Overture Magazine 2019-20 BSO_Overture_Nov_Dec | Page 27

Giovanni Pergolesi lived a brief 26
years, but his 15 operas and exquisite
church music made him a legend in
his time. In a period without copyright
laws, lesser composers were happy to
publish their works under Pergolesi’s
name to boost sales. Though Stravinsky
was unaware of this, only three of the
suite’s movements are based on genuine
Pergolesi: the Serenata, Vivo and Minuet.
The rest is derived from music by
Domenico Gallo and other unknowns.
In Pulcinella, Stravinsky retained the
graceful melodies and basic harmonies
of Pergolesi et al. Yet within the first
minute of listening, we realize we are
not really in the 18th century. In the
Overture, as the oboe and bassoon
complete their charming duet, the
composer telescopes the regular phrasing
into a passage of pulsing syncopation
that is pure Stravinsky in its rhythmic
drive. Throughout, he plays with rhythm
and altered phrasing, especially in the
Finale which evokes the excitement of
Petrouchka’s carnival. He also continually
spices the traditional harmonies with
dissonant notes.
Above all, the orchestration casts a new
light on the Baroque originals. Stravinsky
scores the suite for a small ensemble
of strings, including string quintet,
winds, trumpet and trombone. In the
concertante manner, solos by the quintet
and various wind instruments contrast
with the ensemble. It is some of these
solo excursions that replace Baroque
sound with Stravinsky’s biting, modern
voice; notice the impudent trumpet solo
in the Toccata and the grotesque duet
between trombone and double bass in
the Vivo. Other special moments are
the lovely woodwind scoring of the
Gavotte and the plucked harmonics in
the throbbing accompaniment of the
Serenata, sounding like a huge hollow
guitar beneath the oboe and violin’s
Pergolesi aria.
Instrumentation: Two flutes including piccolo,
two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, trumpet,
trombone and strings.
Notes by Janet E. Bedell, © 2019
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