Trois mouvements de Petrouchka

Trois Movements de Petrouchka ( " Three movements from Petrushka " ) is the title of arrangements for piano solo of the ballet " Petrushka " by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky.

Formation

Stravinsky reported in his book "Memories " (1936 ): " In this work [ to" Petrushka " ] I had the stubborn idea of ​​a puppet who suddenly wins life and by the devilish arpeggio their gambols, the patience of the orchestra so much exhausted that it threatens them with fanfare. This results in a terrible muddle which ends at its peak with the painfully plaintive collapse of the poor puppet man developed. " Originally conceived as a concertante piece for piano and orchestra, Stravinsky was the head of the " convinced Ballets Russes ", Sergei Diaghilev, from this work the ballet " Petrushka " to make. It remained for the piano only episodes as an orchestral solo instrument.

The pianist Arthur Rubinstein describes in his memoirs his discussions with Stravinsky regarding the possibilities of the piano, which kept the composer exclusively for a percussion instrument. " I went to the piano and played parts, Petrushka ', especially the music in Pétrouchkas room. On the spot Stravinsky forgot everything that had gone before and was very professional. How they manage that their bass sound so? Do they have a special pedal technique? ' Yes, of course. I think with the foot still vibrating bass and therefore can change the harmonies in the treble. ' And I went jokingly continued ,' that they so hated piano can do much more. ' Igor was now quite reconciled. ' I am writing a sonata on motifs, Petrushka '. "

The " Trois Movements de Petrushka " by Igor Stravinsky for piano are one of the hardest and most virtuosic works of the piano literature. Stravinsky composed the Piano Transcription in 1921 and dedicated it to Arthur Rubinstein. In the second sentence "Chez Petrushka " can Stravinsky's notion of the keyboard instrument must clearly show: C major to F-sharp major, white against black keys. The third movement, " La semaine grasse " presents to the players especially high demands on his ankle and stroke technique. For the notation of the last sentence Stravinsky used almost always three, but partly also four systems.

Artists

Due to the enormous difficulties of the work has so far found only a few performers. They include Alfred Brendel, Emil Gilels, Maurizio Pollini, Alexis Weissenberg, Christopher Park, the young pianists Wang Yujia from China and Chatia Buniatischwili from Georgia.