The two suites on this album were recorded at different locations and times: Syracuse University in 2008 and the University of Florida in 2011.
The Good Soldier Schweik is a symbol of the common people's resistance to war, enduring indignities with indestructible optimism.
The libretto for Histoire du Soldat, based on a Russian folk tale, was written in French by Swiss writer C. F. Ramuz.
Histoire du Soldat is scored for a septet of violin, clarinet, bassoon, cornet, trombone, bass, and percussion.
The Good Soldier Schweik Suite was inspired by Jaroslav Hasek's anti-war satire, The Good Soldier Schweik, written shortly after World War I.
Igor Stravinsky's Histoire du Soldat is a theatrical work from 1918, designed to be read, played, and danced.
