Catalog of Opera-Inspired Repertoire for the Cello

123
7/21/2019 Catalog of Opera-Inspired Repertoire for the Cello http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/catalog-of-opera-inspired-repertoire-for-the-cello 1/123 A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY, DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS AND RESULTING CATALOG OF OPERA-INSPIRED REPERTOIRE FOR THE CELLO by Mary Beadell Copyright © Mary Beadell 2004 A Document Submitted to the Faculty of the SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND DANCE In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS WITH A MAJOR IN MUSIC In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2 0 0 4

Transcript of Catalog of Opera-Inspired Repertoire for the Cello

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A COMPREHENSIVE

STUDY, DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS AND RESULTING

CATALOG OF

OPERA-INSPIRED

REPERTOIRE FOR THECELLO

by

Mary

Beadell

Copyright © Mary

Beadell 2004

A

Document Submitted

to

the Faculty

of

the

SCHOOL OFMUSIC AND DANCE

In Partial Fulfillmentof

the

Requirements

For

the

Degree

of

DOCTOR

OF

MUSICAL ARTS

WITH A MAJOR IN MUSIC

In the Graduate

College

THE UNIVERSITY

OF

ARIZONA

2 0 0 4

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UMI Number: 3158072

Copyright

2004

by

Beadell, Mary

All

rights

reserved.

INFORMATION TO USERS

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2

THE

UNIVERSITY

OF

ARIZONA ®

GRADUATE COLLEGE

As members

of the

Final

Examination Committee, we

cert i fy

that

we

have read

the

document

prepared

by

Mary Beadell

entitled A

COMPREHENSIVE STUDY, DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS MP RE S UL T I RG

CATALOG

OF

OPERA-INSPIRED REPERTOIRE

FOR THE CELLO

and

recommend that it

be

accepted

as

fulfi l l ing the requirements

for

the

Degree

of Doctor of

Musical

Arts

r?

~

/T Nancy

Green

/

. /

i

Date

//

/ / - / /

/

i

/ / f v

Mafl:

Rush

Date

/

Hong-Mei Xiao

Date

Date

Date

Final approval and acceptance of this document is

contingent

upon the

candidate's

submission

of the final copy of

the

document to

the Graduate College.

I hereby cert ify that I

have

read

this

document prepared under my direction

and

recommend that it be accepted as fulfi l l ing the requirement.

A

i r e c t o r / Nancy

Green

Date

.4 i

-i?

/ -1 /

1,

j ^

/

j

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3

STATEMENT BY AUTHOR

This document has

been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an

advanced degree

at The University

of Arizona and

is

deposited in the Univers i ty

Libra ry

to

be

made avai lable to bonowers under

rules of

the Libra ry .

Brief

quotations

from

th is

document

are

allowable without special

pennission,

provided that accurate acknowledgement of

source

is

made.

Requests for permission for

extended

quota t ion f rom or reproduction

of this

granted

by

the copyright

holder.

SIGNED:

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TABLE

OF CONTENTS

4

LIST

OF

FIGURES 5

ABSTRACT 9

L INTRODUCTION 10

I I . OPERA-INSPIRED REPERTOIRE AS

PROGRAMMING

CHOICE

11

III.

METHODOLOGY 17

IV.

IDENTIFICATIONOF

OPERA-INSPIRED

REPERTOIRE

TYPES

20

A. Solo

transcriptions and arrangements

B. Original

compositions

C. Ensemble

music

V. ANALYSIS CRITERIA

AND

ASTA RANKING 24

A.

Key

B.

Range

C.

Dynamics

D .

Tempo

E.

Fingerings/positions

F.

Balance

G.

Special techniques

H.

Rhythm

I .

Articula t ion

J.

Edi t ing

VI.

CONCLUSIONS

-

ATALOG OFOPERA-INSPIRED CELLO

REPERTOIRE..83

VII . REFERENCES

114

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5

LIST

OF FIGURES

Figure

la.

Mascagni, Intermezzo Sinfonico

from

"Cavalleria

Rusticana,"

facsimile

of

the original manuscript

28

Figure

lb.

Mascagni, Intermezzo Sinfonico from

"CavalleriaRusticana." ...32

Figure Ic.

Mascagni, Intermezzo Sinfonico from ''Cavalleria Rusticana."

33

Figure 2. Weber, Agatha's Cavatina

from

"Der Freischiitz," Cello

I.

mm.

6-14 35

Figure

3. Weber, Agatha's Cavatina from "Der Freischiitz, Cello III, mm. 6-14

36

Figure 4. Bizet, Habanera

from "Carmen," mm.

4 -12. ..37

Figure

5. Bizet,

Habanera

from "Carmen," mm.

4-12

37

Figure 6a. Puccini , Quando men vo, from "La Boheme." mm.

5-11

39

Figure 6b. Puccini, Quando

men vo,

from

"La

Boheme," mm.

5-14. .39

Figure 7. Handel, Larghetto from "Xerxes," transcription of original manuscript 41

Figure

8a. Handel. Larghetto f rom

"Xerxes,"

m . 25... .42

Figure 8b.

Handel, Larghetto

from "Xerxes," m. 44.

42

Figure

8c.

Handel, Larghet to from

"Xerxes,"

m. 21 43

Figure 8d. Handel, Larghetto from "Xerxes,".

...44

Figure 9a. Handel, Larghetto from "Xerxes," transcription

of

ms, m. 41..... 45

Figure 10a. Tchaikovsky,Lenski's Aria from

"Eugene

Onegin," mm.

1-18

46

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6

LIST OF

FIGURES

-

Continued

Figure 1 0 b .

Tchaikovsky,

Lcnski's

Aria from "Eugene

Onegin," mm.31-38

46

Figure

10c. Tchaikovsky, Lenski's Aria

from

"Eugene

Onegin,"

second

page 47

Figure

11.

Wagner,

Song to

the Evening Star

from

"Tannhauser," mm. 21-22. 49

Figure

1 2 a .

Wagner, Song to the

Evening

Star

from

"Tannhauser," mm.

5-8.

49

Figure

12b. Wagner,

Song

to

the

Evening

Star

from

"Tannhauser," mm. 29-30

50

Figure

13a. Godard, Berceuse

from "Jocelyn,"

mm. 30-32

51

Figure

13b. Godard, Berceuse

from "Jocelyn," mm. 64 51

Figure 13c.

Godard,

Berceuse

from "Jocelyn,"

mm. 86

51

Figure 1 4 . Puccini, E lucevan le ste l le f rom "Tosca," mm. 1-6 54

Figure 15. Beethoven,

Variations

on

a

theme from "The Magic

Flute,"

ram .

1-8

56

Figure

16. Beethoven,

Variations

on

a theme from

"The

Magic Flute,"

mm. 4-8 58

Figure 17a. Beethoven, Variations on a theme f rom "The Magic Flute,"

mm.

5-9 59

Figure

17b. Beethoven, Varia t ions on a theme from

"The

Magic Flute," mm. 29-31

60

Figure 18a. Corigliano, Phantasmagoria (on themes from

"The Ghosts

of Versailles"),

mm. 1-9 ....63

Figure 18b. Corigliano, Phantasmagoria (on themes from "The Ghosts

of

Versailles"),

mm. 15-16...

.........

63

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7

LIST

OFFIGURES - Continued

Figure

1 8 c .

Corigliano,

Phantasmagoria

(on

themes from. "The Ghosts of

Versailles"),

piano part, mm. 22-24

64

Figure I8d. Corigliano, Phantasmagoria (on themes

from "The Ghosts of

Versailles"),

mm. 47-50

64

Figure 18.

Corigliano, Phantasmagoria (on

themes

from "The Ghosts

of

Versailles"),

piano par t , mm.

44-45

64

Figure 1 9 a . Corigliano, Phantasmagoria (on themes from

"The

Ghosts

of

Versailles").

mm. 10-15 ......65

Figure 19b. Corigliano, Phantasmagoria (on themes

from "The Ghosts

of Versailles"),

Marie Antoinette's Aria, piano part, mm. 17-24

65

Figure

20. Verdi, Phillip's Aria

from "Don Carlos," Cello

I,

mm.

62- 66 67

Figure

2 1 a .

Gershwin,

Bess, You Is

My

Woman from "Porgy

and

Bess,"

vocal score,

mm. 9-10. 68

Figure 2 1 b . Gershwin, Bess,

You Is

My Woman from "Porgy

and

Bess,"

mm. 9-10

68

Figure 22a .

Gershwin,

Bess,

You Is My

Woman

from "Porgy and Bess," mm. 19-20...69

Figure

2 2 b . Gershwin, Bess,

You Is

My Woman from

"Porgy

and Bess," mm. 23-24..

70

Figure

2 3 . Offenbach, Barcarol le from "The Tales

of

Hoffmann," mm. 1-4 70

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8

LIST

OF FIGURES - Continued

Figure 2 4 . Offenbach. Barcarolle from "The

Tales of

Hoffmann," piano part , mm. I-4..72

Figure 25. Danzi,

Variations on a theme

from

Mozart's "Don Giovanni," mm. 1 4 73

Figure

25a. Danzi, Variations on a theme from Mozart's "Don Giovanni," mm. 25-29..74

Figure 26.Danzi, Variations on a theme

from

Mozart's

"Don

Giovanni," mm. 53-62 . . . . 75

Figure 27a. Danzi, Variations on a theme from Mozart's "Don

Giovanni,"

m. 89 75

Figure 27b. Danzi, Variations on a theme from Mozart's "Don

Giovanni,"

m. 93 76

Figure

27c.

Danzi, Variations on a theme from Mozart's "Don

Giovanni,"

vocal score,

mm. 19-24 76

Figure 28.

Danz i ,

Variations

on a theme f rom Mozart's "Don

Giovanni,"

mm. 109-116 77

Figure

29a.

Danzi, Variations

on

a theme

from Mozart's

"Don Giovanni,"

mm.

138-151 78

Figure 29b. Danzi,

Variations

on a theme

from

Mozart's "Don

Giovanni,"

vocal

score, 6/8 Allegro section .79

Figure 30. Danzi , Variations on a

theme

from Mozart's "Don Giovanni,"

rnm.

152-160 80

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9

ABSTRACT

Opera-inspired cello

repertoire

is

well

suited for performance and educational purposes,

but has

not

been systematical ly ident i f ied and

evaluated. Currently, there

are nei ther

existing

studies

on

this

repertoi re nor

any published

compilations.

Through

demonstration

and analysis , this study

will

show the

performance qualities

and

pedagogical

merit of

th is

repertoi re

through ident i f ica tion, review and analysis of each

piece . The findings of th is s tudy will be used to

create a

catalog that will make this

literature more visible and more accessible to performers, teachers

and students

in the

schools and in

the

private

sector .

The study and resulting catalog will be l imited to

music

that is

currently in

print .

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10

I.

INTRODUCTION

Opera-inspired cello repertoire is well suited for

performance

and educational

purposes, but has

not been

systematical ly identified and evaluated. Currently, there are

nei ther

existing

studies on

this repertoire

nor

any published compilations,

Through

demonstration and analysis , this study wil l show the performance qualities and

pedagogical merit of this repertoire through

identification,

review

and

analysis

of each

piece .

The

findings of th is study

will

be

used

to create a

catalog

that will make th is

l i terature

more visible and more accessible to performers, teachers and students in the

schools and in the private sector.

The

study and resulting catalog will be limited to music

that

is

currently in print .

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11

II . OPERA-INSPIRED REPERTOIRE AS A PROGRAMMING

CHOICE

Opera-inspired

repertoire

is an

excellent

programming choice

for

a number of

reasons. First ,

in

addition to great audience appeal , this music exploits the middle range

of the cel lo , so often likened to the human

voice .

"O

mio

babbino caro"

and

"Quando

men vo" by Puccini, and transcribed for cello by

Paolo

Toscano,

are

excellent examples.

Both t ranscript ions are

within the

typical ly

"tenor"

range

of

the

instrument.

For m a n y

transcribers and arrangers, pairing the cello with certain text or emotions because of its

sonorous timbre,

depth

of

tone, expressive portament i , legato, and cantabile l ine , enable

the cello

to act

as a sunogate for

the human

voice."In

the nineteenth

century

the sonori ty

of the

solo cello bccomes associated with those s igni f icant emotional and dramatic

moments

...

i ]n

choosing the ccllo, they recognized

an

instrument that

had

a

unique

expressive potential ." ' '

Second, based on vocal forms such as aria, cavatina, and others, this

repertoi re serves

as

a vehicle to show off the virtuosic capabilities of the performer.

The

Barber of

Seville

by Gioacchino Rossini

is

the consummate

eighteenth century opera

bujfa, with its lively

comic

and

farcical elements, easi ly grasped musical style,

ornamented lines and contrast of

treble and

bass.

Opera

bujfa is a

vehicle

in which to

'Mcintosh,

Suzanne Lee,

"The

Dramatic Use

of the

Cello in

Italian and

German operas of

the Nineteenth

Century."

(DMA

diss.. The

University of

Texas

at Austin,

1988), 219.

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show off the

voice

in a sort of vocal

Olympics . Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, who

wrote

the concert transcription

Figaro f rom

The

Barber

of

Sevil le

for

cellist Gregor Piatigorsky.

wrote it "expressly to display the virtuosity and technical prowess of the performer'" in

the

character

of

Figaro's

aria.

The

piece displays

the full spectrum of

string

wizardry:

ricochet,

left hand

pizzicato,

harmonics, cadenzas,

double

stops, spiccato, and

the

full

range

of the cello

including

fast passages in the upper register. Along with th is is the

famous

Rossinian crescendo,consist ing of many

repet i t ions of

a

passage,

each t rea tment

a higher pi tch

and

with fuller orchest rat ion and

a

louder

dynamic. Themes

are not

extended

or particularly lyrical ,

sect ional izing

the work

into

a

succession

of technical

events

or

antics. For the

piano

as well, the

piece

is notey and rather unidiomatic.

The

performer should

know the

opera

and

its

l ibretto

to give full realization

to the

satirical

musical humor that is plent i ful . Castelnuovo-Tedesco's concert transcription also

incorporates

the ensemble

finale,

an element of Italian comic

opera,

which

occurs

at the

end

of an

act when all

of the

characters return to

the

stage in a musical frenzy. Since

there are no actors or singers in the cello version, the composer accomplishes this with a

prestissimo coda-like ending, escalating the range and dynamic to a wildly exciting

finish.

" Rossini- astelnuovo Tedesco, Figaro from

The

Barber of Seville, Janos Starker,

violoncello

and

Shigeo Neriki,

piano,

Denon Records, 8175781182, 1992.

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13

Educationally, this

repertoi re

is ideal

for teaching

bel canto style, and for young

performers ,

it can

help in the

development

of

legato and expressive

playing ,

interpretation -ruhati and

tempo

var ia t ion,

and the importance

of breathing

while

performing. No opera composer used the cello to the extent

or

with as much

variety as

Giuseppe Verdi , the leading composer

of

nineteenth-century Italian opera

seria.

A great

number

of nineteenih-century opera

composers

wrote cello

solos

in their operas, knowing

that the

timbre of

that

part icular

instrument

could

in

essence

substitute for the voice. The

emotional

impact

was

the same: the cello

became

a voice- role almost-

erving

a

dramatic function to

convey

an emotional state

or

mood. This

is

true of

the

first

cello

part

in Thomas Mifune's

arrangement

of the King's

Aria from

Verdi's

Don

Carlos

for six

celli.

