🎻 Igor Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale (2018) — Roger Waters
Igor Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale is the fifth solo studio album by English rock musician Roger Waters, released on 26 October 2018 through Sony Classical Masterworks. It is a dramatic narration and adaptation of the 1918 theatrical work L’Histoire du soldat (“The Soldier’s Tale”) by Igor Stravinsky and Swiss writer Charles‑Ferdinand Ramuz — performed with chamber musicians and narrated entirely by Waters himself.
Unlike his rock albums, this release sits squarely in the classical/theatrical genre, bridging early 20th‑century modernist music with Waters’ narrative artistry.
🎬 Concept & Storyline
Originally composed in 1918 as a chamber theatre piece to be “read, played, and danced”, Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale tells an archetypal parable of a soldier who trades his violin to the Devil in exchange for a book that predicts the future and promises wealth — only to discover that material gain does not bring happiness and that the pact has consequences.
Waters’ 2018 version is a full narration of the story, in which he:
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Adapts and rewrites the original English libretto (based on the standard translation by Michael Flanders and Kitty Black).
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Narrates and voices all characters — including the Narrator, the Soldier, and the Devil — using varied accents and dramatic inflection.
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Works with a small ensemble from the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival to perform the original Stravinskian score.
Because the piece debuted one century after World War I and touches on war, temptation, and moral consequence, it resonates with Waters’ longstanding anti‑war and humanist themes.
📜 Recording & Release
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Recorded: 11–12 December 2014
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Venue: Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church (USA)
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Released: 26 October 2018
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Length: ~79 minutes
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Label: Sony Classical Masterworks
Though recorded in 2014, the album’s release in 2018 was timed to coincide with the centenary of the end of World War I — thematically linking the work’s origins with modern reflection.
🎼 Album Credits & Performance
🔹 Narration & Adaptation — Roger Waters
Waters is credited as the narrator and adapter of the English libretto, portraying all characters’ voices and dramatic elements.
🔹 Performers:
Members of the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival, including:
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Stephen Williamson – clarinet
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Peter Kolkay – bassoon
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David Krauss – trumpet
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Demian Austin – trombone
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Colin Jacobsen – violin
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Donald Palma – double bass
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Ian David Rosenbaum – percussion
(Names based on BCMF concert personnel and album details.)
The ensemble performs Stravinsky’s original score for a septet of instruments, as intended in the theatrical score.
🎨 Artwork & Packaging
The album’s standard CD and vinyl editions present a minimal classical aesthetic, reflecting the music’s historical roots. Later vinyl editions — including limited crystal clear coloured pressings — feature heavyweight gatefold sleeves with printed inners and imagery related to the narrative and performance.
🧠 Analysis
This project stands apart from Waters’ rock‑oriented catalog in several ways:
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It is purely narrative and classical rather than song‑based: there are no rock compositions by Waters here.
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The recording highlights Waters’ dramatic speaking skills — much in the vein of radio drama — alongside one of the 20th century’s most inventive chamber scores by Stravinsky.
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The piece draws out the moral and existential questions inherent in Stravinsky and Ramuz’s original text, resonating with Waters’ lifelong artistic exploration of war, loss, and the human condition.
Listeners encounter a blend of chamber music, narrative theatre, and moral reflection, making it accessible both to classical audiences and to those familiar with Waters’ broader work.
📖 Fun Facts & Trivia
Did You Know?
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Waters not only narrates but voices every major character — including the Soldier and the Devil — showcasing a dramatic range beyond his singing career.
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The album was recorded over two days in 2014, though it was held for release until 2018 to align with the WWI centenary.
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The original theatrical piece uses a septet scored for mixed instruments — clarinet, bassoon, violin, double bass, trumpet (or cornet), trombone, and percussion — rather than a full orchestra.
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Waters’ adaptation adds poetic elaboration and expanded narration, increasing the narrative scope over typical recordings.
