Amaze
Astonish
Move the Emotions
(monody = 17th-c. Italian solo song)
Florence, Italy
(monody = 17th-c. Italian solo song)
A. Florentine Camerata: Florence, 1570s
B. Host: Giovanni de’ Bardi
C. Theorist: Vincenzo Galilei
Dialogue on Ancient and Modern Music
•Complaint: Music (esp. polyphony) does not touch the emotions
•Solution: Music should resemble oration; heightened speech
D. Composers: Jacopo Peri & Giulio Caccini
•Euridice (1600-01)
E. The Music of the Florentine Camerata:
Caccini’s Monody vs. Peri’s
Caccini’s Monody:
Has oratorical elements, (length, accent, elision),
yet preserves songlike/musical qualities
vs.
Peri’s Monody:
Stresses speechlike qualities
A. Recitative (speechlike) vs. Aria (songlike)
(late Baroque, by 1700)
•Rhyme: Rhymed or Unrhymed?
•Performing Forces?
•Presentation of text: Rapid or Slow?
•Melodic character: interesting, memorable contour or speechlike
repeated notes?
•Meter: Regular and obvious or Irregular/obscure
A. Recitative vs. Aria (late Baroque, by 1700)
B. Stile Rappresentativo (early Baroque, 1600-50)
Stile rappresentativo________Arioso_________________Aria
(speechlike)
(songlike)
C. The “Problem” with Opera: Verisimilitude
(“Realistic-ness”) vs. Musical Satisfaction
A. Opera Defined
Drama: acted, scenery etc.
Sung throughout
B. Conventions of Early Opera
A. Opera Defined
B. Conventions of Early Opera
C. Monteverdi’s Compositions
D. Monteverdi’s Orfeo (1607)
1. Monteverdi’s Solution to the Verisimilitude Problem
2. A Sample Scene: “Tu se’ morte” (You are dead)
1. Monteverdi’s Solution to the Verisimilitude Problem
Arias (memorable melodies)
1. Monteverdi’s Solution to the Verisimilitude Problem
Instrumental Music
1. Monteverdi’s Solution to the Verisimilitude Problem
-Old-fashioned madrigals
-Dance
1. Monteverdi’s Solution to the Verisimilitude Problem
Duets
1. Monteverdi’s Solution to the Verisimilitude Problem
Vocal Virtuosity
Tu se' morta, mia vita, ed io respiro?
Tu se da me partita
Per mai più non tornare, ed io
rimango?
You are dead, my life, but I still breathe?
You have left me
Never to return yet I remain?
No, che se i versi alcuna cosa ponno,
N'andrò sicuro a'più, profundi abissi
E, intenerito il cor del re de l'ombre,
No, if my verses possess any power,
I shall go undaunted into the deep abyss
And having softened the heart of the king of
Hades,
Meco trarrotti a reverder le stelle;
O, se ciò negherammi empio destino,
Rimmarrò teco in compagnia di
morte.
Addio terra, addio cielo e sole, addio!
Will transport you to again see the stars.
O, if cruel destiny works against me,
I will remain with you in the company of
death.
Farewell earth, farewell heaven & sun, farewell!