In

th is

transcription

of

Phillip's

aria

for

six celli. transcriber Werner

Thomas-

M i

fune has

l i terally

extracted this aria and given the six celli

the

various

instrumental/orchestral

parts such

as

violin,

flute, oboe, French horn, and trombone. In

the opera,

the

first cellist plays

a

solo and duet with Phillip (sung by a bass). In the sextet

version, the first cellist covers

both

the solo ccllo line and the part of the singer, but

when

the solo

cello

and singer

are

in duet,

the first cellist is

the

singer

and

the second

cellist

assumes the

role

of solo cello. The

first

two

cello

parts lie in the vocal area common

to

many

nineteenth-century Italian

arias or

transcriptions of arias. Through work

on

this

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14

piece ,

one

may

gain basic

understanding of orchestra t ion, and

the

importance of range,

instrumental timbre, voice and

balance.

Chamber

music

skil ls

may

be

strengthened as

wel l ,

as th is

piece embodies ensemble

playing: following

and leading,

recognizing

primary and secondary lines, phrase structure,

colla

voce and realizing composite parts.

Fourth,

this

repertoire exposes

the student

performer to numerous vocal

and

instrumental

forms particular

to opera (for example, aria, cavatina, habanera,

berceuse,

interlude, barcarolle)

and

stylized, technically demanding showpieces

copied

from vocal

models.

Bizet's Carmen,

first performed

in

Paris,

is

wrought

with memorable and

singable tunes

that

have been transcribed and arranged countless times for many different

instrumental and vocal combinations. The famous habanera

from

the opera, transcribed

for

cello

by

cellist Julian Lloyd Webber, is

actually

a

dance

of

Spanish

origin, always in a

moderate

2/4,

and

using a

variety of rhythmic

pat terns , the

most

common

being

dotted-

cighth-sixteenth followed by two eighths.

The

song is

a

lyrical

and

chromatic

melody

over

an

insistent

but unhurried

rhythmic bass

line, creating

a decidedly

sultry

mood. The written dynamics of

Julian

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15

Lloyd Weber's transcription

-

p,

p and mp

-

elp the

cellist

imitate

the

throat iness

of

the

alto

voice.

The

antithesis of

the

Habanera from

Carmen is

the Intermezzo

Sinfonico

from

Piet ro Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana. With its simple and quiet introductory

A

theme

and

triadic

but melodious B theme,

it

is no wonder

that

the Intermezzo Sinfonico stands

on

its own as a conccil piece. The development of long singing legato lines

and all that

is

inherent ,

such

as vibrato, bow use,

dis t r ibut ion , cont rol

of tone and

dynamics

are

the

curriculum for

this piece.

Act

II of The Tales

of

Hoffmann opens with the barcarolle theme that Offenbach

bo iTowed from his opera Die

Rheinnixen.

A barcaro l le

is

"a boat song of the

Venet i an

gondol iers

[It. barca.

boat],

or

an

instrumental

or

vocal

piece

in

imitation thereof."

Barcarolles

(always in 6/8 or 12/8) achicve

this with a

monotonous, lulling

accompaniment to suggest the

movement

of the waves

and

the boat.

Benjamin

Goddard's Jocelyn features the most famous operatic berceuse. The

berceuse is a song intended

to

lull children to sleep,

due

to

its

quiet dynamic, tonic pedal

bass, compound

time,

and "rocking"

accompaniment between I and V chords.

Ronald

Dishinger's transcription/arrangement

for

cello

and

piano is

a

short, elementary

level

introduction to this musical form.

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16

Finally,

many

cellists will not

have

had

great

exposure to the operat ic

repertoire,

and

they may

not be as

familiar

with

or

as

quick

to

recognize

this

wealth

of

cello

music.

Porgy and Bess is the first

completely

successful

American

opera. Musical ly , it

contains

all of

the nat ional is t ic

elements of

the t ime, such as

folk music,

jazz , and gospel. Due to

the

studied observations of l ibrett ist

DuBose

Heyward, the language of the songs in

Porgy & Bess reflect

the singing, stomping and ' " shout ing" of

the

prayer

meetings

and

the

intricate but natural,

even

primitive rhythms of the melodies of

the

Gullah Negroes from

James

Island, South Carolina. This

piece is

basically

a

jazz ballad, replete with great

freedom

of tempo,

portamenti, swing rhythms,

and

phrasing

to match

spoken

text.

The definition of phantasmagoria

is "a

fantastic sequence of

haphazardly

associative

imagery,

as

seen

in dreams

of

fever." Phantasmagoria

by

John

Corigl iano ,

wri t ten on

themes of his opera

The Ghosts

of

Versailles,

portrays all of

the

complexity of

the

plot in the cel lo

and piano

par ts . For

the experienced player. Phantasmagoria

is a

fun-filled and rigorous concert piece; for the newcomer, it is

a

musical kaleidoscope, well

worth

the

challenge.

'

arvard Dictionary

of music,

2"^

ed., s.v. "Barcarolle."

Ibid., s.v. "Phantasmagoria."

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III.

METHODOLOGY

1

have limited

my study to

music currently

in

print ,

and

did not include

opere t ta ,

musicals or

pre-opera forms such as masque or oratorio. No comprehensive list of works

that fit these criteria exists in one place . In order to find these pieces, I followed a step-

by-step process . First,

I

consulted several sources containing lists of

cello literature in

print such as catalogs (Shar Products ,

Southwestern

Strings) and websi tes

(Sheetmusicplus.com). Then I used various Internet research vehicles such

as

WebCat,

on-line library catalogs, and search engines (cello, cello + opera, cello repertoire). I

visited

music stores and

l ibraries

as well and

searched

by hand through stacks of

music. I

then

cross-referenced

the repertoi re I found with that

in print to

narrow the list

to

the

following;

Beethoven

Seven

Variations

on a theme from The Magic

Flute

Beethoven Twelve

Variat ions

on themes from

The

Magic

Flute

Bizet

Habanera

from

Cannen

Bizet Suite

for

Five Celli

from Carmen

C.

Tedesco

Figaro

(a

concert t ranscr ip t ion) from The

Barber

of Seville

Corigliano Phantasmagoria based on themes

from

The

Ghosts

of Versailles

Danzi Variat ions on a theme from Mozart's

Don Giovanni

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18

Flotow

Ah So Pure from

Martha

Gershwin Bess,

You

Is

My

Woman

Now

from

Porgy & Bess

Giuck

Minuet from

Alceste

Godard Berceuse

from Jocelyn

Granados

Intermezzo from Goyescas

Handel Largo

from Xerxes

Mascagni

Intermezzo Sinfonico from Cavalleria Rusticana

Mozart Aria from Don Giovanni

Mozart Aria from Le Nozze

di Figaro

Mozart Menuel/Minuetto from Don Juan/Don Giovanni

Mozart Rondo

alia

Turca from

The Abduction

from

the

Seraglio

Mozait Zerlina's Aria

from

Don Giovanni

Offenbach Barcarolle

from The

Tales of Hqffinann

Piatti Introduction and Vaiiations on a theme from Donizetti's Lucia di

Lammemoor

Puccini Ch'ella mi creda from La Fanciulla del

West

Puccini

E

lucevan

le stelle from Tosca

Puccini In quelle trine morbide

from

Manon

Lescaut

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19

Puccini Nessun

dorma (None

shall sleep) from

Tosca

Puccini

O

mio

babbino

caro

from

Gianni Schicchi

Puccini Quando men vo

from

La Boherne

Puccini Recondita armonia from

Tosca

Puccini Rodolfo's

Aria

f rom

I

  Boherne

Puccini Senza mamma from Suor

Angelica

Puccini

Un bel

di,

vedremo from

Madame

Butterfly

Puccini Viss i d'arte from

Tosca

Tchaikovsky Gremin's Aria from Eugene

One gin

Tchaikovsky

Lenski's

Aria from Eugene Onegin

Verdi

Phillip's Aria for

Six

Cclli

from

Don

Carlos

Wagner Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin

Wagner Introduction

and Song

from Tannhduser

Wagner Prelude

to

Tristan &

Isolde

Wagner

Siegmund's

Love

Song f rom

Die

Walkiire

Wagner

Song to

the

Evening Star from Tannhduser

Wagner

Walther's Prize Song from Die Meistersinger

Weber

Agatha's

Cavatina f rom Der Freischiitz

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20

I V .

IDENTIFICATION OF

OPERA-INSPIRED REPERTOIRE TYPES

Opera-inspired

repertoire

for the

cello

can be separated into three types. First are

solo

transcriptions and arrangements

(with piano accompaniment) such as

the

Habanera

from

Bizet's Carmen or the

Intermezzo Sinfonico

by Mascagni. Second

arc

original

compositions (theme and variations, fantasias, concert transcriptions) such as

Figaro

f rom The Barber of Seville, a concert transcription, and

third

are cello

ensemble music,

such as "Phillip's

Aria"

from

Don Carlos for

six celli, arranged by Werner

Thomas-

Mifune.

Below is the complete

l ist :

A .

Solo transcriptions and arrangements

Bizet

Habanera from

Carmen

Flotow Ah So Pure from Martha

Gershwin

Bess,

You

IsMy Woman

Now

from Porgy

& Bess

Gluck

Minuet

from

Alceste

Godard Berceuse from Jocelyn

Granados Intermezzo

from Goyescas

Handel Largo from

Xerxes

Mascagni

Intermezzo

Sinfonico

from

Cavalleria

Rusticana

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21

Mozart Aria

from

Don Giovanni

Mozart

Aria

from Le

Nozze di Figaro

Mozart Menuet/Minuetto

from

Don Juan/Don Giovanni

Mozart Rondo alia

Turca

from The

Abduction From the Seraglio

Offenbach

Barcarol le from The Tales of Hoffmann

Piatti

Int roduct ion and Variations

on a theme from Donizetti's Lucia di

Lammemtoor

Puccini

E

luce

van le

stelle

from Tosca

Puccini

In quel le

trine

morbide from Manon Lescaut

Puccini Nessun Dorma

Puccini

O mio babbino caro

from

Gianni Schicchi

Puccini Quando men vo from

La

Boheme

Puccini Recondita armonia

from

Tosca

Puccini Senza mamma from Suor

Angelica

Puccini Un

bel di, vedremo

from

Madame

Butterfly

Puccini Vissi d'arte from Toi-ca

Tchaikovsky Gremin's Aria from Eugene Onegin

Tchaikovsky Lenski's

Aria

from

Eugene

Onegin

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22

Wagner

Bridal Chorus

from

Lohengrin

Wagner

Int roducl ion

and Song

from

Tannhduser

Wagner Siegmund's Love Song from

Die

WalkUre

Wagner

Song

to

the Evening

Star

from Tannhduser

Wagner Walther's

Prize

Song from Die Meistersinger

B. Original

compositions

Bee thoven Seven

Variations

on a theme from

The

Magic Flute

Bee thoven

Twelve Variations on themes from The

Magic

Flute

C. Tedesco

Figaro (a

concert

t ranscr ip t ion )

from

The

Barber of

Seville

Corigliano Phantasmagoria

based

on themes

from The

Ghosts

of

Versailles

Danzi

Variations on

a

theme from Mozart's Don

Giovanni

C.

Ensemble music

Bizet

Suite

for Five

Celli from Carmen

Mozart Zerlina's Aria

from

Don Giovanni

Puccini Rodolfo's Aria from La Boheme

Verdi Phillip's Aria

for Six

Celli from

Don

Carlos

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23

Wagner Walther's Prize Song f rom

Die Meistersinger

Wagner Overture to

the 3'''

Act

from Tristan and Isolde

Weber Agatha's

Cavatina

from

Der

Freischutz

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24

V.

ANALYSIS

CRITERIA AND ASTA RANKING

I have identified, studied and analyzed

examples of

the three types of

opera-

generated compositions

for

the cello

( t ranscript ions ,

original compositions and ensemble

music) , and

I have

explored various technical and musical elements such as

A.

Key

B.

Range

B. Dynamics

C.

Tempo

D. Fingerings/positions

E.

Balance

F.

Special techniques

G. Rhythm

H. Articulation

I.

Editing

to determine playabihty, pedagogical merit and performance

worth.

As

all

of

these

pieces do not demonstrate every aspect of

the

study

and

analysis l ist , I have

limited

my

discussion to the

most

important technical and

musical

points of each

piece.

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25

I then

presented

a brief ,

descriptive summary

as

to

pedagogical

merit

and

assigned an

ASTA

(American String Teachers Association) ranking

using

prescribed

criteria. The

American

String Teachers'

Association ranking

system was developed by

David Littrel l , editor of the

ASTA

String Syllabus, along with a string teacher committee,

who categorized by

technical requi rements

much of the standard

s t r ing l i terature .

The description and

cri teria

is

as

follows:

Cello

Grade

1:

Remains exclusively

in

first posi t ion most often in the key of D. G

or

C. Rhythms are

simple with meters

in

4/4, 3/4

or

2/4

Cello

Grade 2;

Increased use of the first through fourth posi t ions . Increased

difficulty in

rhythms and

bowings

Cello Grade 3:

Builds fluency with

the tenor clef

and expands range

to

seventh

position.

Bowing styles

include lengthier

slurring,

staccato

and

spiccato.

May use

double stops

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26

Cello

Grade 4:

Continues the use

of

thumb

posi t ion

and

treble

clef.

Contains advanced

bow

strokes

such

as suntilie

Cello Grade 5:

Employs all posi t ions , double stops, and

varieties of

bowings

Cello Grade 6:

Requi re s extremely advanced technique

to

interpret

and

perform repertoire

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27

A. Key

The

original key

of

Mascagni's

"Intermezzo" is

F

major.

Two

versions

were

analyzed: the

first

by

an anonymous

t ranscr iber ,

in

F

major, and the

second, by Anton

Hegner,

in

C

major. The

first

version, in F, is

closer to

the

original manuscript than

the

second in terms of key

and

dynamics

(figures la,

lb, Ic.).

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28

Figure la. Mascagni,

Intermezzo

Sinfonico from Cavalleria Rusticana.'

transcribedfrom a facsimile

of

the original manuscript.

Andante sostenulo

legato

molto

(imintando la Pregiera)

1

~r~

-rJt d " ^

C . d

ff—

^

mf

«a=L/

r

dim. e rail.

?

^

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PP

dolciss.

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>

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29

I

cresc. -

dim. mpltop e rail

cresc. molto

ben fraseggiano

p-

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30

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31

>

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32

Figure lb. Mascagni, Intermezzo Sinfonico from Cavalleria Rusticana,

Am

C O

edition,

anonymous

transcriber.

Andante

sostenuto

=F

.

J?P

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33

Figure Ic.

Mascagni, Intermezzo Sinfonico from

Cavalleria Rusticana,

Carl

Fischer

ed., transcr. Hegner.

Andante

sostenuto

r | F

i f f

f f

f

-ftp

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34

The higher

range

of

the C

major version

may

project better (an octave from first posi t ion

C

on

the

A str ing)

than

the

F

major,

which

only expands

to

F

-

sccond

finger

in

four th

posi t ion on

the

A string.

This

places it in

the

"tenor range" of

the cello,

and out of

the

"alto range." I t

is also less l ikely

to be covered by

the

piano accompaniment.

The Hegner's more

aggressive dynamics, however, seem incongruous compared

with

the

original score

with its indication

of

imitando la

Pregliera, a

reference

to

the

Regina caeli at the

beginning of

the "Easier

Music."

The pp

marking

for the beginning

of

the anonymous

t ranscr ip t ion

helps

set

the delicate and reverent atmosphere

of the

opening

theme. With

the

melody in

the original F

major,

it

is possible to stay

on

the D

st r ing for

a

smooth, uninterrupted line. With the C major, the performer would have

to

cross

s t r ings

or

use

the

open

A

string:

too

bright

a

timbre

for the

sentiment

called for and

the sound of which

is

not

favorable to some

cell ists .

