Petrouchka

Composition

The part was made up in the years 1910 - 1911 for the Russian Ballets of Serge de Diaghilev. The first representation took place with Paris, with the Théâtre of Châtelet, the June 13rd 1911, with Pierre Monteux with the head of the orchestra. Although the part was a success, more than the one critical one was severe for the work of the Compositeur, qualified sometimes fragile music, sometimes of ridiculous. The anecdote tells that a critic slipped to the producer Serge Diaghilev: “And it is to hear that you invited us! ”, he answered: “Exactly”. When Diaghilev and its troop left in round for Vienna, in 1913, the orchestra residing refused to play the partition, first of all, qualifying the music of Petrouchka of schmutzige Musik (dirty music).

The original partition of Petrouchka is made up for an orchestra of 2 piccolo S, 4 Flûte S, 4 Hautbois, 1 Cor anglais, 4 Clarinette S, 1 low clarinet, 4 Basson S, 1 Contrebasson, 4 horns, 2 trumpet S, 2 Cornet S, 3 Trombone S, 1 tuba, drinking cups, 2 Harpe S, Piano, Célesta, drum, Cymbale, Glockenspiel, clear Caisse, tambourine, triangle, Xylophone, Tom-tom, and string instruments.

Work is characterized by the “Petrouchka agreement”: it is composed of two thirds increased, containing terrible “the triton” (variation of three let us tons between two notes, such as between C and F sharp, variation of notes very dreaded in the music preceding Stravinski, indicated as the mark of the Diable to the Moyen-âge). This agreement is characteristic of the main character, it is played its arrival, illustrating all its character of faintness and supernatural. Stravinski affectionnait this harmonic structure such as, among others, the interval decreased or the use of a scale of 8 let us tons, instead of 12.

Synopsis

Work announces the beginning of a festival of fatty Tuesday, (in Russian Maslenitsa ) which is a popular meeting where reign joy and recreation, a few days before a pious meditation.

The orchestration and the rates/rhythms with the fast changes illustrate perfectly the haste and the movements of the festival. A player of barrel organ and a dancer amuse crowd. The drums announce the arrival of an old magus, who collects the attention of everyone. The curtain opens then to let appear the curiosity, accompanied by three headstocks: Petrouchka, the ballerina and the Moor. The old magus plays of the flute to use of his magic capacity. He gives life to the three headstocks, which are put to become animated and are agitated in a Russian dance, in front of amazed crowd.

The second table is held at Petrouchka. The walls very dark, are decorated there with some stars, the moon while growing, and a portrait of the old magus wrinkling the eyebrows. The headstock waits in front of its room, but a crashing to pieces noise announces the arrival of its Master who projects it of a kick in his cell. Petrouchka carries out a dull life and recluse behind his bars. Its only comfort, it finds it in the love that it carries for the headstock ballerina. The portrait of the old magus only suffices for him to recall to Petrouchka which it is only one puppet and which there must remain flexible and humble. Even if Petrouchka is only one puppet, it does not have of them less human feelings, including/understanding as well the love as it carries for the ballerina as the bitterness towards the old magus. The ballerina enters in scene and Petrouchka tries to reveal its love to him, but it is rejected at once by her, which qualifies all that of pathetic. She prefers frivolity with the Moor, which destroys impassioned Petrouchka.

The third table is held at the Moor. He saw a life definitely more alluring in his room decorated with all shares. Installed in its living room, he plays with a coconut. The colors which emanate from the part inspire the joy and the festival, the red, the green and blue. The Moor prefers the joy of his room rather than to go to comfort poor Petrouchka. At this point in time the ballerina is placed in the room of the Moor by the magician, and it starts a dance chatoyante with an aim of alluring the Moor, who joined it in his dance. Crushing Petrouchka of the black in its cell is carried in that of the Moor by the magus, to stop the seduction of the ballerina. Petrouchka is then put to attack the Moor, but it realizes that it is too small and well too weak to face his rival. It ends up being made drive out by the Moor.

The fourth and last table proceed again during the festival of fatty Tuesday, where a series of scenes appear then disappear quickly. The orchestra is transformed into true brass band, playing a succession of dances. Arrive then a peasant and his dancing bear, followed by a merchant, Gipsies and various personalities. After crowd and the festival settle, a cry emerges from the stand of puppet. The Moor continues Petrouchka with an axe and kills it. The Moor then becomes the metaphor of the indifference to the human feelings. The police force then questions the old magus, who seeks to calm the heat of dismayed crowd, by shaking the remainders of straw and sawdust of Petrouchka, to recall to everyone that it was only one headstock without heart, with the wood head. The night fall and crowd disperses, while the magus from goes away, carrying with him the soft body of Petrouchka. The phantom of the headstock appears on the roof of the stand of puppet. Its tears resemble now cries of anger. Now that the place is empty, the old magus sees with fright the phantom of Petrouchka, and flees frightened. The scene finishes and lets spectator judge what was real or not.

Program

Table 1: The fair of fatty Tuesday

Introduction (With the fair of the Shrove Tuesday)

the cabin of the Russian charlatan
Dance

Table 2: At Petrouchka

Table 3: At the Moor

At the Moor
Dance of the ballerina

Waltz of the ballerina and the Moor

Table 4: The fair of fatty Tuesday (the night)

Dance of the Nurses

the Peasant and his bear dancing
the Merry one negotiating and two Gipsies

Dance of the personalities and their following
the Artists of theater

the Combat enters the Moor and Petrouchka
Mort of Petrouchka

Vision of the phantom of Petrouchka

Other versions

In 1947, Stravinski revisited Petrouchka and made a version for a more reduced orchestra of it. This version adds a fortissimo to the conclusion of work, with the piano, which remained ambiguous. At all events, Petrouchka - with the Bird of fire and the Rite of Spring - continuous to make quiver the spectator such as with the first representation, by the tragic subject of the history, and the beginning of a tortured music, with the extremely dissonant harmonies, the service of the illustration of the pain of the human feelings, and behavior of the men, whatever are the motivations.

External bond

Article of the teaching National center of Documentation (CNDP)

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