Scaramouche

Scaramouche, Op. 165, is a suite composed by Darius Milhaud in 1937. The suite is based on incidental music Milhaud wrote for two theatrical productions: Le Médecin volant and Bolivar. Scaramouche draws inspiration from various sources, with each of the suite's three movements being of a distinct character. Milhaud's characteristic use of polytonality can be heard throughout the piece. Scaramouche was composed as a piano duo in 1937 at the request of Marguerite Long and was premiered at the Exposition internationale des arts et des techniques dans la vie moderne the same year. The suite was later arranged for various ensembles due to the piece's popularity, including arrangements for solo alto saxophone with orchestra and – at the request of the clarinettist Benny Goodman – solo clarinet with orchestra. Background The music in Scaramouche is taken from incidental music that Milhaud composed for two plays. The first and third movements are inspired by themes composed for Henri Pascar's production of an adaptation of Molière's Le Médecin volant (The Flying Doctor); it is from here that Scaramouche gets its name, as Pascar's group of players was named the Théatre Scaramouche. Movement two takes its theme from music Milhaud composed in 1936 for Jules Supervielle's opera, Bolivar. Although he did not use any of the 1936 themes for the final score, Milhaud later decided to repurpose the original overture for Scaramouche. Composition and publishing