In

both

versions, shifting is required, so again,

speed

and control are at stake as

wel l

as

in tonat ion . It falls upon

the

cellist

to provide the

lushness and sostenuto of an

entire string . section in the second half of the

piece .

As in m a ny of the t ranscr ip t ions, the

piano accompanimcnt

is

an orchestra reduction and simply incapablc of producing

the

full

rich sound of the

strings

The F major version

might be a

good introduction to

posit ion

(so

granting it

an

A

ST

A Grade 2), and the C

major ,

for the more advanced

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35

cellist, an

introduction to seventh

posi t ion,

which is the first

finger on

the

mid-st r ing

A

harmonic (ASTA Grade

3).

Out

of

respect

for

the

veri ty of

the piece, the

F

major

t ranscript ion

is recommended.

Werner

Thomas-Mifunehas

transcribed numerous

opera

arias

for cello ensemble,

including "Agatha's Cavatina" from Der FreischUtz . The original

key

of Ab has been

maintained,

and because

of

the four flats, creates problems in

execution, smoothness

and

intonation

due

to the extensions,

D

s t r ing playing and cross-string fingerings. The main

melody

is

particularly problematic (figure 2).

i | ^

mf

espr.

"#•

p i ^ i f

I

I

Figure 2. Weber Agatha's Cavatina

from

Der FreischUtz.

Kunzelmann ed,Cello I . mm. 6-14. transcr.

Werner-Mifime.

As

in Thomas-Mifune's

other

arrangements

for cello

ensemble,

he has extracted

the aria

and given

the

parts to

six

celli. The

cello

solo from the opera goes

to

Cello

II,

who plays

the viola line when not playing the solo.

Cello

VI

is the

cello/bass

part

from the

orchestra. Celli III, IV and

V

are the bassoons and homs. Cello

III

has

an

odd and

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36

somewhat difficult

clarinet

solo in

bars 34 and 35, changing the part from fairly easy

in

the first half,

to

advanced and exposed

and

in

treble

clef

in

the

second (figure

3) .

Figure

3.

Weber,

Agatha's Cavatina

from Der

Freischutz,

Kunzelmann ed.,

Cello

III,

mm. 6-14,

transcr.

Wemer-Mifune.

Cello I is of

course

Agatha and

the part

is a l i teral translation, one octave lower. Due to

the key

and liberal

use

of

t reble

clef, this

sextet

is

awarded

the

A

ST

A grade

3-5.

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37

B.

Range

The

range

of

the melody

in the

Habanera

from Bizet's

Carmen

is

very

small,

and

is centered around the mid-range of the instrument; the open

D

string to

D (4" '

f inger) on

the

A

st r ing . It

is

a

showcase

for

the r ich sonority

of the

middle

range of

the cello, and

therefore an excellent study in the development of the

D

string range and shifting to the

fourth

and

fifth

posi t ions (figure

4).

h

i

i

Allegretto

quasi

Andantino

Irtii>rf

p

^

5 > >

L j r L L i t:^

| i i > ' [•

ffnnHwuiiwuinMnif

Figure 4. Bizet,

Habanera

from

Carmen,

Amsco ed.. anon, transen, mm.

4-12.

To

achieve

portamenti as is

traditionally

sung, the

cellist vi^ould

best

play

the sighing

figures on one

string so

as not to disrupt

the

line (figure

5).

^3

p.

^ 3

Figure 5. Bizet, Habanera

from

Carmen,

Amsco ed., anon,

transcr,

mm.

21-27.

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38

Rubato, as

well as portamenti is

inherent,

al though

it

is

difficult to

copy the slow

falling

gl i ssand i

so

natural

to the

voice

in

this

particular

style.

If

the performer is not

familiar

with Latin style, a study of Latin

or

Spanish music might be suggested. It would be

benef ic ia l

to view

this port ion of the

opera to see

the Habanera

performed. There

is

much to be

gained by

studying the Habanera

from

Bizet's Carmen. It is

a

melodious

and

rhythmically

colorful

piece , d isplaying sty l is t ic L at in

rhythms, chromatics, varied

color

and t imbre , portamenti.and

virtuosic vocal style with grace

notes and

embellishments.

The sophist ica t ion

of

the rhythmic and melodic style requires some prior or additional

exposure

to

th is

genre;

however, this familiar tune

may serve as

a vehicle through which

to

tcach

this

style. This piece rates

an

ASTA ranking of Grade 5.

Puccini's arias "Quando m e n vo" and

"O

mio babbino

caro"

in the keys of

Bb

and

F,

respect ively ,

both have a contained

range.

"Quando"

does

not exceed a

fourth

above

an octave (Bb

second finger

on

the

G string in first posi t ion [figure 6aJ) ,

and

"O

mio"

an

even more restricted C (fourth finger on the G string to F second finger, fourth position

on

the A string [figure

6b]).

Range is

relegated to

the D string, so the rich

legato

sound

subsequently supports the

libretto

in Italian opera.

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With the addition of

extensions,

shifts and portamenti, the result

is

a smooth, sonorous

line with a similar timbre to

the voice .

Tempo

di valser lento

W

X.

quasi

rit. a tempo

quasi rit. a

tempo

Figure 6a.

Puccini,

Quando men

vo.

from

La Boheme,'

Ricordi ed., transcr.

Toscano,

mm. 5-11.

Andante sostenuto

^ i f r * ' r i f p r p

P

dolce

p r f f

f i f

[ ^

Figure 6h. Puccini, O mio habbino caro,

from La

Boheme,

Ricordi

ed.,

transcr

Toscano,

mm. 5-14.

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40

C. Dynamics and editing

The

Larghet to

"Ombra

niai

fu"

from Handel's

Xerxes is

a

very

popular

transcription.

The

1996

Kunzelmann edition, transcribed by Thomas

Wemer-Mifune is

critically

more accurate than

at

least two of

the most

standard versions (although it

contains several embellishments) -

the

editions of Carl

Fischer and

Amsco Music

Publishing Co.. Inc. "Ombra mai fu" is only fifty-one bars long. The Fischer and Amsco

versions are

mostly

alike,

except for

some

dynamic inconsistencies

and

disagreement

over slurs

and ar t icula t ions . The

manuscript contains

no

embellishments

and

neither

do

the most common

vers ions

(figure 7).

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41

Figure 7.

Handel, Larghetto

from Xerxes,

transcription of

original

manuscript.

h

= f F = g

X " " " '

Om

bra

mai

-fu

< 1 ^ J J

p p

h

p p"

di ve

-

ge - ta -

bi

- le

ca-ra

ed

a

-

r n a

- bi-le

so - a -

ve

piu

om -

J I J

±

n j - T r

bra mai fu di ve

-

ge ta - bi - le

ca-re

ed a - ma -bi-le

i : ] J

i J i J

0

so -

a -

ve pill

ca

ra ed a - ma-bi-le. om -

bra

mai fu

r r

r I

di ve

- ge -

ta

-

bi

le ca - ra

ed

a

-

ma -

bi-le so -

a - ve

piil

p r

i c Y f

a

so

- a - ve piii

j . J j

3

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42

Bowings

and ar t icula t ions are simply a matter of editing since the manuscript

has

none

of

these markings,

and

it

is

up to

the performer to decide

the

parameters

of

performance practice in interpreting the modern

editions.

The

following

lists the editorial

differences of the Kunzelmann, Fischer and Amsco editions as compared to the

original

manuscript :

Kunzelmann:

1. adds

a

t ie

from

measure

sixteen

to

seventeen.

2.

adds

a mordent on the second beat of

measure

twenty-five (figure 8a).

Figure

8a. Handel, Larghetto

from

Xerxes,

Kunzelmann

ed.,

transcr.Werner-Mifune, rn. 25.

3.

adds

a trill

on

the

second

beat

of

measure

forty-one.

4.

adds

a

short cadenza

after the

dotted half-note in

bar

forty-four (figure

8b).

ad lib.

Figure 8b.

Handel, Larghetto

from

Xerxes,

Kunzelmann ed., transcr. Werner-Mifune,

m.

44.

5. adds a mordent on the second beat of measure

forty-five.

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43

Carl Fischer:

1.

no

tie

from

measure fifteen to sixteen.

2. in measure twenty-one, the rhythm is changed on the third beat from two

sixteenths and an eighth

to

a t riplet (figure 8c).

3

Figure

8c. Handel, Larghetto from

Xerxes,

Carl Fischer ed, arr Theo. Moses-Tohani, m. 21.

3.

adds

a note on the third beat

of measure

38 which is a third above the first

note

of

the

measure.

4.

changes

notes and rhythms completely

in

measures forty-five

and

for ty-six .

5. presents the aria twice

(AA form), with slight variations

in the last

two bars of

each

presentation.

6.

adds an

eight-bar

coda.

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Amsco Music

Publishing Co., Inc.

1.

adds

a

tie

from

measure

sixteen

to

seventeen

(this

is the

same

as

Kunzelmann,

but

different from Carl Fischer) .

2.

in measure

twenty-one,

the

rhythm is changed on

the

third beat from

two

sixteenths and an

eighth to

a

tr iplet

(same as Carl Fischer, but different from

Kunzelmann).

3. adds a

note

on

the third beat of

measure 38

which

is a

third

above

the

first

note of

the measure

(same

as Carl

Fischer,

but different from Kunzelmann (figure 8d)).

4. adds an eight-bar coda (same

as

Carl

Fischer,

except for a note added

to

the third

beat

of

measure eighty-five, accents

over

the three

beats of

measure

eighty-six

and

the first

beat of

eighty-seven, and a

trill

in bar ninety.

Figure

8d. Handel. Larghetto

from

Xerxes,

Amsco ed.,

anon,

transcr, m. 38.

All editions changed the rhythm in measure

forty from

a

dotted-quarter

eighth note and

quarter to

a

quarter, dotted-eighth note sixteenth, and quarter note (figure 9).

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45

i r

K

I

fr

L / r

i

Figure

9.

Rhythm change

From

a

teaching

standpoint, "Ombra mai

fu"

is a

timeless

melody

that

is

completely accessible on

the cello. The

Mifune edi t ion places a portion of

the

music in

tenor clef, but

the

range

never

exceeds fourth posi t ion . There are no dynamic markings

in the manuscript, and the entire aria is marked piano in the

vocal

score. The

piece

has

been romanticized

in

common

performance

that might

account for

the

numerous

crescendi, decrescendi,

hairpins

and wide range

of dynamics

used in

all

of the

versions.

The

piano

part

is

a

typical Baroque piano reduction, thin and chordal

with

constant

quarter notes in the

bass.

Deference to the

fourth

posi t ion in the cello version

of

"Ombra

mai

fu"

denotes an ASTA Grade 2.

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46

D. Tempo

Numerous tempo changes

are

indicated

in

the

score

and in cello

part of Thomas-

M i fune's transcription of

"Lenski's

Aria" from Eugene

Onegin,

but they do not begin to

direct

the

performer

to the extreme

l iberties

taken by singers

in an

actual

opera

performance.

On

the page, the interpretation could

be

very simple (figures

10a,

10b,

10c).

Andante, quasi Adagio

s t r ingendo

ri tardando

a piena

voce

Figure

10a.

Tchaikovsky,

Lenski's

Aria

from

Eugene

Onegin,

Kunzelmann

ed,

transcr. Werner-Mifune,

mm.

1-18.

accel .

poGO

, oco

rit

• w m

P

r\

poco stringendo

Piu

mosso

Figure

10b.

Tchaikovsky, Lenski's

A

riafrom Eugene Onegin,

Kunzelmann ed., transcr.

Werner-Mifune, mm. 31-38.

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47

Figure 10c. Tchaikovsky. Lenski's Aria from Eugene Onegin,

Kunzelmann

ed.,

transcr.

Werner-Mifune,

second page.

rit.

t j— IL. g_ g_ ig_. I L .^

I B - >

^

Lento

/

dim.

Tempo I

I

©

f=

ifp

M— 4*

^

7

esc.

-LX-L

4j^:

M

••

poco piu anirnato ( • = 80)

j

T

^ f Hf" y f

Z j 1 ^ 0 .

..

| . . • •

/

J?

rit.

> > ^ » r

p

/7s

ttf I P

i

I

ijl

h

stringendo e cresc.

Andante mosso

(J

= 76)

t» J'

J'-J- Ji

J:

rit.

ad lib

J")/

i|

Jj J

ji

/Os

Assai rneiio mosso

Q*p

J?

1

wm

cresc.

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48

Although Mifune's Lenski t ranscr ip t ion is almost

entirely

in

treble clef, the

range is

not

extensive.

The

highest

note is

G#,

a

hal f

step below

the A

mid-point harmonic.

The

vocal

line is

almost always in

two-bar phrases or

less,

and each new

phrase portion

otten

begins

with

a pick-up. It

is up

to

the

performer

to susta in the line

over the

beats of rest ,

made more difficult

with the

absence

of

text . The piano part

is rather

independent,

comprised

of block

chords, left-hand octaves, arpeggiated figures and fragments

of

diatonic lines. "Gremin's Aria" is in the difficult

key

(at

least

for a cellist)

of

Gb. With

no

open st r ings avai lable , careful

attention

must be given to the most

economic,

resourceful and best-sounding fingerings. Shifting

and

extensions are unavoidable,

and

intonation

is at

risk. It

is

surprising that

Thomas-Mifune,

himself a

cellist , would

sacrifice ease

of

performance just

to

maintain

the

original

key. As in the

Lenski

aria,

the

range is

small, and the piece

looks

quite

simple. But the

challenge

lies in the

interpre ta t ion

of the text .

Because

of

the

treble clef, this arrangement merits an

ASTA

ranking of

3-4 .

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49

E.

Fingerings/positions

Wagner's

"Song

to

the Evening

Star"

from

Tannhduser

is

only forty bars long

and

has

a

melodic

range never

exceeding an

octave. For

the student, although

aesthetically more

pleasing, it

is not

necessary

to use

the D

string exclusively.

The piece

may be played in first posi t ion with back and forwardextensions, and may prove to be

a

good s tudy for

this technique. The highest note is E (a

fifth

above the open A

s t r ing)

and

can

be

reached by

extension in

first position (figure

11).

There is

a Bb

in

half-position

on the

A

string in measure

7

(figure

12a),

and

C#

extended

posi t ion on the

G in

measure 18 (figure 12b).

Figure 11. Wagner, Song to

the

Evening Star from Tannhduser,

Amsco

ed,mm. 21-22.

pp

Figure 12a. Wagner, Song to the Evening Star from Tannhduser,

Amsco ed., mm. 5-8.

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50

v - M i f

r p r

^

^

Figure 12b. Wagner,

Song

to the Evening Star from Tannhduser,'

Amscoed,

mm. 17-20.

Even

without knowing the underlying

text, the

descending

chromatic

line in 6/8

is

solemn, and

the

aria, written for

the

baritone voice, subtly moves

in

between G major

and

g

minor .

The

writ ten

dynamic,

too,

is

subdued, never rising

above pp

unti l

the

last

twelve

bars

when it changes to piu p. At this point,

the key moves

to

the relative

major

of E,

and

then

modulates back to G

major

in the last six bars or so. The piano

part

at this

point has

a tremolo (played by

the

st r ings in the actual opera) signaling something

is

about to

happen in the action. Regarding the dynamics, chromaticism and range, a veteran cellist

would immediately confine the melodic

line

to the D string for a smoothly flowing,

continuous

l ine . With "Song to the Evening Star," a beginning student (the piece

is

within

the

criteria of

ASTA

Grade 2)

could be

introduced to the religioso style and

harmony of Richard Wagner while reinforcing

practice in

extension, half-position,

chromaticism,

and 6/8 time with

a

regular four-bar

phrase

structure.

