Puss in Boots

Puss in Boots – Tone Poem 

Symphonic poem for a chamber orchestra

Puss in Boots is a tale by Giovanni Francesco Straparola and followed by other authors (i.e. Charles Perrault). The “Puss in Boots” tone poem combines several topics and events from the fairy tale commonly known in different interpretations. The short motives and themes are used in the score to form vivid scenes of joy and sorrow, and occasionally also, the echoes of the evil are audible (the Saw/Flexatone/Piccolo sound).

The composition not only resembles the tone poems of Richard Strauss but ballets of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

The music scenes are organized in the following manner (and marked with Rehearsal Letters):

A – The Mill (The father works with three sons)

B – The Cat Master Cat or Booted Cat, runs freely and carelessly)

C – The Funeral (The old father dies)

D – The Wheel of Fortune (sharing the inheritance, they roll the wheel, throw the dice, and John gets only the cat)

E – Cats recitative - initiative (the cat is now to take care of his master John)

F – Cats action - He goes out and shows possibilities of nature, rest, clean air, river, and creatures that help you

G – Fishes (possible food)

H – The Mouse (brings the news of the rich castle being near)

I – The Cat, the spy of love (sees the beautiful Sophie, and the cat tries to arrange John's marriage)

J – The Ogre – the Wizard (cat gets caught by the evil Ogre/Bad Wizard) regardless of your name unpleasant character

K – The run! The chase! (cat fools the Wizard with the help of the mice)

L – The Victory (The cat wins and continues organizing the wedding ceremony in the castle

M – The Wedding (motives of Sophie and John)

N – The Family (Sophie's family interrupts the rite but gets defeated and joins the party,

O – Oberek - the Polish traditional dance (a happy feast for the newly married!)

Puss in Boots means that the Cat is activated, and acts as a Godly being. Defeats the evil and serves the loving ones. Follow his way! ;)