Philharmonialsocraft - The Russian Stravinsky [CD]

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)Pulcinella The Fairy's KissPulcinella (1920): Ballet in One Act with SongAt the time of the first performance of Pulcinella themusic was attributed to \Igor Strawinsky d'apr?¿sGiambattista Pergolesi. In fact fewer than half of thepieces that Stravinsky arranged for an orchestra of 33and three singers were by Pergolesi (1710-1736), whoseentry in The New Grove Dictionary of Music andMusicians lists more "spurious" and "doubtful"creations than certifiably authentic ones. As muchmaterial comes from the trio sonatas of the Venetiancomposer Domenico Gallo (active c. 1730) as from hisNeapolitan contemporary. Further, the score's mostpopular song, "Se tu m'ami," is by Parisotti, notPergolesi. The eighteenth-century copies from whichStravinsky worked are unsigned. Dyagilev toldStravinsky that they had come from a conservatorylibrary in Naples, but in actuality most of them weretranscribed in the British Museum.The libretto is in the hand of Leonide Massine, whoalso choreographed the ballet. The scene is set in Naplesand the characters are taken from the Commediadell'Arte. Rosetta and Prudenza respond to theserenading of Caviello and Florindo by dousing themwith water. A Dottore arrives and chases the musicalpair away. Pulcinella enters, dances, and attractsPrudenza, who tries to embrace him. He rejects her.Rosetta appears, chaperoned by her father Tartaglia. Shetells him of her love for Pulcinella, for whom shedances. He kisses her, but is seen by Pimpinella, hismistress, who becomes jealous. Caviello and Florindore-enter in disguise, and Florindo, jealous of Pulcinella,stabs him. When the would-be lovers leave, Pulcinellacautiously gets up. Four little Pulcinellas enter, carryingthe body of Furbo disguised as Pulcinella. They placethe body on the floor. The Doctor and Tartaglia enterwith their daughters, who are horrified. A magicianappears and revives the corpse. When the fathers refuseto believe the miracle, the magician removes his cloakand reveals himself as the real Pulcinella. The revivedcorpse is his friend Furbo. Pimpinella enters but isfrightened at the sight of two Pulcinellas. Florindo andCaviello return, disguised as Pulcinellas, hoping formore satisfaction in their amorous pursuits. Theconfusion caused by four Pulcinellas prompts Furbo toresume his disguise as magician. At the end, the"Pulcinella" couples, including Pimpinella and theballet's eponymous hero, are reunited and married.Further to complicate the distinction of identities,the musical numbers do not correspond to dramaticsituations, and the texts of the vocal pieces--six of theseven were borrowed from three different operas--areunrelated to the stage action. Some of them, but notincluding Contento forse vivere, from Metastasio'sAdriano in Siria, are in Neapolitan dialect. Unpromisingas all of this may sound, the vocal pieces, one aria forthe bass, three for the tenor, two for the soprano, oneduet, and two trios, seem to turn the ballet into an operawith