Czardasz - from Pugni, not Delibes
A bit unseasonal this, since ‘musical surprises’ was the theme of my 2009 Advent Calendar. But I just couldn’t wait til next year to share my excitement at this one. It seems that not only is the Theme Slave varié (‘Friends’) from Coppélia not originally by Delibes, but the Czardasz isn’t either.
I discovered this looking through the microfilm of Pugni’s Théolinda, ou le Lutin de la Vallée (1860), a ballet by St Léon. Look on page 29-30 and you’ll see great unmistakeable chunks of the Coppélia Czardasz, including so many stylistic particulars that it can only indicate that borrowing has taken place. My guess is both Delibes and Pugni were borrowing from a third source. This is so obvious, and so extraordinary, I can’t believe that I can be the first or only person to notice it.
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Tags: Music, advent 2009, ballet, ballet accompaniment, czardasz, musical surprises, pugni