Crisantemi
1890 Instrumental prelude by Giacomo Puccini for string quartet From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Crisantemi, (Chrysanthemums), SC 65, is an instrumental prelude for string quartet written by Giacomo Puccini in 1890 as a tribute to the late Amadeo I of Spain who was a son of the Italian King, Vittorio Emanuele II.
| Crisantemi (Chrysanthemums) | |
|---|---|
| Instrumental composition by Giacomo Puccini | |
| Catalogue | SC 65 |
| Occasion | In memory of Amedeo di Savoia |
| Language | Italian |
| Performed | 26 January 1890 |
| Scoring |
|
Puccini had already composed Le Villi in 1884 and Edgar in 1890. The opera was not a success (Puccini repeatedly revised it until the last performance in Buenos Aires, in 1905, before declaring the work irredeemable). A few months after the failed debut of Edgar, Puccini started writing his masterpiece: Manon Lescaut. Suddenly in 1890 at just 44 years old, Amadeo I of Spain died due to lung disease. Deeply moved by Amadeo I of Spain's death, Puccini wrote this work in a sudden burst of inspiration, just in a night. White chrysanthemums (in Italian Crisantemi) are used in Italy only for funerals or on graves. Crisantemi was first played on 26 January, 1890. After its successful performance, Puccini incorporated themes from Crisantemi into Manon Lescaut.[1]
Giacomo Puccini's Crisantemi is a single movement prelude in ternary form. This work is a haunting musical lament, rooted in the somber key of C# minor. The piece unfolds in a single, mournful movement, characterized by two primary themes. The first theme, a slow, chromatic descent, builds intensity through contrary motion. The central section reaches a poignant climax as the violin soars over a gentle viola pattern, while the cello provides a steady, melancholic bass line. A series of intense climaxes, marked by unison playing, punctuate the work. The elegy concludes with a reprise of the opening theme.
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