Cavalleria Rusticana

Pietro Mascagni

Subtitle: Selection from the Opera

General Info

Year: 2011
Duration: c. 8:40
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Brain
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $125.00 | Score Only (print) - $18.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I/Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion, including:

Bass Drum
Castanets
Chimes
Crash Cymbals
Field Drum
Glockenspiel
Marimba
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Tambourine
Triangle
Vibraphone
Xylophone

Vocal Choir

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

In 1889, music publisher Edoardo Sonzogno sponsored a competition for young Italian composers who had not yet brought an opera to stage. Cavalleria Rusticana was submitted, winning first prize. It had ideology, principle, and the emotional extremes embraced by the Italian verismo movement of the late 19th century, and Mascagni was credited with initiating the opera verismo style. The title means "rustic chivalry," and its beautiful Intermezzo is internationally revered.

In the story, Turiddu, a young villager in Sicily, returns from military service to find his fiancée Lola married to Alfio, the prosperous village teamster. In revenge, Turiddu seduces Santuzza, a young woman in the village. As the opera begins, Lola, overcome by her jealousy of Santuzza, has begun an adulterous affair with Turiddu.

The arrangement includes three excerpts from the original opera. It starts with a prelude describing a calm Easter morning, followed by a trumpet solo used for Turiddu's Aria Siciliana, sung offstage in the opera. Next is Brindisi, Viva il vino spumeggiante -- cheerful festival music. Introduced by sacred bells, a beautiful vocal prayer scene restates the original Intermezzo theme at the start of Scena e Preghiera which dynamically moves from the saxophones to the full ensemble. Ultimately the memorable Intermezzo motif returns as a coda for the grand finale.

- Program Note from publisher