Pierrot
(1985)
Duration: 17'
For piano, violin and clarinet
Commissioned by the Verdehr Trio with funds from Michigan State University

World Premiere: 13 April 1986, Istanbul, Turkey
Verdehr Trio

U.S. Premiere: 10 December 1986, Alice Tully Hall, New York
Verdehr Trio

Publisher:  Novello & Co Ltd

Critical Acclaim:

...has a programmatic subtext, each section depicting a scene from the traditional Pierrot — Columbine — Harlequin tale...the music itself, again conservative but full of Ms Musgrave's own powerful personality, was winning.
— John Rockwell, The New York Times

Composer's Note:

A chance rediscovery of Debussy's La Sérénade Interrompue was the starting point for this work, and an obvious association of ideas led easily to thoughts of Pierrot. A fortuitous coincidence, since the characters in the story are three and this work was to be a trio! The form of the work follows the story quite closely and there are thus eight short sections.

1. Pierrot: Andante espressivo
   (Pierrot alone on stage is sad and introspective)
2. Columbine: Con frivolezza
   (Columbine, frivolous and superficial, enters. Pierrot starts to make a passionate declaration of love to her... she consents to listen.)
3. Pierrot's Serenade: Spettrale
   (In the moonlight, Pierrot serenades Columbine. The piano imitates the strumming of Pierrot's guitar.)
4. Harlequin: Con energia
   (Harlequin enters with his usual overwhelming energy and self-absorption. Pierrot and Columbine conceal themselves and at first Harlequin does not notice them.)
5. Harlequin attacks Pierrot: Furioso
   (Harlequin furiously attacks Pierrot, who confronts Harlequin with all his strength. But Pierrot is no match for him.)
6. Columbine rejects Pierrot: Molto meno mosso
   (Pierrot turns to Columbine, she now cruelly rejects him and gives her attention to Harlequin.)
7. Harlequin's Serenade: Sensuale
   (Harlequin successfully courts Columbine despite Pierrot's protestations)
8. Pierrot: Andante espressivo
   (As at the beginning Pierrot is alone, but now in even greater despair.)

There are several musical links with the Debussy prelude. As in the Debussy the two serenades are in keys a major third apart (here A minor and D flat major: in the Debussy, B flat minor and D major.) However in Pierrot both serenades are interrupted: Harlequin successfully interrupts Pierrot's serenade, and later Pierrot tries unsuccessfully to interrupt Harlequin's. Two other short motives from the Debussy prelude can easily be discovered!

Throughout, the violin represents Pierrot, the clarinet Columbine and the piano Harlequin, though the instruments do also have some accompanimental function.

Recordings:

Pierrot
Verdehr Trio
Chrystal Records CD 742
———
Mark Troop, piano
Victoria Soames Samek, clarinet
David le Page, violin
Clarinet Classics CC0038

Top of Page   |   Home   |   Compositions   |   Chester Novello   |   G. Schirmer

Webmaster