out to the University of Arizona, to check out their Les Baxter Collection.

Thanks again for stopping by to read my blog!