Fun fact: A Soldier's Tale is probably my favourite work by Stravinsky (with the possible exception of The Rite of Spring). I also love Kurt Vonnegut. Shortly after I discovered it, it turned out Kurt Vonnegut had written his own libretto for the piece based around the execution of Eddie Slovik, the only American soldier to be executed for desertion since 1865 (a point brought up repeatedly in the libretto). Shockingly, however, it turned out that it had not yet been recorded. However, eventually, it was, by Summit Records under the title An American Soldier's Tale.
Eventually, I got a CD of it for Christmas (especially since finding it on Youtube was difficult). As I write this, I'm in Door County and while I usually rely on a RAVPower Filehub media streamer for my musical IV, sometimes it doesn't work up there (and no, I haven't figured out a pattern; every time I think I have, it always messes it up). So I still bring up a couple CDs. Mostly this time around, it's old blues (largely from the days of old 78s), but one of them is An American Soldier's Tale, and, in commemoration of my A) finally listening to it, and B) actually finding something on Youtube, here's an excerpt.
Needless to say, the decision to not amplify the actors was not made for the studio recording. So, here's the full libretto (you may have to scroll down to see Vonnegut's take on it.)
Eventually, I got a CD of it for Christmas (especially since finding it on Youtube was difficult). As I write this, I'm in Door County and while I usually rely on a RAVPower Filehub media streamer for my musical IV, sometimes it doesn't work up there (and no, I haven't figured out a pattern; every time I think I have, it always messes it up). So I still bring up a couple CDs. Mostly this time around, it's old blues (largely from the days of old 78s), but one of them is An American Soldier's Tale, and, in commemoration of my A) finally listening to it, and B) actually finding something on Youtube, here's an excerpt.
Needless to say, the decision to not amplify the actors was not made for the studio recording. So, here's the full libretto (you may have to scroll down to see Vonnegut's take on it.)
Comparing the Universal Oneness of All Life to Yo Mama since 2010.
I was born with the gift of laughter and a sense the world is mad.
I was born with the gift of laughter and a sense the world is mad.