| Term | Definition |
|---|
| best known of all ballet scores, presents the ill fated adventures of a puppet suddenly comes to life. ballets including the firebird, the rite of spring and agon. Choral music, including symphony of psalms | nature |
| a street fair during Carnival week in St petersburg in 1830s. The opening tableau, or scene shows the crowds milling about booths of fairgrounds. People of all classes mingle. Suddenly a drum roll summons the crowd to little marionette theater in center of stage. The curtain rises, revealing 3 puppets- Petrushka, the Ballerina, and the Moor. The Showman touches the dolls with his flute, whereupon they spring to life. | setting |
| set in Petrushkas rooms, focuses on little clowns unhappy love for Ballerina, who is put off by his appearance. | Second scene |
| takes place in Moors room. He is brutal and stupid, but Ballerina is charmed by his good looks and his magnificient uniform. Petrushka, mad with jealousy, interrupts their lovemaking. Moor throws his out. | 3rd scene |
| back in festive fairground. Petrushka rushes out from behind the curtain, pursued by the MOor, who overtakes him and strikes him with his sword. Petrushka falls , to horror of crowd, dies. | final scene |
| consists of 3 sections, 1st and 3rd of which are in rondo form. Between them is flute cadenze played by Showman that leads to rise of curtain. Fold music surrounded Stravinsky in his childhood is evoked in opening measures. | music of 1st tableau |
| solo flute, supported by second flute, presents a syncopated melody in high register that captures the agitation of the crowd. | music of 1st tableau section 2 Flute cadenza |
| called Song of the Volochebniki (singing beggars) is a Russian Easter carol. It is set in a narrow range and rooted in the key, moving stepwise along the scale. | one tune heard in opening tableau |
| Stravinsky used variety of harmonic devices, including simple diatonic chords to accompany popular tunes, pentatonic, whole tone, and modal harmonies, and chromatic progressions. The ballet contains a famous example of polyharmony called Petrushka chord: a C major arpeggio superimposed on one built F sharp major. | nature of music |
| 1911 | Date of work |
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