Ronald

Dishinger's

t ranscr ip t ion/arrangement of

Godard's Berceuse from

his

opera Jocelyn is a nice,

accessible

tune in

mostly

first

position. A

very

inexperienced

cellist could play this piece

and

gain practice

in

some cellistic

fundamentals

at the same

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51

time. The

lowest note

is C,

fourth finger, first position on

the G

string, while the highest

note

is

E,

one

step

above

four th f inger

D,

first position

on the

A string (figure 13a).

An

extension to that E is needed, as well as an extension to G# in first/extended posi t ion on

the

D string (if it

is

not played in third position (figure 13b)).

Figure 13a. Godard. Berceuse

from

Jocelyn,

Medici

Music

Press ed., transcr and

arr.

Dishinger, mm. 30-32.

0 1 x 4

Figure 13 b. Godard, Berce use

from Jocelyn,

Medici Music Press ed., transcr. and

arr

Dishinger,

mm. 64.

A half-position D# is necessary in the triplet figure in measure eighty-six,

the

most

advanced

rhythm in

the piece (figure 13c).

2

1 I x

I

Figure 13c. Godard. Berceuse

from

Jocelyn,

Medici Music Press ed., transcr and arr Dishinger,

mm.

86.

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52

Besides

the practice of

extensions

and positions, this relatively

short

piece provides an

introduction to meter changes

-

/4

to

4/4, and key

changcs

-

minor (Andantino)

to

C

major (Andante). The basic

dynamic

scheme for

the

anangement is piano

for

Andantinos and

forte

for Andantes withsome added hairpins.

The

Berceuse falls

within

the ASTA ranking

of

Grade

2.

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53

F. Balance

Paolo

Toscano has

transcribed

for

the famous

tenor

aria

"E

luce

van

le

stelle"

from

Tosca

for cello

and piano.

Even for

a tenor , the

range of

the aria is low-# on the

C

string to A ( top

line of

the bass clef),

and

on thecello,

when

the melody is on the G

string,

the

question

of

balance immediately

comes

to

mind

(figure

14). The piece is

scored

in favor of the voice . However, the

juxtaposi t ion

of ranges

and

rather

th in,

unobtrusive chordal accompaniment compliments

rather than smothers.

The

aria is

in

A A form and maintains the

same

type of accompaniment

throughout.

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54

Andante lento appassionato

molto

Andante

lento appassionato molto

Figure 14. Puccini, E lucevan le sidle from Tosca,

Ricordi

ed., transcr.

Toscano, mm. 1-6.

Ease

of balance

is

not the

case with Beethoven's Seven

Variations

on

a

theme

from

Mozart's

Magic Flute,

a standard

piece in the cello repertoire. The cello part

often assumes an accompanying role,

with

lines and articulation

that

imitate the piano.

Viituosic and

melismatic scalar

passages are frequent

and the cello

and

piano

lines

are

closely intertwined. The piano part is technically demanding, possibly even more than

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55

the

cello

part . Balance

is an inherent

problem

in

this piece

because

of

the cello

range,

the

thick

and

ornamental

piano

texture

and the role

of

the cello which in

th is

period

of

music

history

is

relegated to bass

lineor

support of the piano.

The Thema,and first three var ia t ions-

ll

in

Eb

and each marked Andante - have

a range of only two octaves: from second finger Eb on

the

C string to Eb one-half step

above fourth finger D on the A st r ing .

The

general span of the cello theme in Varia t ion

IV-n imitation of the piano-s even lower, but the piano

texture

thins during the cello

statement, giving some

reprieve to

the balance problem (figure 15).

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56

Figure

15. Beethoven,

Variations

on a theme from

The

Magic

Flute,

Peters

ed,

piano part,

mm. 1-8.

P

t

res

i y ^ ^

J

^

cresc.

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57

Variation V, the first of

two allegro

tempos, is also in

imitation, and the cello range is

much

bigger :

low

F

fourth finger

on

the

C

string

to

C

(wri t ten

in

tenor clef)

a

minor third

above the

midpoint A string harmonic. The

cello

melody in

Variation

VI begins with a

Bb

in

hal f-posi t ion

on

the

A string or

second

finger

on the D string

(written in

tenor

clef)

and

eventually

reaches a high F a sixth above the midpoint A

string harmonic.

The piano

clears

the way and

takes

on a

supporting

role when the cello takes the theme, but this

does not completely alleviate the balance problems (figure 16).

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58

Figure 16. Beethoven, Variations on a theme from The Magic Flute,

Peters ed,

mm. 4-8.

Adagio

m

dagio

1

cresc.

p

'

):

1 1 >

,

r

f

- •

f

J f '

j g

f

r

- f—

*

FT].

/~ri

p h i r —

cresc.

p

-==•=»=¥—

~® —m

d d d

« j

L

'

^

^ i .

3^--

--•trri-".

.

J . .

— p - fy —

®

• 3 k

The

seventh

and final

variation,

Allegro ma non

troppo,

has the highest range yet,

resulting in a

clear

.delineation of melody and harmony. The

cello

carries the theme in

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59

this variat ion

(figure 17a) except for some fragments in

the

piano, at

which time

the

cello

becomes accompanimental

or

bass-like (figure 17b).

Figure

17a.

Beethoven, Variations on a theme from

The

Magic Flute,

Peters

ed., mm. 5-9.

Allegro, raanon troppo

\,K J' i J*--

p

Allegro, ma

tioii

troppo

Li

J' ^

n

tT"

1

-Hi:, . C.

———

"7

pr •

pFF

— .g^"

5

  V

71S

U

-#Li—

?

5

n

: w

= :

—-J—^

P

P

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60

Figure

17b. Beethoven, Variations

on

a theme

from The Magic

Flute,

Peters ed., mm. 23-30.

pizz.

t r J

/

sf

w———w

-jpj-

I ,

TfffV-

P

s/

9

  j

@ 1 ^

r

eIE^

The Magic Flute variations are a

study

in the style

of Beethoven cello/piano

works, teaching a variety of elements, such as independence and counterpoint of lines,

cello functioning in a solo and accompanying role, variation form, and imitation of vocal

l ines . All

of

the variat ions are

in 6/8 cxcept

for Var.

VI (Adagio), which is in 4/4. The

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6l

basic

rhythms

are

not

very complex:

however,

thirty-second note figures, syncopations

and

f igures

with

t ies,

especially in the

adagios,

may

be

problematic

for

novice

music ians .

Besides the development of practice techniques for upper register passages, younger

players will experience longer note values in

the slow movements

that contain thirty-

second and sixty-fourth notes. Treatment of subi to s and spiccato in several of the

variat ions (in tr iplets in Var.

V).

and an awareness of fingering choices are essent ia l in

readying

these pieces for performance.

The four th

variation

is

entirely

in the bass-

bar i tone

range of

the

cello,

and

recognition

and

se lec t ion of fingerings are of major

importance

because of the fight for

clarity

in

the low register. The

variations

incorporate

all aspects of

mature performance

granting them the ASTA Grade 4-5.

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62

G.

Special

techniques

John

Corigliano's

Phantasmagoria

utilizes

a

wide array of instrumental

techniques

and special notation for the cello

and piano. These

include: multi-tonality,

harmonics,

glissandi,

mixed meters,

col

legno, con sordino and free time. The piece

opens

with "ghost music" - sliding harmonics and cluster chords - and

a f ragment from

Marie

Antoinette's

first

aria ,

both of which reappear

throughout the

work to bind

the

sect ions together . Other lei tmoti fs appear, as do "subliminal quotes f rom Mozart, Rossini

and

Wagner

...

nterspersed

with rhythmically

eccentric passages

of great virtuosity

for

both cellist

and

pianist."^

The piece

demands

the highest

level

of technical proficiency (giving it

the ASTA

ranking

of

Grade

6), and

what

m a y

be

considerations

and

challenges for the

performer

may

also

be

an introduction to

a

new

stylistic and

technical vocabulary for the s tudent .

Many twentieth

century

instrumental effects are called for: harmonics (both real and

artificial [figure 18a]), harmonics coupled with glissandi, glissandi and double stop

glissandi for the cello (figure 18b), timbral colors such as tremolo

for

the piano (figure

18c), con

sordino

for

the cello,

percussive effects

with

col legno battuto (figure

18d)

in

the cello, knocking in the

piano

(figure 18e),

and

playing ppp

in the

extreme registers of

the lower

s t r ings

and A string as wel l .

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63

con

sord.

, .

.

^

short — (sim.)

m r - H 3 1 7

lit) 1

ir

-f

;

— P-r

i b p

S L i

bp

3 0

. . .

j ^ . m .

1

P J

0

=b

II in

Figure

18a. Corigliano, Phantasmagoria (on themes

from

The Ghosts

of

Versailles ),

G.

Schirmer,

Inc.. ed.

Yo-Yo Ma,

mm. 1-9.

Figure

18b.

Corigliano, Phantasmagoria

(on themes

from The

Ghosts

of Versailles ),

G. Schirmer,

Inc.,

ed.

Yo-Yo Ma, mm.

15-16.

^ John Corigliano,

Phantasmagoria,

(New York: G. Schirmer, 1993), program note.

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64

pp

liquid

slow

pulse

^ • B ' »i

^

Figure

18c.

Corigliano, Phantasmagoria (on themes

from The Ghosts of Versailles ),

G. Schirmer,

Inc., ed. Yo-Yo

Ma. piano part, mm.

22-24.

conlegnobattuto _ ord^

^

mp

>>

>

elegante

>

>

>

>

Figure

ISd. Corigliano, Phantasmagoria (on themes

from

The Ghosts of

Versailles ),

G. Schirmer. Inc., ed. Yo-Yo Ma,

mm.

47-50.

knock

on piano

Figure I8e.

Corigliano, Phantasmagoria

(on themes

from

The Ghosts of Versailles ),

G. Schirmer, Inc., ed. Yo-Yo Ma, piano

part,

mm.

44-46.

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65

There are two

markings

tha t may be unfamil iar

to

some

performers

and students.

First, a

slash mark

at the

beginning

of

each

f i l igree

(or

quasi-improvisational passage),

and

second, a small letter indicating niente

or

nothing, used

with

the

cello entrance at the

very beginning of the piece and every subsequent reappearance of

the

"ghost music."

The

rhythmic interplay and collision of themes

is

not only

humorous,

but

is

a main

ingredient of the other-worldliness of the

piece .

Corigliano does this by using mixed and

rapidly

changing

meters ,

and making one

player's

part either quasi-improvisational, or in

free

rhythm

(figures 19a

[cello] and

19b[p iano] ) .

f t

' ' [ T i p p p

i t

221

m

f—

r-'

Figure 19a. Corigliano, Phantasmagoria (on themes from The Ghosts

of

Versailles ),

G. Schirrner.

Inc.,

ed,

Marie Antoinette's Aria, cello part mm. 17-24.

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66

gva

gva

m

ped.

slow pulse

pp iquid

ped.

Figure 19b.

Corigliano,

Phantasmagoria

(on themes

from The Ghosts

of

Versailles ),

G.

Schirmer, Inc.,

ed.,

Marie

Antoinette's Aria, piano part mm.

17-24.

In "Phillip's

Aria"

from

Don

Carlos,

Verdi uses a special technique called

parlato, which is the repetition

of the

same

note in different rhythmic patterns in a

speech-like singing (figure 20). It is not very melodic, and because of

the

rhythmic

fluctuation

and jagged stops

and

starts, serves to miiTor

the

anguish Phillip feels over

his

life.

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67

parlato (mezza voce)

K

r

f

I f

P

0 L

Firs—

w

J?P

J?P

p

J I t

j»j* jit' * j>

liSSSm 1

"""" WMMMW M S W W W W W B a

Figure

20.

Verdi, Phillip's

Aria

from Don Carlos,

Kunzelmann ed., transcr Werner-Mifune, Cello I. mm. 62-66.

Parlato creates a particular balance problem

for

the sextet because the first cellist is

responsible for making

the

series of repeated notes interesting, mimicking

the

inflections

of

text. The first cello

part

is

written

in one of the

most

problematic registers for

the

cello, the mid-D st r ing range, and makes it very difficult to be heard over the rest of the

cello orchestra.

I t

is

doubly problematic because the parlato

line

is

interspersed by

aipeggio

figures

in the second ccl lo.

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G.

Rhythm

In

nineteenth-century

Italian opera,

the

music follows

the

l ibre t to

in

smooth,

diatonic,

long-breathed lines. In Porgy and Bess,

the Afri

can -Anierican dialect and its rhythm

have to be matched. An example is found in

the

aria "Bess, You

Is My

Woman Now"

with

the

words: "you

is"(figures 21a, 21b).

* 9

You is.

You isow,.

Figure 21a. Gershwin, Bess, You Is My

Woman

from Porgy and

Bess,

Gershwin Publishing Corp. ed, vocal score, mm.

9-10.

> >.

-W.

1 > ^

— L •

t j

9

\~e)

1

0 )

Figure 21b.

Gershwin, Bess, You

I s My

Woman from

Porgy and Bess,

Chester

Music ed., mm.

9-10.

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69

Jul ian Lloyd

Webber's

arrangemcnl of "Bess" has fingerings

that

may help

the

performer

somewhat, and

also includes performance indications

such as glissandi,

harmonics, and

accents

on syncopations.

Familiarity

of

the

jazz idiom

is

necessary to understand

and

perform

the piece credibly, especially

considering the

rhythmic vernacular.

The

piano

part

is

very activc - an

equal voice that carries the melody,

often with instances

of

register

displacement -

and

like the vocal l ine , is filled with

chromaticism,

wide leaps

and

a vast ,

colorful

range.

Besides becoming

familiar with

one the most enduring arias

of

Porgy and

Bess, this is an excellent and enjoyable way

to

learn

all that

is

required

of

an

inst rumenta l is t in imitating the jazz vocal style and its rhythms. Although not indicated,

it

is

customary to "swing"

particular

rhythms such

as the eighth notes in

bars

nine teen

to

twenty

and

twenty-three

to

twenty-four

( f igures

22a, 22b).

4 ^ 1

« K

»

m — m —

f

y

9

4 —

/

r

Figure 22a. Gershwin,

Bess,

You

Is

My Woman

from Porgy and Bess,

Chester Music ed.,

mm.

19-20.

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70

I I —

f

•—

-4

Figure 22b. Gershwin, Bess, You Is

My

Woman from Porgy

and

Bess,

Chester Music ed.. mm. 23-24.

New to the student might be chromatic ism, wide leaps, glissandi,non-harmonic tones

and syncopations. This is a wel l -known melody that at times is

fragmented

and diffused.

Rhythm is an

integral

part of

the

style and

helps to define

the language.

Fingering

becomes

a study in itself. It has

to

be

carefully analyzed

to best

recreate

the timbre and

musical speech. This

t ranscript ion

is

an

ASTA Grade 4 due to the upper posi t ions and

treble clef.

The

l i l t ing 6/8

pulse of

the

barcarolle is

the distinguishing feature of this well-

known

and

much-arranged interlude from Offenbach's Tales ofHoffinann (figure 23).

*—-

»—

IL^

P

t '

..#

•—

i

sr—

k=

i—

=1=

H

P

Figure 23.

Offenbach,

Barcarolle

from The

Tales of

Hoffmann,'

Amsco ed., anon, transcr, mm. 1-4.

