Comments on: on Pétrouchka

By: Connor

Connor — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 06:12:46 +0000

Interesting note on the the ‘flatuent’ basoons. Reading Stravinsky’s 1936 autobiography, he states that one of his earliest memories of sound was a peasant who:

_”…pressing the palm of his right hand under his left armpit, he would work his left arm with a rapid movement, making it press on the right hand. From beneath the red shirt he extracted a succession of sounds which were somewhat dubious but very rhythmic, and which might be euphemistically described as resounding kisses. This amused me beyond words…”_

Ha! I had a good laugh off of that

By: Jim

Jim — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 04:50:40 +0000

Howells, who also resisted large-scale structures, loved this work and knew it intimately. Anyone who is interested in his analytic comments (mostly concerning orchestration) can–I think–examine his copy of the 1911 score at the library of the Royal College of Music in London.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:06:20 +0000

…..not to mention the concertante piano is insanely fun to play….although the celesta part is appalling short if not being played by a percussionist (but you get a front row seat for the rest of the piece).

By: Ryan

Ryan — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:01:33 +0000

I listened to it this morning before I found this lovely surprise.

Your words perfectly describe it…and I find myself gazing at my Dover score I found for $5.99.

Thanks.

By: marcus

marcus — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:02:02 +0000

Thanks for posting about Petrouchka…haven’t listened to it in years, and need to do that soon.

Here is a cool clip of Pierre Monteux (who did the premiere for Diaghilev) conducting People’s Fair—he makes it sound so slippery and easy….an eelish interpretation, maybe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4z6HOhe3Yo

By: Craig

Craig — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 15:44:10 +0000

gorgeous description of gorgeous music. jellied eel for ears.