Alberto
Stravinsky's Petrouchka Write in 1911 for the Ballet empresario Diaghilev and his company "Ballet Russes", Stravinsky's Petrouchka stands as one of his more beloved works, sometimes eclipsed by "the Rite of Spring". However, this big revolution in terms of orchestral writing and phrase construction did not come from nowhere: two years before the big riot of XX century music, Stravinsky had already written a piece in which the extraordinary becames ordinary. Organised in 4 scenes, this ballet portrays a typical russian fair, in which lots of different (and also charismatic) characters dance, laugh, make their shows... while the music try to represent that by different textures, polirythmics and constant changes of tempo. This happens along all first and last scene, constructing a symmetry in which the two other scenes are portrayed. The main characters of the ballet are the Charlatan, a kind of magician that gives life to his puppets: Petrouchka, the Moor and the Ballerina. Petrouchka is in love with the Ballerina, and so is the Moor. During second Act, the composer describes Petrouchka musically. By using a chord created with the combination of C major and F sharp major and giving relevance to the piano Stravinsky depicts the puppet and his feelings. In the third scene, we hear the music for the Moor; that Stravinsky depicts with and oriental melody and accompaniment created with pizz. and the use of turkish related instruments (cymbals and bass drum). Later in the scene, the Ballerina enters in the stage and plays a beatiful melody in the trumpet. After they have met, they start to dance a kind of valse, while the arabic music sounds simultaneously in the background (with a totally different rhythm) until Petrouchka enters in the scene and starts being chased by the Moor with a frenetic music in top of it. In the final scene, we come back to the streets, where we can here again the "row" from each of the fair-goers. As soon as different characters are focused in the stage, the music suddenly switch, or even disappear little by little. In all this mess the Moor and Petrouchka appear on scene, still in their chase. After a while, the Moor kills Petrouchka with his sword and in the music we can hear him kind of whispering his lasts words. After that shocking scene, all fair goers leave and only Charlatán remains in front of his puppet's body. At the end of the ballet, we can see Petrouchka making fun of Charlatan from heaven, and the ballet ends mysteriously in a quiet pizz.
Jan 19, 2015 10:50 PM
Corrections · 4
1

Stravinsky's Petrouchka

Write in 1911 for the Ballet empresario Diaghilev and his company "Ballet Russes", Stravinsky's Petrouchka stands as one of his more beloved works, (although) sometimes eclipsed by "the Rite of Spring". However, this big revolution in terms of orchestral writing and phrase construction did not come out of nowhere: two years before the big riot of 20th century music, Stravinsky had already written a piece in which the extraordinary becames ordinary.

Organised in 4 scenes, this ballet portrays a typical Russian fair, in which lots of different (and (also) charismatic) characters dance, laugh, perform... while the music tries to represent that through different textures, polyrhythyms and constant changes of tempo. This fills the first and last scenes, constructing a symmetrical backdrop against which the two other scenes are portrayed.

The main characters of the ballet are the Charlatan, a kind of magician that gives life to his puppets, and his puppets, Petrouchka, the Moor and the Ballerina.

Petrouchka is in love with the Ballerina, and(/or but) so is the Moor. The music in the second act describes Petrouchka. By using a chord created with the combination of C major and F sharp major and giving importance to the piano, Stravinsky depicts the puppet and his feelings.

In the third scene, we hear the music for the Moor, who(m) Stravinsky depicts with and oriental melody and accompaniment of pizz. and the use of Turkish related instruments (cymbals and bass drum). Later in the scene, the Ballerina enters on stage and plays a beautiful melody on the trumpet. After they have met, they start to dance a kind of valse(/or waltz, in English), while the Arabic music sounds simultaneously in the background (with a totally different rhythm(/or meter)) until Petrouchka enters in the scene and starts being chased by the Moor, to the accompaniment of frenetic music.

In the final scene, we come back to the streets, where we can here again the "row"(not sure if this is the word you want-- do you mean they are fighting? do you mean a 12-tone row? That is what comes to mind when I hear row in this context) from each of the fair-goers. As soon as a character comes into focus on the stage, the music suddenly switches, or even disappears little by little. In all this mess the Moor and Petrouchka appear on scene, still in their chase. After a while, the Moor kills Petrouchka with his sword and in the music we can hear him kind of whispering his lasts words (Interesting detail! Now I'll have to rewatch the ballet and listen for that, I'd never noticed before.). After that shocking scene, all fair goers leave and only the Charlatan remains in front of his puppet's body. At the end of the ballet, we can see Petrouchka making fun of the Charlatan from heaven, and the ballet ends mysteriously in a quiet pizz.

 

Very, very nice work! I corrected a couple prepositions and verb agreements, and rewrote a couple sentences to sound more natural. My markings in parentheses are just suggestions. I am very impressed by the insightful things you have to say about this great work by Stravinsky, and also by how well you expressed them in English :)

January 25, 2015

Stravinsky's Petrouchka

Written in 1911 for the Ballet empresario Diaghilev and his company "Ballet Russes", Stravinsky's Petrouchka stands as one of his more beloved works, sometimes eclipsed by "the Rite of Spring". However, this big revolution in terms of orchestral writing and phrase construction did not come from nowhere: two years before the big riot of XX century music, Stravinsky had already written a piece in which the extraordinary becames ordinary.

Organised in 4 scenes, this ballet portrays a typical russian fair, in which lots of different (and also charismatic) characters dance, laugh, make their shows... while the music try to represent that by different textures, polirythmics and constant changes of tempo. This happens along all first and last scene, constructing a symmetry in which the two other scenes are portrayed.

The main characters of the ballet are the Charlatan, a kind of magician that gives life to his puppets: Petrouchka, the Moor and the Ballerina.

Petrouchka is in love with the Ballerina, and so is the Moor. During second Act, the composer describes Petrouchka musically. By using a chord created with the combination of C major and F sharp major and giving relevance to the piano Stravinsky depicts the puppet and his feelings.

In the third scene, we hear the music for the Moor; that Stravinsky depicts with and oriental melody and accompaniment created with pizz. and the use of turkish related instruments (cymbals and bass drum). Later in the scene, the Ballerina enters in the stage and plays a beatiful melody in the trumpet. After they have met, they start to dance a kind of valse, while the arabic music sounds simultaneously in the background (with a totally different rhythm) until Petrouchka enters in the scene and starts being chased by the Moor with a frenetic music in top of it.

In the final scene, we come back to the streets, where we can here again the "row" from each of the fair-goers. As soon as different characters are focused in the stage, the music suddenly switch, or even disappear little by little. In all this mess the Moor and Petrouchka appear on scene, still in their chase. After a while, the Moor kills Petrouchka with his sword and in the music we can hear him kind of whispering his lasts words. After that shocking scene, all fair goers leave and only Charlatán remains in front of his puppet's body. At the end of the ballet, we can see Petrouchka making fun of Charlatan from heaven, and the ballet ends mysteriously in a quiet pizz.

January 25, 2015
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