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The

real difficulties in performing these arrangements are

rhythm

and dynamics.

Steady

rhythm

to define the

barcaro l le

is a

concern

for

both the

seasoned

performer

and

student,

as is legato

playing

in

combination

with a

non-legato rhythm.

The two

versions analyzed

differ in

key,

affecting the execution

of

steady rhythm. Vers ion 1

is

in Eb,

a

more

difficult

key

due

to the extensions

and

shifting necessary for the

most

expressive

performance.

The

range, however,

is

not very extensive:

from

half -posi t ion

on the

D

string to fourth position

on the A

st r ing . With Vers ion 2 in

F

major,

the lowest

note

is

C

in first position on the G

string

and the highest is D, first position on the A

string,

or the

mid-string

harmonic

on the D string. The range

of

the F major version is

not

significantly

higher, but

the

execution is much simpler. Both versions are

piano

throughout, except

for

a

m/and

a

section

in

Version

2.

Balance between

the cello and piano

is

a

potential

issue because of the mid-range of the instrument.

The

piano has a recurr ing pattern that

in the

original score

is

rolled

chords ( f igure 24) .

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72

Allegretto

Figure

24. Offenbach, Barcarolle from

The Tales of

Hoffmann,

Amsco ed.anon, transcr, piano part. mm. 1-4.

A younger student

could

Icam this popular melody using open strings

and

the

most

elementary of

fingerings, keeping it within the ASTA Grade

of

3. For the

most artistic

rendition, though, fourth position

is preferred.

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73

H.

Art iculat ion

The

aria

"La

ci darem

la mano"

from

Mozart's

Don

Giovanni in

its

original

form

is

in AB

form,

the A

theme

in

2/4 and

the B theme

in a

l i l t ing sicilienne. Articula t ion is

an issue from the first

measure .

The vocal score

is

completely

without

any ar t icula t ion

marks , and

is

essentially legato, while the cello version has dots throughout, changing the

character tremendously

(figure

25).

P

Figure 25.

Danzi,

Variations on a

theme from

Mozart's Don Giovanni,

Breitkop

ed,

cello part, mm. 1-4.

Andante

Don Giovanni

La

ci

da_rem la

ma

_ED, la mi

di.rai di

P strings

Figure

25.

Danzi,

Variations on

a theme

from Mozart's Don Giovanni,

Breitkop ed, vocal

score,

mm. 1-4.

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74

The opening variation

is followed

b y

a

variat ion

in triplets

beginning in measure twenty-

five.

The

given

bowing and

tempo work

wel l

together

to

produce

the

leggiero indicated

(figure 25a).

p

leggiero

Figure 25a. Danzi, Variations on a theme

from

Mozart's Don

Giovanni,'

Breitkop ed., mm.. 25-29.

Danzi correctly uses

dots

to

denote

the

staccato

nature

of the

second

var ia t ion

that begins

in measure fifty-three. The

quest ion

is

the

amount of staccato to use since staccato for

string players differs from that for vocalists. The danger is too short of a staccato (figure

26).

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75

u

1 1 ^

d —

P

-Ufa —

I I i | | p p

ij^

y

h y d

< J 3 j ] t J 3

^

I

Z

J

=s

Figure 26. Danzi, Variations on a theme from Mozart's Don

Giovanni,

Breitkop

ed.,

m. 53-62.

The tranquillo

in

A minor

(the

third variation), is a

combination of lyrical lines,

dotted

rhythms marked staccato,

and

cross-string arpeggiations. There is

an

espressivo

indicated

at

the

beg inning , and

the descending, slurred sixteenth-note passages

promote

the

legato

fee l ing . There are dotted rhythms and s taccato notes in measures eighty-nine

and

ninety-three that are not in

the

original aria, and again raise

the

issue of quality

and

duration of short notes (figures

27a,

27b,

27c).

Figure 27

a. Danzi,

Variations on

a

theme from Mozart's DonGiovanni,'

Breitkop ed., rn. 89.

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mf

Figure 27h.

Danzi,

Variations on a theme from

Mozart's

Don Giovanni,

Breitkop ed,

m.

93.

Vie

-

ni,

mio

bel Ma

i

lj

i

i [ i

p

f

^

Z_

it -

to

>

F f f f F -

T o ca f i -He- rn

t i i a

i —t

sor te

—ff—f

i k

=±=H

' p p

]

_J

2

i 2

if

L L T

f ~ r

^

Figure

27 c. Danzi, Variations on a theme from Mozart's

Don

Giovanni,

G. Schirmer,

Inc.,

ed., vocal score,

mm.

19-24.

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77

There

is

apiu mosso section in the middle of variation three that is a virtual perpetual

motion

in

thirty-second notes.

The

tempo

and

fast-paced

notes create

a

naturally

occurring sautille,

solving

the articulation

organically (figure

28).

Piu mosso

m ^ M

W

l i f t a £

^ A^

lip)

Figure 28. Danzi, Variations on a theme from Mozart's

Don

Giovanni,

Breitkop ed., mm. 109-116.

Acoda

follows the

piu mosso. The fourth

and final variation of

the

piece

based on

the B

theme

of

the original

aria

is a theme and variations in AB form. The

opening

measures of

the Allegretto are replete

with

the ever-present staccatos, not seen in the original B theme

(f igures

29a ,

29b).

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78

Figure 29

a. Danzi,

Variations on a theme from Mozart's

Don

Giovanni,

Breitkop ed,

mm. 138-144.

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79

Allegro

I — p — z

p — p p

— —j-^

r

p

r

p

An

-

diam, an

-

diam, mio be -

ne,.

a ri

-

sto-rar le

I P » — p i

Alegro

An-diam,

an

-

diam.

mio be

-

ne.

a ri - sto - rar le

m

r

) il

l

-

i P It

W

»

pe

-

ne.

dun'

in - no cen te a

-

mor

V- *ii" p rr

p jip

£

pe-nc.

dun'

in - no

m

M M jiflri

f

  J B

Figure 29b. Danzi, Variations

on

a theme from Mozart's

Don Giovanni,

G. Schirmer, Inc. ed., mm. vocal score, 6/8 Allegro section.

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80

The B section

of

this

variat ion is

sequent ia l sixteenth notes with a particular

slur

pat tern

(figure 30).

m

I

t

WSM

f

a m

n j j

4W-S—

® J

-4

m

hJ

i

l|J

JJ

Figure

30.

Danzi,

Variations

on

a

theme from

Mozart's

Don Giovanni,

Breitkop

ed., mm.

]52-160.

This

pat tern offsets the bowing to create an

articulation

common to the period. The piece

ends with a twenty-four

bar coda.

The

standard

cello

repertoire does not

include

any concerti

b y Mozart,

so

performers

and

teachers alike will appreciate this tribute to one

of

the great opera

composers. The same

techniques demanded

of

the performer

that

give this

piece

the

ASTA ranking

of Grade

5 are those that could be studied

by

the less experienced

cellist.

To further

one's

technical advancement this example explores the upper register (the duet

is for

soprano

and baritone

so the performer should be familiar and

comfortable

with the

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81

instrument

in

thumb posi t ion) ,

advanced bow technique

{spiccato,sautille and cross-

string arpeggiations). and

the

var ia t ion

of

a theme

by

rhythm.

The

piece

was

wri t ten

for

cello and orchestra, and the performer

must

be aware that any orchestral accompaniment

may be fraught

with

difficulties, such as balance and tempi.

This

is an orchestral

accompaniment in the Classical style, mostly chordal and providing treble and bass, and

does not hamper

the texture. The Danzi

Variations are

an excellent alternative to

the

Beethoven

Seven and Twelve Variations on

a

theme from Mozart's Magic Flute,

pieces

more

commonly known to cellists,

and

a challenging way to get to know a beloved

Mozart

aria.

In summary, inst rumenta l is ts are not singers

and

singers arc not

inst rumenta l is ts , and one cannot

t ru ly

subst i tute one for the other.

In

opera, singers take

generous

liberties

that are appropriate for that genre, but not usual for chamber or

orchest ral instrumental musicians. Opera-inspired arrangements, transcriptions and

ensemble pieces

are

instrumental arrangements, and to try to

completely recreate

the

effect of the

operatic voice would require extensive and specific markings concerning

volume,

balance, vibrato,

expanse of

range, portamenti, articulation and rubati among

others.

The pieces

written

specifically for the cello, such as variations, fantasias

and

concert transcriptions

do

not fall into this category since they are designed for the

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82

instrument. The cello

repertoi re

honoring

opera

is rich with variety. It covers all periods

of

opera

and music history, compositional styles and instrumental levels, and

it

also

follows

the progress of

the

cello

from a

bass-functioning

role

to a

solo

instrument in its

own right.

Teaching-wise, this col lect ion

of

music presents

a

study

of

stylist ic elements and

excellent

technical

challenges, all while playing or learning familiar

t hemes

and

melodies.

Learning

the story

behind

a

"song" is

fun for the

student and

adds to the

emotional content because it creates

a

mood, or something tangible.

Final ly ,

while

this s tudy focused on official opera (sung all the way through),

there is

a

wealth

of vocally

inspi red

music from operetta,

masques,

theater music

and

musicals to

be

discovered and enjoyed.

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VI.

Conclusions-atalog of opera-inspired repertoire

for the

cello

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Contents

I.

Solo

Transcriptions

and

Arrangements

Bizet Habanera from

Carmen

Flotow

Ah

So

Pure from

Martha

Gershwin

Bess,

You

Is My Woman Now

from

Porgy

&

Bess

Gluck Minuet

f rom

Alceste

Godard

Berceuse from Jocelyn

Granados Intermezzo

from Goyescas

Handel

Largo

from

Xerxes

Mascagni Intermezzo Sinfonico from Cavalleria Rusticana

Mozart Aria from

Don

Giovanni

Mozart Aria

from

Le Nozze di Figaro

Mozart

Menuet/Minuetto from Don

Juan/Don

Giovanni

Mozart Rondo

alia

Turca from

The

Abduction From the Seraglio

Offenbach

Barcarolle

from The

Tales of

Hoffmann

Piatti Introduction and

Variations

on a theme from Donizetti's

Lucia

Lammemoor

Puccini E luce van

le

stelle from

Tosca

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85

Puccini

In quelle

trine

morbide from

Manon

Lescaut

Puccini

Nessun

Dorma

Puccini

O

mio babbino

caro

from

Gianni Schicclii

Puccini

Quando men

vo from

La Boheme

Puccini RecondiUi armonia from

Tosca

Puccini Senza mamma f rom

Suor Angelica

Puccini Un bel di. vedremo from

Madame

Butterfly

Puccini Viss i

d'artc

from

Tosca

Tchaikovsky

Grcmin's Aria

from

Eugene

Onegin

Tchaikovsky

Lcnski's

Aria from Eugene Onegin

Wagner Bridal Chorus from

Lohengrin

Wagner

Introduction and Song from Tannhauser

Wagner

Siegmund's Love Song f rom

Die

Walkure

Wagner Song

to

the

Evening

Star

from Tannhauser

Wagner Walther's Prize Song f rom Die Meistersinger

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86

II.

Original Compositions

Beethoven Seven

Variat ions

on

a

theme

from

The Magic

Flute

Beethoven

Twelve

Variations

on

a

theme

from The Magic Flute

C. Tedesco

Figaro

(a concert transcription)

from The Barber of

Seville

Corigliano

Phantasmagoria based

on themes

from The Ghosts of Versailles

Danzi

Variat ions on

a

theme

from Mozart's Don Giovanni

III.

Ensemble Music

Bizet Suite

for Five Celli from

Carmen

Mozart

Zerlina's Aria from

Don Giovanni

Puccini

Rodolfo's

Aria from

La Boheme

Verdi Phillip's Aria

for

Six Celli from

Don

Carlos

Wagner Walther's PrizeSong from Die Meistersinger

Wagner Overture to the 3''' Act

from

Tristan

and

Isolde

Weber

Agatha's

Cavatina

from

Der FreischUtz

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87

Thcrnatic Catalog by Composer

1.

Beethoven Seven

Variations

on

a

theme

from

The Magic Flute

i

UprS

2. Beethoven

Twelve

Variations

on themes

from

The Magic Flute

j i . ^

p i r

f ^

r v p y i ' t j '

3. Bizet Habanera from Carmen

> >

>

m w r

4.

Bizet

Suite

for Five Celli from

Carmen

7 r3 h

c

® A

i i

,,

• « «

—3—

•0

rJ

--ffy-

4

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88

5. C. Tedesco

Figaro (a

concert

t ranscr ip t ion)

f rom

The Barber of Seville

6. Corigliano Phantasmagoria

based

on themes from The

Ghosts

of Versailles

(£)

M

"jn

[Marie Antoinette'sAria]

^

t

i

r ~

y

[Figaro's Aria]

a

i

7. Danzi Varia t ions on a theme from Mozart's

Don

Giovanni

8.

Flotow

Ah So

Pure from Martha

v i f t T j r i r r f . f | f

9. Gershwin

Bess,

You

Is

My Woman Now

from

Porgy & Bess

p'

^

1-  

1

 

i

 

-

%

 

# •

— 0 — ^

- o - ' '

-p'

,/ 4_

ty=4:

_j_

/

'H*~

- J - i—

1

r

10. Gluck

n j f r

Minuet from Alceste

f r r i r

f i f r i f r r i r r i ^ r

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89

11.

Godard

Berceuse from

Jocelyn

j

C

m r mm

nTrif

fi f f r

- ) : . % r T r r r f f r i f a f f S r

12. Granados Intermezzo

from Goyescas

r

i f f

i f i f i f f g

1 3 .

Handel

Largo

from

Xerxes

'):»

{ t

Q - i f

i r r m i r

14. Mascagni Intermezzo

Sinfonico

from

Cavalleria

Rusticana

j

r

Tp—

.1

-f-

» ®

f

P

• m -

-0

\

^

-

-p-=

lifi

4

= M ^

--M-

15. Mozart

Aria from

Don Giovanni

&

16. Mozart

iEi

Aria from Le Nozze di Figaro

1 7 .

Mozart

Menuet/Minuetto from Don

Juan/Don

Giovanni

«'i rciifi - T f i i r r r r r i gfrii

r r r f f i

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90

18. Mozart

Zerlina's Aria for

Two

Celli from

Don Giovanni

19.

Offenbach

Barcarolle

from

The

Tales

of Hoffmann

20. Piatti Int roduct ion

and

Variations

on a theme

from Donizetti's

Lucia

di

Lammennoor

2 1 . Puccini

m

Ch'ella

mi

creda (Let her

bel ieve) from La Fanciulla del

West

22. Puccini

E

lucevan

le

stelle

(And

the

stars

were

shining)

from

To

sea

23.

Puccini In quel le trine morbide (In those soft

curtains)

from

Manon Lescau

24.

Puccini

Nessun donna

(None

shall

sleep)

from Tosca

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91

25. Puccini

O mio babbinocaro (O my beloved daddy)

from Gianni Schicchi

26.

Puccini

Quando men vo (When

I

go out) from La

Boheme

0-~m^ I

jr|8i j #

27.

Puccini

Recondita armonia (Secret harmonies) from Tosca

28. Puccini Rodolfo's Aria

for Six

Celli from La Boheme

lA

i » ^

jil jyj l

-Qj]

J JI

if

pr

1 *

0

m ~ w - n

-f » J, J1 J

-

*

-fr—^

h

I ® #

^

£

UUT

-

p|>

i ' J

m

3 3

29.

