Fragments from Chout Op.21 (1915-20)

arranged for cello and piano by Roman Sapozhnikov

Chout and Choutikha (The Buffoon and the Buffoon’s Wife)

The Merchant is Dreaming

Choutikha (The Buffoon’s Wife)

The Merchant in Despair

Dance of the Seven Buffoons’ Daughters

There are only two Prokofiev works actually conceived for cello and piano and completed in that form, an early Ballade in C minor Op.15 and and the late Sonata in C major Op.119. However, as a Alexander Ivashkin has demonstrated on a fascinating Prokofiev CD, there are three other scores suitable for performance by cello-and-piano duo, including a suite of Fragments from Chout arranged by the Russian cellist Roman Sapozhnikov.

“Fragments” is an appropriate title for the cello-and-piano arrangements: they are nowhere near as extensive as the twelve-movement orchestral suite arranged by Prokofiev himself in an effort to give more exposure to a ballet score which, though a great success on its introduction by the Ballets Russes in Paris in 1921, was not performed as much as he would have liked. Sapozhnikov’s first movement is made up of snippets from the opening scene of the ballet where the Buffoon - who turns out to be far less stupid than the seven other Buffoons and the rich Merchant he so resourcefully outwits - hatches his wicked plot with his wife. The Merchant is Dreaming comes from fourth scene where, unaware of what is about to befall him, the Merchant sleeps peacefully to a lyrical melody played (in the original version) high on a solo violin. Choukita returns to the first scene for a witty little episode scored for muted trumpet and woodwind. The Merchant in Despair is from the beginning of the sixth and last scene where, represented by three lugubrious bassoons, he laments the apparent loss of his new wife - who is, in fact, the Buffoon disguised as his own sister. The Merchant would have been wiser to choose a wife from one of the seven Daughters of the seven Buffoons who in the fourth scene performance a lively dance for him to the accompaniment mainly of violins and flute.