Stravinsky: Pulcinella (p.139)
The issues
1.
2.
3.
4.
Stravinsky’s manipulation of the C18 material
Orchestration
Harmony and texture
Rhythm
In practice, these are all interlinked and most questions will be a version of ‘What has
Stravinsky done to transform his source material’.
Gavotta & Variations
Structure
Gavotta and variations are in binary form (AB in this case, with A repeated), but with
unusual proportions – 10 bars and 22 bars.
Bars 1-10:
 4 bar phrase, cadence in D
 the same phrase extended to 6 bars and cadence in A.
Bars 11-32:
 2 + 2 bar phrase in G, then the same in A (sequence)
 6 bars (2+2+2) of sequences passing through F# minor, E minor to D
 4+ 4 bars (basically the same material) cadence in D
Variation 1 follows the same pattern (but in 6/8)
In Variation 2 one bar equals two of the Gavotta, BUT:
 The second part is repeated, making it twice as long, in proportion, BUT:
 The repeat of the tune starts half a bar early (b.80) and is overlapped by the
flute tune –compare bars 80-2 with bars 70-2. It makes the structure lopsided
and is a direct parallel with the way in which Stravinsky sometimes write two
chords at the same time.
Orchestration
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Wind only. Oboes, horns and bassoons at the start give a strongly C18 flavour
and flutes add a new colour from b.10. The trumpet and trombone from b.20
merely give extra weight to the chords.
Variation 1 also dominated by oboes, horns and bassoons, with the other brass
added to fill out the sound.
Variation 2 replaces the oboe solo with flute(s), which makes the whole seem
lighter.
Note: the horn parts are sometimes far more elaborate than those of the C18,
e.g. 39-42, and the bassoon parts in Variation 2 are both high and very tricky
in a distinctly C20 manner.
Harmony and texture
 Based on the original in terms of tune and bass line, but with the ornaments
written out precisely (e.g. b.1 or b.65)
 The Stravinskyan additions generally consist of added lines which clash with
the existing harmony, thought they are all diatonic (see examples from
previous sheets from the Gavotta).
 In Variation 1, for example, b.50 includes the notes of both an A major and a
C# minor chord (cf. oboe 2 and bassoon 1) and the oboe 2 line in b.51 creates
a brief moments of dissonance with its F# and C# on the first and fourth
quavers.
 Variation 2 is harder to see, because the bassoon part is often in the tenor clef
(read down one note). For example, in b.75 the second and fourth semiquavers
of the pattern outline a descending scale (A G# F# E) which doesn’t
completely ‘fit’ with the other parts.
 Textures in this movement are generally thinner than in the Sinfonia (there are
less instruments playing) and particularly transparent in the variations.
Question
How does Stravinsky characterise the separate parts of the Gavotta and variations.
Comment on orchestration, texture, harmony and structure, giving detailed examples
to support your points.