Puccini

Senza

mamma

(Without

a

mother)

from

Suor

Angelica

t

-rf—P I

^ J

r

I Li-i

30. Puccini Un be di.

vedremo

from Madame Butterfly

t ^ f > T r [ r

r

, P | r

^ T r i r

r

;

31. Puccini

Vissi d'arte (I

lived for

art) from Tosca

r-J-,

, ^

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92

32. Tchaikovsky Gremin's Aria

from

Eugene

Onegin

p i f W i r l

33.

Tchaikovsky Lcnski's

Aria from Eugene Onegin

laz

B

34.

Verdi

#'

p-

Phillip's

Aria for Six Celli from Don Carlos

•g, .

0

r

r j |

f f ' r f f i r^n

35.

Wagner

Bridal

Chorus

from Lohengrin

• V -

i

I *

[Ji

36. Wagner Introduction

and Song

from

Tannhduser

c ' l ^ i r p |

t T p i r

37.

Wagner

Preiude to the

3''

Act

for Six

Celli

from Tristan und Isolde

3 8 .

Wagner Siegmund's Love Song from Die Walkure

, i . n r p r ^ i f p r p

W

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93

39. Wagner

Song

to the Evening

Star from

Tannhduser

• ) :

8

( i

f T ' F i

r i ^

0'

#

p i f

40. Wagner Walther's Prize Song from

Die

Meistersinger

A

> >

i

>

41. Weber Agatha's Cavalinafor Six Celli from Der

Freischiltz

) • • i M p f T i

r

i

V i j f J I r

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Operas

1.

Alceste (Gluck)

2. Carmen

(Bizet)

3.

Cavaileria

Rusticana (Mascagni)

4.

Der

Freischiilz

(Weber)

5. DieMeistersinger (Wagner)

6.

Die

Walkiire (Wagner)

7. Don Carlos

(Verdi)

8. Don

Giovanni/Don

Juan (Mozart)

9. Eugene Onegin

(Tchaikovsky)

1 0 .

G i a nn i

Schicchi

(Puccini)

1 1 . Goyescas (Granados)

1 2 . Jocelyn

(Godard)

1 3 .

La

Boheme/Thc Bohemian Life (Puccini)

1 4 .

La

Fanciulla

del West/The

Girl of the Golden West

(Puccini)

15.

Lohengrin

(Wagner)

1 6 . Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizet t i )

17. Madame Butterfly (Puccini)

18.

Manon Lescaut

(Puccini)

19.

Marriage of Figaro/Le

Nozzc

di Figaro

(Mozart)

20.

Martha (Flotow)

21.

Porgy

and Bess (Gershwin)

22.

Suor

Angelica (Puccini)

23. Tannhauser

(Wagner)

24.

The

Barber of

Seville (Rossini)

25. The Ghosts

of

Versai l les (C origl iano)

26.

The

Magic Flute/Die Zauberf lo tc (Mozart)

27. The Tales

of

Hoffmann (Offenbach)

28. Tosca (Puccini)

29. Turandot (Puccini)

30. Xerxes (Handel)

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95

How to Use This

Catalog

Composer Composer dates

Title

Date opera first performed

Synopsis

T an senber/Arranger Publisher ISBN # or Publisher's code

2nd Transcriber/Arranger

Publisher I S B N

# or Publisher's code

ASTA Ranking

Publisher's Abbreviations

AMS

Amsco Music

B-M

Belwin-Mills

BAR

Barenreiter

Verlag

BMC Boston Music

Company

BRH

Brci tkopf and Haertel

CF

Carl Fischer

CHE

Chester

FOL

Charles Foley

HLD Hal Leonard

INT International Music

KNZ Edition Kunzelmann

MP

Medici Music Press

PET

C.F. Peters

RIC

G. Ricordi

SCH

G.

Schirmer

SHT Schott Editions

TPR

Theodore Pressor

UE Universal Editions

WB Warner Brothers

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96

Bizet, Georges

1898-1937)

Habanera

from "Carmen"

(1875)

Synopsis

~

Time: 1820. Place: Seville

and

surrounding area .

Carmen, known for her

flirting, f ight ing

and

drinking,

is

a worker

at the

cigarette factory in Seville. Her

Habanera sequence

is

a famous dance for the soldiers-amely Don Jose-nd several

other young

men outside

the

cigarette

factory. In this dance,

Carmen gives

the warning

that

to love her

is a

dangerous business. Don Jose

doesn't

pay

any attention

to her,

so

at

the end of

the

dance she throws a flower at him.

He is

embarrassed,

and

all

the

onlookers

laugh

at

him.

[Julian

Lloyd

Weber] CHE CH558274

[Anonymous]

AMS

0-8256-2040-6

ASIA

ranking

5

Flowtow, F. von

1812-1883)

Ah

So

Purefrom

Martha (1847)

Synopsis

~

Time:

early 18'*'

century.

Place: Richmond, England. Lady

Harriet

Durham

(Maid of Honor to Queen Anne) and Nancy,

her Lady

in Waiting, are bored. As a joke,

they

go to

the county fair disguised as servant girls

("Martha" and

"Julia"), and, as is

custom, offer

up

their services to farmers Plunket t and Lione l for a year.

The young

women escape from their "employers" and re turn

to

the Queen. Lionel and

Plunkett

see

the young women at an

inn,

traveling with the Queen. Lionel,

by

now

in

love

with

"Martha," unsuccessful ly t r ies

to get

her

to

re turn to h im .

Disconsolate,

he then

sings

the

famous tenor

aria

"Ah

So

Pure."

[Anonymous]

AMS 0-8256-2040-6

ASTA ranking

2

Gershwin,

George

1898-1937)

Bess, You

is my

Woman Now

from Porgy & Bess (1935)

Synopsis ~

Time: 1912.

Place:

In

a square in Catfish Row,

Charleston,

SC. Crown - the

town

bully - has just

murdered

a man during

a

craps game fight. Crown flees, leaving

behind his girlfriend, Bess. Sportin'

Life, a flashy

drug-using character, tries

-

and fails

-

to get Bess to

go

to

New

York

with him. Porgy,

the

town cripple,

has always loved

Bess

from afar, and now sees this as his chance. Porgy and Bess become a couple and move in

together.

Sportin' Life

makes one more

failed

attempt to take Bess

away.

Finally

secure

in their love, Porgy and Bess sing the bass-baritone and

soprano

duet "Bess, You is my

Woman Now."

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97

[Julian Lloyd

Weber]

CHE CH55827

ASTA ranking 5

Gluck

Minuet from

Alceste

(1767)

Synopsis

~

Time: legendary.

Place: Thessaly. The

plot

of Alceste is based

on

Greek

mythology .

In

the opening

scene, the people of

Thessaly

are

mourning

the impending

death of

their King, Admetus.

They

pray

to

Apollo, because

the King had once done

a

favor for

Apollo. After

much

deliberation. Apollo agrees to

spare

the

King's

l i fe,

but

only

if

someone wil l take his place in death. Upon hearing this, the

King's

subjects

scat ter ,

and Queen

Alcestis agrees to sacrifice hersel f

for

her husband. When the King

has

revived,

he

realizes

what

his wife

has done for

him,

and as she descends

into Hades,

he runs

after

her. Hercules,

a family f r iend ,

finds

out what is going on and

tries to

save

the Queen. Apollo shows up, and is

so

impressed with the husband-wife relationship of

the

King

and Queen,

and the loyal friendship of Hercules,

that he

saves Alcestes ,

makes

Hercule s immortal, and decrees the King and Queen as

the

model husband and wife for

the kingdom. The Minuet from Alceste occurs at the very end of the opera when

all

has

been resolved

and

there

is a

grand ballet to

celebrate.

[Ronald C.

Dishinger] MP

SC600

ASTA

ranking

2

Godard, Benjamin 1845-1895)

Berceuse

from Jocelyn

(1888)

Synopsis ~ A

gentle

song

intended

for

lulling young children to

sleep.

[Ronald

C. Dishinger] MP SC .123

[Anonymous]

AMS

0-8256-2040-6

ASTA ranking 3

Granados, Enrique 1867-1916)

Intermezzo

from "Goyescas" (1916)

Synops i s ~ Time:

around 1800.

Place:

Madrid.

Paquiro

(baritone)

is

a

bullfighter

and

his

fiancee is Pepa

(a mezzo-soprano). Rosario

is a noblewoman (soprano)

whose lover

is

Fernando (tenor),

a

captain

in the

Royal

Guard. In Scene 1 ,

Paquiro

invi tes Rosar io

to

a dance

at a

tavern that

evening. Fernando arrives

and

says he will

be

taking Rosario himself. Pepa is furious and says she will get back

at

Rosar io .

Scene 2

is

in

a tavem. Fernando

and Paquiro

argue and decide

to

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98

duel .

The

final scene

is

in Rosario's garden, where

she sings

the aria 'La maja y

el ruisenor' to a nightingale.

Fernando joins

her and they

passionately

sing the

duet,

'Coloquio

en

la

reja'.

A

bell

tolls,

announcing

the

time for the duel.

A cry

is

heard from Fernando. Rosar io drags him back to her

garden, where

he dies in

her arms

('El

amor

y

la muerte'). Granados wrote the intermezzo between the

first and

second scenes overnight to

accommodate a scene change.

[Caspar Cassado]

SCH

HL50276280

ASTA ranking 5

Handel,

George Frederic 1685-1759)

Largo

(Ombra

maifu [Under

the shade]) from Xerxes

Synopsis ~ Time: 480

B.C.

Place: Persia. Xerxes,

HandeFi'

only

comic

opera, begins

with

the

main

character (sung by a soprano or

counter

tenor) contemplating

the

beauty of

a

tree by

singing

"Ombra mai fu" (literally, "Under thy shade"). After he

finishes his

aria, Xerxes

is

struck by the singing of Romilda, the daughter of Ariodates, commander

of his

army.

Xerxes asks his

brother , Arsamenes,

to tell

Romilda he is in love with

her.

Alas

- rsamenes says he wil l not help Xerxes because

he

wants Romilda

for himself.

Xerxes decides to woo her himself .

[Anonymous] AMS

0-8256-2040-6

[Theo . Moses-obani]

CF

0-8258-0277-6

[Werner Thomas-Mifune] KNZ

GM525

[C. Paul Herfurth] BMC

3633

ASTA

ranking 2

Mascagni, Pietro 1863-1945)

Intermezzo

Sinfonicofrom Cavalleria Rmtieana

(1890)

Synopsis ~ Time: an

Easter

day in the late 19'^' century.

Place:

a

village

in Sicily. The

musical simplicity

of

this instrumental interlude was intentional, as it comes amidst an

enormous

amount

of rage and passion

on stage:

Turridu, a

soldier, and

Santuzza, a village

girl, are engaged. Lola

and

Alfio,

a

"bluff young

teamster,"

are married. Tiriddu and

Lola

are

having an

affair.

Santuzza confronts Tiriddu

and then

tells

Alfio. The

orchestral

interlude is played at this point,

having

a calming effect for those on stage as well

as

those in the audience.

At

the

end of

the opera

Tiriddu and Alfio duel and Alfio slays

Tiriddu.

[Anonymous] AMS 0-8256-2040-6

[Anton

Hegner]

CF

0-8258-0277-6

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99

ASTA ranking 2-4

Mozart,

Wolfgang Amadeus 1756-1791)

Ld

ci darem

la

mano from "DonGiovanni" (1787)

Synopsis ~ Time: 17*^ century. Place;

In

and around Seville. "La

ci

darem la

mano"

for

soprano and

baritone

is

one of the most

popular and familiar duets from Mozart's Don

Giovanni

in

which Don

Giovanni is t rying to

seduce

yet another

female

who

doesn't

belong

to him. Do n Giovanni

is

in love with Donna

Anna who is

engaged to Don

Ottavio. Trying to

win

her over, Don

Giovanni

dresses

up

as Don Ottavio.

Donna

Anna

runs

to her father

for

help.

A due l ensues,

and Don

Giovanni

slays Donna

Anna's father.

Don Giovanni and his "low comedy" servant Leporello

leave

town. In a village near

Seville,

they

happen upon

an

engagement party of Zerlina (a local girl) and Masetto.

Don Giovanni wants Zerlina for

himself, and

in the duet

"La

ci

darem

la

mano,"

asks

Zerlina to his castle.

[Franz DanziJ BRH EB6522

ASTA

ranking

5

Aria from Le

Nozze

di Figaro (1786)

Synopsis ~ Time: IS"" century. Place: near

Seville. Figaro and

his

fiancee Susanna are

valet

and maid,

respect ively ,

to Count and Countess Almaviva. The Count has been

cheating on his

wife,

and

in

Scene

2

of Act

III

the Countess

(again)

sadly sings about

the

days of lost love with her husband in the aria

"Dove

sono."

Susanna

hears the countess

singing

and

they, along with

Figaro and

Cherubino. a page, come up with a

plot

to catch

him in the

act

of cheating

and

embarrass

him

into

bet ter

behavior.

[Alwin Schroeder] BMC

6011

ASTA ranking 3

Aria from "DonGiovanni" (1786)

Synopsis

~ Time:

17^' ' century. Place:

in and

around Seville. In

a village

near

Sevi l le ,

Don Giovanni

and

his servant, Leporello, happen

upon

an

engagement

party

of Zerlina (a

local girl)

and Masetto.

Don Giovanni wants Zerlina for himself, so he flirts with her,

sings to

her,

and

finally persuades

her

to

come

to a party

at

his

castle.

At

the party, the

Don asks Leporello to change clothes with him so he will look like

a

servant because he

wants to seduce

Donna Elvira's

maid . Zerlina's fiancee,

Masetto, wants to

beat

up Don,

but when

his hcnchmen

see

him in Leporello's

clothes, they

run

off,

and Don Giovanni

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100

beats up Masetto.

Zerlina finds

him and sings

him

the aria "Vedrai carino," saying

her

loving heart will heal him.

[Ahvin Schroeder]

BMC

6011

AST

A ranking 3

Menuetfrom

"Don

Juan

(1786)

Synopsis

~

Time:

1 century.

Place; in and

around

Seville. Don Giovanni is in love

with Donna Anna

who is engaged

to

Don Ottavio. Trying

to

win her

over,

Do n Giovanni

dresses up

as

Don

Ottavio. Donna

Anna

runs to

her father

for

help. A duel ensues, and

Do n Giovanni slays Donna Anna's fa ther . Don Giovanni and his "low comedy" servant

Leporello leave town.

In a village

near

Sevi l le ,

they happen upon an engagement

party

of

Zerlina (a local girl)

and

Masetto.

Don

Giovanni wants

Zerlina for

himself,

so he

fl irts

with

her, sings to her,

and

finally persuades her to

come

to a party at his castle.

The

Minuet

can be heard coming

from

inside

the castle

walls.

[Ronald

C.

DishingerJ MP SC614

ASTA ranking 1

Offenbach,

Jacques

1819-1880)

Barcarolle from "TheTales of

Hoffmann"

(1881)

Synopsis ~ Time; early

19*

century. Place; Italy and Germany. The Barcarolle

is

first

sung

by

Hoffmann's

friend

Nicklausse ,

the

courtesan Giuletta

and guests at a

party

at

her

luxur ious home in Venice. The undu la t ing rhythm of the Barcarolle bel ies

the

sinister

turn

of events

on stage

when

it

returns

in the finale; Giuletta is under the power of the

magician

Dapertutto. He persuades her to take

the

soul of Hoffmann - she has already

taken the

soul

of her

ex-lover

Schlemil. Giulietta does

as

she is told.

Hoffmann

then

demands

from

Schlemil

Giul ie t ta ' s

room

key . They

duel. Hoffmann kills schlemil with

Dappertut to ' s

sword.

