Who Is the Most Powerful in the World

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
You'd never guess from the title that the main characters in this charming ballet are actually mice. It seems that daddy mouse has a lovely daughter that the mouse prince wants to marry, but he refuses to give the prince permission until he can prove that he is the most powerful person in the world, for nothing less is good enough for daddy's little girl. Of course the prince manages, and everything ends happily. The music is witty and jazzy, and one of the numbers, the "Shimmy Fox-Trot," has gained a certain amount of notoriety as a separate piece. No one, the composer least of all, would claim that this music is designed to be anything more than light entertainment, but it's very good light entertainment. --David Hurwitz

Tracks:

Who is the Most Powerful in the World: Moderato
Who is the Most Powerful in the World: Serenade (Tempo di menuetto)
Who is the Most Powerful in the World: March
Who is the Most Powerful in the World: Poco andante (att.)
Who is the Most Powerful in the World: Menuet (att.)
Who is the Most Powerful in the World: Shimmy-foxtrot. Andante. Allegro non troppo (att.)
Who is the Most Powerful in the World: Dance of the Sunbeams
Who is the Most Powerful in the World: Moderato
Who is the Most Powerful in the World: Waltz
Who is the Most Powerful in the World: Cadenza. Allegretto. Cadenza. Adagio (att.)
Who is the Most Powerful in the World: Andante (att.)
Who is the Most Powerful in the World: Dance of the Cloud (att.)
Who is the Most Powerful in the World: Allegretto (att.)
Who is the Most Powerful in the World: Moderato. Allegro. Moderato. Andante. Allegro (att.)
Who is the Most Powerful in the World: Allegretto. Adagio (att.)
Who is the Most Powerful in the World: Allegretto (att.)
Who is the Most Powerful in the World: Polka. Andante
Who is the Most Powerful in the World: (Finale) Allegro

Martinu: Who is the Most Powerful in the World

Average customer rating:

Now that's more like it!

Martinu: Who is the Most Powerful in the World

Manufacturer: Supraphon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000353G
Release Date: 1997-08-19

Amazon.com

You'd never guess from the title that the main characters in this charming ballet are actually mice. It seems that daddy mouse has a lovely daughter that the mouse prince wants to marry, but he refuses to give the prince permission until he can prove that he is the most powerful person in the world, for nothing less is good enough for daddy's little girl. Of course the prince manages, and everything ends happily. The music is witty and jazzy, and one of the numbers, the "Shimmy Fox-Trot," has gained a certain amount of notoriety as a separate piece. No one, the composer least of all, would claim that this music is designed to be anything more than light entertainment, but it's very good light entertainment. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Now that's more like it!.......2005-12-04

I've been a fan of Bohuslav Martinu's works for three decades, starting with his six symphonies and other orchestral works (Frescoes, Ricercares, Double Concerto, etc.). I'm now getting around to his ballets, but gave a lukewarm review to The Butterfly That Stamped (also available on Amazon). I thought I'd try one more ballet, so I ordered Who Is The Most Powerful In the World. What a difference! This invites repeat listening, it is so good. Being a ballet, it is far more loosely structured than Martinu's symphonic works (which were always a bit loosely structured in their own right). But the fountain of melodic invention, the energetic spark, and humor suffusing this Czech gem won me over. Reviewer David Hurwitz called this "light classical," but if so, that tag would then apply to Stravinsky's Petrouchka -- which surely makes the label inaccurate. It's ballet music, so it subserves a narrative line. The question is, how well does it bring to life the story it undergirds? In a word: perfectly! (Frankly, I think Martinu's use of wind machine and thunder machine work better than Richard Strauss's Alpensinfonie deployments -- if this is any indication of how the score can roar with power when called to do so.)

SPOILER WARNING: The story line. Prince Mouse wants to marry the daughter of Father Mouse, but Father insists upon nothing but the best for his daughter: she must marry the strongest creature in the world. Her engagement to the Sun seems a shoe-in, until Cloud blocks Sun. The engagement to Cloud is foiled when Wind blows Cloud away. Alas, Wall breaks the power of Wind. But mice undermine Wall, so daughter mouse marries Prince Mouse, who has proven himself the Strongest in the World.

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