Pulcinella (Stravinsky)
Pulcinella is a neoclassical ballet by Igor Stravinsky , the plot of which is based on the Quartre Polichinelles semblables ( Four Identical Pulcinelles ) from 1700. Pulcinella is a character from the Commedia dell'arte .
The ballet premiered on May 15, 1920 under the direction of Ernest Ansermet at the Paris Opera. The dancer Léonide Massine designed the libretto and choreography, Pablo Picasso designed the costumes and sets. The ballet was commissioned by Sergei Diaghilev .
A performance lasts about 35 minutes. In 1965 the score was revised by Stravinsky.
history
Diaghilev wanted a ballet based on a Commedia dell'arte libretto from 1700, the music of which was composed by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi . Some of the pieces of music may have been written by Domenico Gallo , Unico Wilhelm van Wassenaer , Carlo Ignazio Monza and Alessandro Parisotti .
Conductor Ernest Ansermet wrote to Stravinsky about the idea in 1919, but the composer initially disliked the idea of Pergolesi's music. However, after studying the sheet music that Diaghilev found in libraries in Naples and London, he changed his mind. Stravinsky borrowed the themes but used modern rhythms and harmonies.
Pulcinella marks the beginning of Stravinsky's second phase as a composer, his neoclassical period. Stravinsky wrote:
“Pulcinella was my discovery of the past, the epiphany, which made my later work possible. Of course it was a look back - the first of many love affairs in that direction - but it was also a look in the mirror. "
action
The story of Pulcinella comes from a Naples manuscript of 1700 with a series of comedies depicting the traditional character of the popular Neapolitan stage. The story is called Quartre Polichinelles semblables ( Four identical Pulcinelles ).
The one-act play tells about Pulcinella, his girlfriend Pimpinella, his friends Furbo, Prudenza and Rosetta as well as Florindo and Cloviello. The story begins with Florindo and Cloviello, who court Prudenza and Rosetta. The two women are unimpressed and shower the applicants with water. Prudenza's father, a doctor, chases them away.
Rosetta appears with her father. Rosetta dances for Pulcinella and they kiss. But Pimpinella sees this and interrupts the scene. Enter Florindo and Cloviello, jealous of Pulcinella, and beat him up. Pulcinella was supposedly stabbed to get Pimpinella to forgive Pulcinella. Furbo, disguised as a magician, appears and enlivens Pulcinella's body in front of everyone. Pimpinella forgives him. Prudenza and Rosetta succumb to Florindos and Cloviellos advertising. The ballet ends with the wedding of the three couples.
music
Instrumentation
Pulcinella is instrumented as a modern chamber orchestra with three solo singers:
singing
- soprano
- tenor
- bass
Woodwinds 2 flutes (2nd doubling piccolo) 2 oboes 2 bassoons
Brass
- 2 horns in F
- 1 trumpet in C.
- 1 trumpet
Strings
- Concertino:
- 2 violins
- 1 violas
- 1 cello
- 1 double bass
- Ripieno:
- 8 violins
- 4 violas
- 3 cellos
- 3 double basses
structure
The ballet has one act and is divided into 21 sections:
- Overture: Allegro moderato
- Serenata: Larghetto: "Mentre l'erbetta pasce l'agnella" (tenor)
- Scherzino: Allegro
- Poco più vivo
- Allegro
- Andantino
- Allegro
- Ancora poco meno: "Contento forse vivere" (soprano)
- Allegro assai
- Allegro - Alla breve: "Con queste paroline" (bass)
- Andante: "Sento dire no 'ncè pace" (soprano, tenor and bass)
- Allegro: "Chi disse cà la femmena" (tenor)
- Presto: "Ncè sta quaccuna pò" (soprano and tenor) / "Una te fa la nzemprece" (tenor)
- Allegro - Alla breve
- tarantella
- Andantino: "Se tu m'ami" (soprano)
- Allegro
- Gavotta con due variazioni
- Vivo
- Tempo di minuetto: "Pupillette, Fiammette d'amore" (soprano, tenor and bass)
- Finale: Allegro assai
Pieces based on Pulcinella
Pulcinella Suite
The Pulcinella Suite, derived from the ballet, was written in 1922 and has no vocal parts. It premiered on December 22, 1922 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Pierre Monteux in Boston.
The suite consists of eight movements:
- symphony
- Serenata
- Scherzino - Allegretto - Andantino
- tarantella
- toccata
- Gavotta (con due variazioni)
- Vivo
- Minuetto finale
The suite was revised by Stravinsky in 1949 and 1965.
Suite Italienne
Stravinsky also used the ballet for other compositions:
- 1925: Suite d'après des thèmes, fragments et morceaux de Giambattista Pergolesi for violin and piano (in collaboration with Paul Kochanski )
- 1932/33: Italian Suite for cello and piano (in collaboration with Gregor Piatigorsky )
- 1933: Italian Suite for violin and piano (in collaboration with Samuel Dushkin )
Jascha Heifetz and Piatigorsky later made an arrangement for violin and cello, which they also referred to as the Suite Italienne.