Hoffmann takes the key and

sees

Giulietta floating by with the

dwarf

Pit t ichinaccio .

[Anonymous] AMS 0-8256-2040-6

[Paul Paradise] B-M E d . Lib. No. 158

[W. F. Ambrosio] CF 0-8258-0277-6

ASTA ranking

3

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101

Piatti, Alfredo

1822-1901)

Introduction

and

Variations

on

a theme

from DonizettVs"Lucia

di Lammermoor

(1835)

Synopsis ~

Time: 1669.

Place:

Scotland.

Lord Enrico

Ashton

of Lammermoor hopes to

improve his financial standing by arranging a marriage between his sister Lucia and the

wealthy Lord Arturo

Bucklaw.

Lucia

is

in love with Edgardo of Ravenswood and has

been

secretly meeting

him

every day.

While

Edgardo is

in France on business

Enrico

forges a letter from Edgardo to Lucia saying Edgardo has marries someone else. In tears.

Lucia

signs

the marriage

contract

between her and Arturo . At

this

moment Edgardo

returns and thinks Lucia

has

been unfaithful. Distraught,

Lucia murders her

new husband

Arturo.

In

Act

III

Lucia appears in front of her wedding guests

pale,

in a nightgown,

carrying a bloody dagger.

Outside

the

death bell tolls and

Edgardo realizes

what has

happened and that Lucia has always loved only him. He sings goodbye with "Tu che a

Dio spiegasti

I'ali"

("Thou

hast

spread

thy

wings to

heaven")

and

kills

himself

with

his

knife .

In the opera it is the cello that plays this aria's

theme after

Edgardo has

died,

and it

is the

theme used by

Piatti as the basis

for his composition.

[Geoffrey

Rutkowski]

INT

3486

ASTA

ranking

6

Puccini, Giacomo 1858-1924)

Ch'ella

m

creda

(Let

her

believe)

from

The

Girl

of

he Golden West" (1910)

Synopsis

~

Time: around

1850.

Place:

California.

Minnie, the

owner

of

the Polka

Saloon

is

in love

with Dick

Johnson, the new guy in

town.

Johnson

is

really

a bandit named

Ramerrez, but he loves Minnie and wants to change his ways.

A

posse finds and shoots

Johnson, Minnie hides him

in

her house,

and

then

the

sheriff finds him there.

Minnie

chal lenges

the sheri ff to a

poker game to

decidc

Johnson's

fate.

Minnie

wins

the game

by

cheating.

Johnson is free

for

a

while, but then

gets sentenced

to die.

With a noose

around his ncck, Johnson sings

the

aria "Ch'ella mi

creda,"

asking that Minnie b e

allowed to bel ieve

he

had

escaped.

Minnie rides in just then, and the miner's, who arc

overseeing the

hanging

let

the

two ride

off

onto

the

sunset

together.

[Paolo

Toscano] RIC 0-6324-04636-5

ASTA ranking 3-4

E

lucevan

le stellefrom Tosca (1900)

Synopsis ~ Time:

June

1800. Place:

Rome.

The third act

begins

with

Cavaradossi

on the

roof of the Castle of Sant'Angclo in

Rome

where

he has

been

brought

for execution. He

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102

says goodbye

to

Tosca in the

heartbreaking

aria

"E lucevan

le

stelle-

he

stars

were

shining

brightly."

[Paolo

Toscano]

RIC

0-6324-04636-5

ASTA ranking 3-4

nquelle trine morbide

(In

those soft curtains)

from

"ManonLescaut" (1893)

Synopsis ~ Time: IS"* century. Place: Amiens, Paris, Le Havre,

Louisiana.

Manon is a

beautiful girl of fifteen admired

by a rich

old

aristocrat

named

Geronte

who

plans

to

abduct her .

A

student Des Gieux

whom

she has fallen in love with after just one meeting

rescues

her .

Manon is

used to

a

luxurious

l ifestyle

though,

and

Des

Griex is poor .

She

moves in with Geronte but

is

soon bored. In

the

aria In quelle trine morbide" ("In those

soft

curtains")

she

reminisces

about

her

humble but

happy

days

with

Des

Griex

and

says

that

in the silken

curtains

is a

chill that

numbs her.

[Paolo Toscano]

RIC

0-6324-04636-5

ASTA ranking 3-4

Nessun

Dorma

(None

shall sleep)from Turandot

(1926)

Synopsis ~ Time: legendary.

Place:

Peking . Act III takes place in the gardens before the

wal ls of Peking.

The

heralds announce that no one

may sleep

that night because they

must all help discover

the name

of

the

unknown

prince. The penalty

for sleep

is death .

Calef,

the

tenor and hero of

the

opera

is

very sure of himself that

he

will be successful

and win Turandot

as

his bride.

[Paolo

Toscano]

RIC

0-6324-04636-5

ASTA

ranking 3-4

O

mohabbino

caro

(O

my beloved daddy)

from

•^Gianni Schicchi"

(1918)

Synopsis

~

Time:

1299.

Place:

Florence .

Rich

Buosos

Donati has just died and his

relat ives are clamoring for the will. Rinuccio

the

nephew finds it. Buoso has left

everything to the monks. Rinuccio has a girlfriend named Lauretta. Her father, the

peasant Gianni Schicchi, is

known

for his

shrewdness.

Lauretta

asks her

father

in

the aria

"O mio babbino

caro"

("My

beloved daddy")

to help the Donati

relatives.

Gianni

gets

into the bed of

Buosos Donati.

disguises his voice, and

pretends

to

be

much recovered .

He l istens to

the

wants of the Don at i re la tives and writes a new will. But when

the

notary

arrives,

Gianni

has left everything

to

himself

[Paolo

Toscano] RIC

0-6324-04636-5

ASTA ranking

3-4

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103

Quandomen vo (When I go out) rom Boheme (1896)

Synopsis

~

Time:

around

1 830 .

Place;

Paris. Act

II

begins

on

Christmas Eve

at

the

Cafe

Momus in

the Latin

Quarter .

Rodolfo

brings Mimi to meet

his

friends. A wealthy

man

named Alcindoro

and

his date take a table near Rodolfo

and

his friends. Alcindoro's date

is Musetta, the ex-girlfriend

of

Marcello the

painter.

Musetta

is bored

with Alcindoro

and

wants Marcello

back. She sings the waltz song "Quando m'en vo' soletta per la

via"

and wins Marcello back.

[Paolo Toscano] RIC 0-6324-04636-5

ASTA

ranking 3-4

Recondita

armonia

(Secret

harmonies)

rom

Tosca

(1900)

Synopsis

~

Time: June

1800. Place: Rome. Mario

Cavaradossi,

the painter, is

in love

with

Floria Tosca,

a

famous

diva .

Mario sings the aria

"Recondita

armonia"

("Secret

harmonies")

while

working on a mural in the church of

Sant'Andrea

della Valle as he

compares

the portrait

of

Mary

Magdalene to

the

dark-eyed

Tosca.

[Paolo Toscano] RIC 0-6324-04636-5

ASTA ranking 3-4

SenzM mamma(Wthoutamother)from

^^Suor

Angelica" (1918)

Synopsis

~

Time:

1 7 * ^

century. Place: Italy.

Sister

Angelica was forced b y her noble

Florent ine

family to

enter

a

convent

after she gave

birth

to

an illegitimate baby.

Her aunt,

who

is a

princess ,

came away

and told her

she

must sign away

her inheritance.

Angelica

asked about

her

baby and was told

he

had died

two

years ago. She sings

"Senza

mamma"

and then commits

suicide

by

drinking poison. As she dies ,

she prays for

forgiveness

and

sees the

Virgin Mary

bringing

her

child to her.

[Paolo Toscano] RIC

0-6324-04636-5

ASTA

ranking 3-4

Un

bel

di,vedremo (One fine

day,

he will

return)

from Madame

Butterfly

(1904)

Synopsis

~ Time:

around 1900. Place:

Nagasaki. Madame

Butterfly,

a

fifteen-year-old

geisha, has

agreed

to an arranged marriage with Lieutenant

Pinkerton.

Pinkerton views

the marriage as

a

folly, and leaves for America. Butterfly

doesn't

hear from him in three

years, and in the meantime has borne him a son. Pinkerton finally arrives back in Japan

with his Arnercian wife . But terf ly te l ls Pinkerton's wife, Kate, they can have her son, but

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104

he

must

claim him

within

half

an hour. In shame, she stabs hersel f

just

as Pinkerton

comes to take the boy.

[Paolo

Toscano]

RIC

0-6324-04636-5

ASTA

ranking

3-4

Vissi d'arte

(I lived

for art)

rom

"Tosca"

(1900)

Synopsis ~ Time:

June

1800. Place; Rome. Angelotti

is

an escaped political prisoner of

the sadistic Scarpia, the chief of pol ice , Cavaradossi offers to

help

Angelotti

by

hiding

him in his house. Scarpia is in love with

Tosca,

though, and arrests and tortures

Cavaradossi

until

he tells the whereabouts

of

Angelotti. Tosca hears the tortured screams

of Cavaradossi, whom she loves,

and

tells Scarpia the

hiding

place. Scarpia makes a deal

with

Tosca:

if

she will become his,

he

will spare her

lover's

life.

In

grief

and

sorrow

Tosca sings

"Vissi d'arte" ("I lived

for

art").

[Paolo Toscano] RIC

0-6324-04636-5

ASTA ranking 3-4

Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyitch 1840-1893)

Two

Arias (LensM's & Gremin's) rom Eugene

Onegin"

(1879)

Synopsis (Lenski's Aria) ~ Time: early 19 '^ century. Place: Russia. Eugene

Onegin, the

unfortunate cad of the opera, joins Lenski on a visit

to

see his fiancee, Olga. There

he

is

introduced

to

Tatyana

-

lga's

sister

-

ho

falls madly

in

love

with

him. Tatyana

writes

Onegin

a letter

confessing her feelings and Onegin

replies

in person, telling

Tatyana

he

does not love her

and

will

never

marry her.

At Tatyana's

birthday party in Act II, Onegin

fl irts with Olga. Lenski

gets

mad,

and a duel is set

for

the

next

day. On

the

morning

after

the party ,

wait ing to fight i t

out with

Eugene, Lenski sings farewell to

Olga,

love

and youth, in what

is

known as one of the

best tenor arias

in

Russian opera.

Synopsis

(Gremin's Aria) ~ Time:

early

19" '

century.

Place:

Russia. Although neither

Onegin nor Lenski want to go through with the duel, they

are

duty bound to do so, and

Lenski is killed.

Act

III, takes

place

at the home

of

retired general Prince Gremin and his

wife

Tatyana. Three years

have

passed, and Onegin has spent

them

wandering around in

grief .

Onegin,

not recognizing

Tatyana, asks Gremin who she is. This prompts an

aria

from

Gremin in praise of his wife. Onegin, by

the way,

decides

he

is

in love with

Tatyana now,

and although she

still

has feelings for him

as

well,

she does what

is morally

right

and tells Onegin

to leave.

Eugene is once more

filled

with

anguish.

[Werner

Thomas-Mifune]

KNZ GM1691

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105

ASTA

ranking

4-5

Wagner,

Richard

1813-1883)

Bridal

Chorus

rom Lohengrin (1850)

Synopsis ~

Time:

933. Place: Antwerp. Count Frederick of Telramund is set to

marry

Elsa of Brabant unti l

he

hears that she took her younger brother into

the

woods and

he

was

never

heard from

again. When Elsa is

accused of

murder, the Count decides

to

marry Ortrud,

but still

wants

to

rule

Brabant.

Elsa

protests her innocence and

says

a

knight wi l l

show up to save her . Sure

enough,

a knight

appears

in

a

boat pulled

by

a

swan. The knight

says he will

help her

if

she agrees to marry

him

and

if

she

never asks

his

name

or where he is

from

(his name is Lohengrin). Lohengrin and Count Telramund

battle

it out

and Lohengrin

wins .

The

"Bridal Chorus"

begins

as

Elsa

and the

mysterious

knight

prepare for their

wedding at

the Cathedral in

Antwerp.

[Paul Paradise] B-M 0-7692-3145-4

ASTA

ranking 2

Song tothe Evening Starfrom "Tannhauser"(1845)

Synopsis ~ Time: 13" '

century.

Place: Thuringia, near Eisenach. Tannhauser is

a

knight

who

is

also

a

singer

and a composer. Wolfram, a

friend

of Tannhauser,

decides to

hold

a

singing contest: the

winner will get

to

marry

Elizabeth: the

heroine of

the

opera.

The

contest ensues.

Tannhauser,

having just spent time

with

the Goddess

of

Love

(Holda)

is

impatient with all

of

the veiled words

of love

and begins to sing of carnal love. The

ent i re

party

is in

shock: knights draw their swords, women run to hide, and

Elizabeth

throws herself on Tannhauser's

feet

and

asks her

father

to

forgive his

impropriety.

Landgrave. Elizabeth's father, says he will

forgive

Tannhauser

only if he

goes to

Rome

to

ask

pardon

from

the

Pope. El izabeth

sadly

waits for

Tannhauser

to

come home. When

he

does

not,

she

prays

to the gods

to

let

her leave this

unhappy

world.

Wolfram,

hearing

her

and

knowing th is

would

b e

the

best for her sings an

impassioned

plea to

the evening

s tar

asking that she be

taken to

a vvorld beyond .

[Paul

Paradise]

B -M 0-7692-3145-4

AS T A r ank i ng 2

Introduction andSongto the Evening Starfrom Tannhauser

(1845)

Synopsis ~ Time: 13"' century.

Place:

Thuringia,

near

Eisenach. Tannhauser

is a

knight

who is also a singer and a composer.

Wolfram,

a friend of

Tannhauser, decides to

hold a

singing contest :

the winner

wil l

get to marry

Elizabeth: the heroine of the

opera. The

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106

contest ensues. Tannhauser, having just

spent

time with the

Goddess

of Love (Holda) is

impatient

with all of the vei led words of

love

and

begins to

sing of carnal love. The

entire

party

is

in

shock:

knights

draw

their swords, women

run to hide, and

Elizabeth

throws herself on Tannhauser's

feet

and

asks her father

to forgive his impropriety.

Landgrave, Elizabeth's father, says he wil l forgive Tannhauser only if

he

goes to Rome to

ask pardon from the Pope.

Elizabeth

sadly waits for

Tannhauser

to

come home.

When

he does

not,

she prays to

the

gods

to

let her

leave

th is

unhappy world.

Wolfram,

hearing

her

and knowing this would be the best

for her

s ings an impassioned

plea to the

evening

star asking that she be taken to

a

world beyond.

[W. F. Ambrosio] CF

0-8258-0277-6

ASTA

ranking 3-4

Song

tothe Evening Star

from

Tannhauser (1845)

Synopsis ~ Time: 13" ' century.

Place:

Thuringia, near Eisenach. Tannhauser is

a

knight

who

is also a

singer

and a

composer. Wolfram,

a friend of

Tannhauser,

decides

to hold

a

singing contest: the

winner

wil l ge t to

marry

Elizabeth: the heroine

of

the opera. The

contest ensues. Tannhauser,

having

just

spent

time with the Goddess

of Love (Holda)

is

impatient with all of

the vei led

words

of

love

and

begins to

sing

of

carnal love.

The

entire

party

is in

shock:

knights draw their swords, women run

to

hide,

and

Elizabeth

throws

hersel f on Tannhauser's feet and asks her

father

to

forgive

his impropriety.

