iversal rather than
local types. Structurally, his score rests on the Wagnerian method, in
that the vocal part floats on an uninterrupted instrumental current. In
the orchestral part the tunes which he borrowed from the popular music
of Japan are continuously recurrent, and fragments of them are used as
the connecting links of the whole fabric. He uses also a few typical
themes (Leitmotive) of his own invention, and to them it might be
possible, by ingenious study of their relation to text and situation,
to attach significances in the manner of the Wagnerian handbooks; but I
do not think that such processes occupied the composer's mind to any
considerable extent, and the themes are not appreciably characteristic.
His most persistent use of a connecting link, arbitrarily chosen, is
found in the case of the first motive of the theme, which he treats
fugally in the introduction, and which appears thereafter to the end of
the chapter (a, in the list of themes printed herewith). What might be
called personal themes are the opening notes of "The Star-Spangled
Banner" for Pinkerton and the melody (d) which comes in with Yamadori,
in which the Japanese tune used by Sir Arthur Sullivan in "The Mikado"
is echoed. The former fares badly throughout the score (for which no
blame need attach to Signor Puccini), but the latter is used with
capital effect, though not always in connection with the character.

If Signor Puccini had needed the suggestion that Japanese music was
necessary for a Japanese play (which of course he did not), he might
have received it when he saw Mr. Belasco's play in London. For the
incidental music in that play Mr. William Furst provided Japanese
tunes, or tunes made over the very convenient Japanese last. Through
Mr. Belasco's courtesy I am able to present here a relic of this
original "Butterfly" music. The first melody (a) was the theme of the
curtain-music; (b) that accompanying Cho-Cho-San, when discovered at
the beginning spraying flowers, presenting an offering at the shrine
and burning incense in the house at the foot of Higashi hill; (c) the
Yamadori music; (d) the music accompanying the first production of the
sword; (e) the music of the vigil. There were also two Occidental
pieces--the melody of a little song which Pinkerton had taught
Cho-Cho-San, "I Call Her the Belle of Japan," and "Rock-a-bye, Baby."

[figure: a musical score excerpt]

[figure: a musical score excerpt]

Themes from Puccini'