Description
The Dance of the Knights (also known as Montagues and Capulets) is perhaps the most famous segment of Prokofiev’s 1935 ballet Romeo and Juliet. It accompanies an encounter between the rival houses of the Montagues and Capulets, and afterwards the first time that Juliet meets Romeo at her family’s masquerade ball.
The ballet was originally commissioned by the Kirov Ballet in 1934. However, under an increasingly oppressive regime under Stalin, these were extremely difficult cultural times. Before Prokofiev’s score was even complete the Kirov backed out. Prokofiev then approached Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre who, as well as declaring Prokofiev’s music ‘undanceable’, also insisted on a distinctly non-Shakespearian ‘happy ending’ for the titular characters. That also fell through and then the Leningrad School of Choreography signed up, only to renege. The ballet was finally premiered in Brno, Czechoslovakia in December 1938. It was eventually performed in Russia by the Kirov in 1940, albeit with a significantly revised score. Notwithstanding, the ballet was a huge success, and Prokofiev’s ballet has been performed around the world ever since.
Such is the popularity of the Dance of the Knights it has been used in numerous TV shows and films, perhaps most notably as the title music to the BBC’s The Apprentice.
Here the music that accompanies the encounter of the rival houses of the Montagues and Capulets has been arranged for clarinet quartet (3 clarinets and bass clarinet).
Also available for wind quintet, wind quartet, wind quintet and piano, and bassoon choir.
