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Leoš Janáček - The Cunning Little Vixen: A Symphonic Suite
for Chamber Orchestra Leoš Janáček (1854-1928) composed his opera The Cunning Little Vixen in 1921-1923, creating his own libretto. It is based on a cartoon featured in a Czech newspaper that told the life and times of a vixen. The animals of the forest are depicted alongside their human counterparts in a witty, beautiful and moving tale. Janáček set it to music of great originality, colour and emotional depth. This suite for chamber orchestra from Janáček's opera follows the plot in order, taking in the most important musical and dramatic sections for orchestra alone. It is in three movements, one for each Act, and is around 35 minutes in length. |
The story can be summarised as follows:
1 – A forest is full of the sights and sounds of animals. The local forester catches a young vixen and takes her home as a pet. She grows up over time to become a young adult, eventually outwitting and escaping her captor.
2 – The vixen takes over a badger's home and meets a fox. They fall in love and after mating, the animals of the forest gather for their rushed marriage.
3 – A poacher is roaming the forest and sets a trap for the foxes. The fox cubs mock him, but he chases them and shoots the vixen dead. When the forester hears of the vixen's death, he comes to the forest and reflects sadly on the loss and the passing of time. As the vixen's cubs and other young animals gather, the forester finds peace in nature's renewal and the circle of life.
Instrumentation: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, percussion (1 player: timpani, cymbals, glockenspiel), violin 1, violin 2, viola, cello, double bass (string parts can be single parts or a section of around 4, 3, 3, 2, 1)
Available to hire or purchase from Aria Editions here
Listen to a performance of the arrangement:
1st movement (10:40)
2nd movement (10:44)
3rd movement (13:05)
1 – A forest is full of the sights and sounds of animals. The local forester catches a young vixen and takes her home as a pet. She grows up over time to become a young adult, eventually outwitting and escaping her captor.
2 – The vixen takes over a badger's home and meets a fox. They fall in love and after mating, the animals of the forest gather for their rushed marriage.
3 – A poacher is roaming the forest and sets a trap for the foxes. The fox cubs mock him, but he chases them and shoots the vixen dead. When the forester hears of the vixen's death, he comes to the forest and reflects sadly on the loss and the passing of time. As the vixen's cubs and other young animals gather, the forester finds peace in nature's renewal and the circle of life.
Instrumentation: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, percussion (1 player: timpani, cymbals, glockenspiel), violin 1, violin 2, viola, cello, double bass (string parts can be single parts or a section of around 4, 3, 3, 2, 1)
Available to hire or purchase from Aria Editions here
Listen to a performance of the arrangement:
1st movement (10:40)
2nd movement (10:44)
3rd movement (13:05)