description Episodes (Balanchine) Overview
*Episodes*, choreographed by George Balanchine in 1935, depicts a stark and emotionally restrained pas de deux set to Olivier Messiaen’s *Quartet for the End of Time*, exploring themes of isolation and resilience through precise movement and minimalist staging.
help Episodes (Balanchine) FAQ
What music did Balanchine use for Episodes?
Episodes is set to concise, twelve-tone orchestral works by Anton von Webern, plus an orchestration of a ricercar from Bach's Musical Offering. It does not use Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time.
Was Episodes originally a collaboration with Martha Graham?
Yes. Martha Graham created Episodes I for her company, while Balanchine made Episodes II for New York City Ballet in 1959, with Paul Taylor appearing in a solo.
Why is only Balanchine's portion of Episodes usually performed?
Graham's section and Taylor's solo disappeared from New York City Ballet's repertory after 1960. The surviving Balanchine choreography is therefore generally presented alone under the title Episodes.
Does Episodes tell a story?
No continuous plot links its sections. Balanchine instead translates Webern's compressed structures into precise, spare movement, including the distinctive section often called the Symphony.
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