Landgrave,

Elizabeth's

father,

says

he

will

forgive

Tannhauser

only

if

he

goes to Rome

to

ask pardon from the Pope. Elizabeth sadly waits for Tannhauser to come

home.

When

he

does

not,

she prays

to

the

gods to

let her

leave

th is unhappy

world.

Wolfram her and

knowing th is would be the best for her sings an

impassioned

plea to the evening star

asking that

she be

taken to a world beyond .

[Anonymous] AMS 0-8256-2040-6

ASTA ranking

2

Siegmund'sLove Song

from

' 'Die Walkiire"

(1870)

Synopsis ~ Time: mythological. Place: Germany. Act I begins with the arrival of a tired

young

wanior

(he calls

himself Woeful at a crude home in the

fores t .

The

young

woman who lives there, Sieglinde, offers him drink and

comfort.

Hunding, the husband

of

the

young

woman, comes home

and sees

the

attraction

between

the two. He

also

not ices a resemblance between

them,

and realizes not only are they siblings, but children

of the enemy god Wotan as

wel l .

After dinner, Sieglinde gives her husband a sleeping

pot ion and sneaks out to be with

Woeful,

who is really Siegmunde and her brother

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107

(unbeknownst

to

both of

them).

They sing of

their

passion

in

the

aria

"Winterstwrme

wichen dem

Wonnemond"

("Winter storms

have waned

in the winsome moon").

[W.

F.

Ambrosio]

CF 0-8258-0277-6

ASTA

ranking

4-5

Walther's Prize

Song

from Die Meistersinger" (1868)

Synopsis

~

Time: mid-16" ' century. Place:

Nuremberg. Walther, Knight

of Franconia

who admires Eva, daughter of the rich goldsmith

Pogner,

finds out there

is

to be a song

contest, and the winner gets E v a . Hans Sachs

is

the local cobbler, a

fairly good

musician ,

and

a candidate

for

the

contest . Eva is in love

with Walther though,

and

makes plans to

elope

with

him.

Hans

overhears

the

plans, sends Eva home, and

takes Walther

in as his

house guest

for

the

night. While

at

Hans'

house

Walther has

a

dream

in

the

fonn

of

a

poem and upon waking

tel ls Hans

all about it. Hans th inks it's

so

beaut i fu l

he wri tes

down all the words. The

poem

is

near ly

stolen

by

another candidate

who

is

also a guest

a t

Hans Sach's

home.

Walther sings his

poem

at

the

contest and wins . Hans

Sachs is

really the hero of the opera

because

he put

art and honor in

front of romance.

[W. F. Ambrosio] CF

0-8258-0277-6

ASTA ranking 4

B.

Original compositions

Beethoven, Ludwig

von

1770-1827)

Seven Variations on

athemefrom ''TheMagic Flute (1791)

Synopsis

~ Time: right around

the

re ign

of

the Pharaoh Ramses 1 .

Place:

Egypt. Mozart's

Magic

Flu te is

a fairy

tale

in

the

style

of

a

musical

comedy

or

operetta.

Papageno.

a

bird

catcher, and

Prince Tameno

are

out to

find Pamina,

daughter

of the

Queen

of

the

Night .

The High Pries t of

I

sis and

Osir is

has

kidnapped

Pamina apparently

to

keep

her

away

from

her evil mother. A t the end

of

the

first act,

with

the

help

of

some magic

pipes

and

bel ls ,

Pamina, Papageno

and

Tamino

arc

brought

together. When they are alone,

Papageno tells Pamina someone who loves

her

will

come

to her rescue. Pamina tells

Papageno that he will soon f ind a wife since

he

has such a tender heart.

A

duet in

German folk-song style ensues between

the

soprano and bass.

[Joachim Stutschewsky]

PET 748b

[Joachim Stutschewsky] PET 7048

[Anonymous] INT 665

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108

ASTA ranking 5

Twelve

Variations

on a

heme

from

'•The

Magic

Flute

(1791)

Synopsis

~ Time: right around the reign of the Pharaoh Ramses I. Placc;

Egypt.

In Scene

6

of Act IIPapageno the birdcatcher is told he may have one wish granted. He drinks a

glass

of

wine and

then sings

the aria "Ein

Madchen oder

Weibchen" "Please let

me have

a

sweetheart

or , at

any rate, a

wife "

An

old woman

from a previous

scene

reappears and,

believe it or not , she

is

only eighteen years

and

two minutes old, she

has

feathers and her

name

is Papagena .

[Joachim Stutschewsky]

PET

748b

[Janos

Starker]

SCH ED3153

[Andre

Navarra]

(Urtext)

HEN

HN

5

[Pablo Casals-oley] CPC

ASTA ranking

5

Castelnuovo-Tedcvsco, Mario 1895-1968)

Figaro

(a

concert

transcription)

based on

themes

of Rossini's

The

BarberofSeville"

1816)

Synopsis ~ Time; 17" ' century. Place: Seville.

The

famous

Largo

al

factotum

for Figaro's

character

is a prime example

of

an opera buffa

aria.

Figaro sings the aria early in the

opera as

he approaches the

home

of

Dr.

Bartolo,

who

is

keeping

the

young

and

beaut i fu l

Rosina

as

his

ward.

Count

Almaviva

has

also just

arrived at the Bartolo

residence

to

serenade Rosina. It turns out Figaro

is

more than just a barber

and

the

town

could

not

survive

without him:

he is

indeed

a

factotum,

or one

who

does

everything.

He modestly

sings

about

himsel f

in

the aria "Largo

al factotum"

the theme of which

is used for

th is

piece .

[Gregor Piat igorsky]

CF

B2670

ASTA

ranking

6

Corigliano,

John

b. 1938)

Phantasmagoriabased

on themes from

''•The

Ghosts of Versailles (1993)

Synopsis ~

Time:

1 7 * ^ century. Place: Seville. The ghost of the playwright

Beaumarchais,

who wrote The

Barber

of Sevil le and The

Marriage

of Figaro ,

has been in

love with the

ghost of

Marie

Antoinette

for

the last two hundred years. Figaro, who in this

opera

is

twenty

years older than in

The

Marriage of Figaro (but still

Count

Almaviva's valet), is

first

seen

in the

opera being chased by

a

group

of men,

women and children

- all

of whom

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109

he has

deceived in some way

or

another. They think they

have him

when

he

hides

in

a

closet

and

they all

run

in after

him,

but it

is a

trap,

and

he

locks the door

and throws

away

the

key.

During the aria

"They

Wish

They Could

Kill

Me," he

tells

the

story

of

his life

while the group bangs on the door; at

the

end of

the

aria, they finally

manage

to break

down the door

and

escape.

[Yo-Yo

Ma] SCH HL50482179

AST A

ranking

6

Danzi, Franz 1763-

1826)

Variations on

a

hemefromMozart's "DonGiovanni (1787)

Synopsis

~ "La

ci darem

la

mano" for soprano

and

baritone is

one of the most

popular

and

famil iar

duels

from Mozart's Don

Giovanni

in

which

Don Giovanni is

trying

to

seduce

yet another female who doesn't belong to him.

Don

Giovanni is

in

love with

Donna Anna

who is

engaged to Don

Ottavio . Trying

to win her over,

Don

Giovanni

dresses up as

Don

Ottavio. Donna

Anna

runs

to

her father for

help.

A

duel

ensues,

and

Don Giovanni slays Donna Anna's father. Do n Giovanni

and

his "low comedy" servant

Leporello leave town. In a village near

Sevi l le , they

happen

upon an

engagement party

of

Zerl ina

(a

local

girl ) and Masetto. Don Giovanni wants Zerlina

for

himself, and in the

duet

"La ci

darem la

mano,"

asks Zerlina to his castle.

[Heinrich Klug]

BRH 6522

ASTA ranking 6

C.

Ensemble music

Bizet, Georges 1838-1875)

CarmenFantasie

- uite

for Five

Celli(1875)

Synopsis ~ Time: around 1820.

Place;

Seville. Carmen, known for her flirting,

f ight ing

and

drinking,

is a worker at the

cigarette

factory in

Seville.

She flirts with

Don

Jose, a

soldier , seduces him, grows

bored with him,

meets the

bullfighter

Escamillo, leaves

Don

Jose, and is then killed by him out of jealousy. The five

themes

used in this suite are the

main

t hemes

f rom the opera and include the habanera, Seguidilla, Toreador Song

and

Flower S o ng .

[Werner Thomas-Mifune]

KNZ

GM

508

ASTA ranking

Cel lo

I

-

Cel lo

11-5

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110

Cello III-

Cello IV

-

-5

Cello

V

-

-5

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791)

Zerlina's Aria rom ''Don

Giovanni"

(1787)

Synopsis

~ Time: 17" ' century. Place; in and around

Seville.

"La ci darem la mano" for

soprano and

baritone

is one of the

most

popular and familiar duets

from

Mozart's Don

Giovanni in which Don Giovanni is trying to seduce yet another female who doesn't

belong

to

him.

Don Giovanni is in love with

Donna Anna

who is

engaged

to Don

Ottavio. Trying to win

her

over, Don Giovanni

dresses

up as Don Ottavio. Donna Anna

runs

to

her

father for

help. A duel ensues, and Don

Giovanni slays Donna

Anna's

father.

Don Giovanni and his "low comedy" servant Leporello leave town.

In

a village near

Sevi l le , they happen upon an engagement party of

Zerlina

(a local girl)

and

Masetto.

Don

Giovanni

wants Zerlina

for

himself, and

in

the

duet

"La ci darem la mano,"

asks

Zerlina

to his

castle.

[Werner Thomas-Mifune] KNZ GM 554

ASTA ranking

Cello

I-

' C e l l o I I - 5

Puccini, Giacomo (1858-1924)

Rodolfo s

Ariafrom

"La

Boheme (1896)

Synopsis ~ Time: Paris. Place:

around

1830. Mimi, the

heroine

of the

opera,

knocks on

the

door

of her neighbor, Rodol fo . Her candle

has

gone out, and

she is

so

poor

she

doesn't

have

another match

to l ight

it

aga in . Rodolfo

lights

her candle, gives

her

wine

and sings her the

aria "Che

gelida

manina"

("Thy tiny hand

is

frozen"). In this

aria he

introduces

himself to Mimi

and

tells about his

life's

work.

[Werner Thomas-Mifune]

KNZ GM

554

ASTA ranking

Cello

1-5

C e l l o n-6

Cello III-

Cello IV

-

5

Cello V-

Cello

V I

-

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I l l

Verdi,

Giuseppe

1813-1901)

Phillip's Aria

for

Six Cellifrom Don Carlos" (1867)

Synopsis

~

Time:

1559 .

Place: Madrid.

The

opening

of

the

third

act

of

Don Carlos is

in

A minor, announcing the dark and somber

mood.

Don

Carlos

is in love

with

his

stepmother, Queen Elizabeth, and she with him. For political reasons, however, the

queen

is married to

Don

Carlos' father,

Phillip.

Rodrigo, Don Carlos' friend and

the

Marquis

of Posa, suggests he

try for

the

governorship

of

Flanders,

in order to

forget

Elizabeth. Rodrigo begs the

queen

to ask

Phillip

to send Don Carlos

away, and

then

leaves

Don Carlos

and

the

queen together. Don Carlos breaks

into song, and

admits his

love for Elizabeth. With

great restraint ,

the

queen

denies that she

loves Don

Carlos

back.

Although

King Phillip does

not

know

what

exists between his son and the

queen,

he

senses that

Elizabeth's love for

h im

is

not sincere

in

his

aria

that

opens the

third act:

"Ella

giammai

m'

amo"

("She

has never loved me").

[Werner Thomas-Mifune] KNZ

GM

554

ASTA ranking

Cello

I

-

Cello

11-5

Celloin

4

Cello IV-

Cello

V-

Cello

VI

-

Wagner,

Richard 1813-1883)

Walther's

Preislied rom Die Meistersinger (1868)

Synopsis ~

Time:

mid-16'^ '

century. Place:

Nuremberg. Walther,

Knight

of Franconia

who admires Eva, daughter

of

the rich goldsmith Pogner,

finds

out

there

is to be a song

contest,

and the winner gets

Eva.

H a ns Sachs is the

local cobbler,

a fairly good musician,

and a candidate for the contest . Eva is in

love

with Walther though, and makes plans to

elope with

him. Hans overhears

the

plans, sends Eva

home,

and takes

Walther in

as

his

house guest for the night . While

at Hans'

house Walther

has

a dream in the form of a

poem and upon waking tells Hans all about

it.

Hans thinks

it's

so beautiful he writes

down

all

the words. The poem is nearly stolen

by

another candidate who is also a guest

at Hans

Sach's

home. Walther sings

his poem

at the

contest

and wins. Hans Sachs

is

really the

hero of

the opera because

he

put art and honor in front

of

romance.

[Werner

Thomas-Mifune]

KNZ GM 554

ASTA ranking

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112

Cello

I-

Cello

II-

Cello III

-

Cello IV--4

Cello V-

Cello VI--5

Vorspielfrom

'Tristanund

Isolde (1865)

Synopsis ~ Time: the legendary days of King Arthur. Place: Cornwall, Brittany, and the

sea.

The

Prelude to Tristan and I so lde

is

a tone

poem

in itself, telling

the

story of

the

young lovers. Isolde is a princess of Ireland

and the

daughter of a witch. She is on a

ship

being taken

to

become a bride

to King Marke

of

Cornwall.

The

Captain

of

the

ship

is

Tristan, nephew of

Marke.

Isolde had a fiancee but T r istan ki l led

him,

and

instead of

being

angry

she

fell in

love with

him. Isolde's personal

attendant

gives a love pot ion to

Tristan and Isolde and the orchestra plays strains from the Prelude. In Act

II

Isolde

has

apparent ly

been married to King Marke

but

stil l

sees

Tristan in

sccret. Finally they

are

caught,

Tristan is

stabbed, and

Isolde

dies

in

grief.

[Werner Thomas-Mifune]

KNZ GM

554

ASTA ranking

Cello

I

-

Cello

II

-

Cello I I I

-

Cello

IV-

Cello

V

-

Cello VI

-

Weber, Carl

Maria

1786-1826)

Cavatina

Agathe from "Der Freischiitz" (1821)

Synopsis

~ The loose t ransla t ion

of

Der Freischiitz is "Free Shooter"

-

marksman who

uses charmed bullets. This German Singspiel about foresters and

set

in

Bohemia,

marks

the end of

I tal ian

predominance in opera and

paved

the way for Wagner: Romantic

music

and the inf luence of

German

folk songs, love be tween commoners,

supernatural

evil, and

a background of nature, to name a few. Max, a forester and

the hero

of

the

opera has just

lost a shoot ing match to Kilian, a peasant . The defeat upsets Max more

than

usual ,

because a

contest is

planned

for the next day, the winner of which will get as his prize

Agathe,

Cuno-the-head-forester's-daughter. Caspar, the bully of the

story,

gets Max

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113

drunk,

and convinces

him

to make a deal with a devil-figure named Samiel to get

supernatural help: seven

"magic"

bullets are offered, but the target of only six are the

shooter's

choice

-

the

seventh

goes

where the devil directs

it. In

Scene

1

f

Act

I I I ,

Agathe is dressing for

her

wedding,

but

feels

unset t led . She had a

dream that Max shot

a

white

dove,

and

when

the dove

fell

to

the ground

it was

actually

she. In a pla int ive

cavatina, Agathe prays

for

protection.

(Werner Thomas-Mifune] KNZ GM 554

ASTA ranking

Cello I-3

CelloII-3

Cello 111-

C e l l o

I V - 4

Cello

V

-

Cello

VI-

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114

REFERENCES

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