Postings

Hello, and thanks to all that have been wondering what happened to the Don Giovanni blog! Haha!.  It seems there is a large contingent of Chinese followers wondering about the status of things (I'm not sure too many of those for whom this was actually intended check in!).  So, all I can say is:  xie xie nimen!  Scheduling, concert preparations, coachings, teachings, practicing, administration....all are factors in the the lack of maintenance on this particular blog.  I have been asked by a couple (again, outside of UTK's production) if I will be completing the 'study notes' I did for much of the score.  The answer is "yes", I will.  I am humbled and touched to know that my observations and thoughts seem to be of value to others working through this score and so I will add notes for the rest of the opera.  Your patience is appreciated.  Once Giovanni is completed (including notes here on this blog), I will begin posting study notes for Die Zauberflote which is in preparation for performance in Seoul this summer (www.isongfesta.kr).

Anyway, the show has grown tremendously over the past few months and I am delighted with the effort and progress.  The undergraduate cast in particular has exceeded expectations and their determination is a true inspiration.  It is not a secret that I was not the most in favor of attempting this work with an undergraduate only cast.  This is one of those instances where I am thrilled that my initial reservations have been proven wrong.  

I was particularly pleased with the progress people had made over spring break and the two weeks following while I was in Shanghai and Seoul.  Although the rehearsal schedule has been grueling since my jet-lagged return, it has been rewarding to see this massive work come together in such a delightful way.  

Piano Dress Notes: Monday, April 20, 2009

Undergrad Piano Dress:

 

Note on embellishments:  There are only a few places where we have added ornaments.  Specifics will follow in the notes.  However, we discussed the reasons (musical, musicological and dramatic) at length early in the rehearsal process so it is much too late in the game to consider revising them now.  HOWEVER, the point that might make them objectionable to some is if they are performed in a manner that sounds as thought you are singing and ornament because someone TOLD you to sing an ornament.  Remember that any sort of embellishment (whether notated or not) is for dramatic inflection.  As with anything else, you must convey a REASON for an embellishment.  We have added only a couple, just make sure you are aware of the dramatic reasons you are singing them.

 

AUDIO:  I know hearing the piano was a major problem during the first half.  Ensemble was surprisingly good despite that, but a few things that happened last night (which do not usually happen in rehearsal) were not worth commenting upon.

 

No. 1:            Leporello

            We MAY lose the turn on “sentinella” only if it will not confuse you at this point.  We can lose it only because it is not being executed very cleanly and so may seem a bit distraction.  The purpose for it was to be in keeping with a sense of frustration Leporello is experiencing (a musical equivalent to a violent head shake).  It is not reading that way, so let’s consider removing this one.

 

            Good rhythmic awareness in the Andante, but be sure not to get behind the beat (again, probably due to being unable to hear the piano).

 

No. 2 Recit:

            D.O.            Do not rush into “Cercatemi”

            D.O.    Do not be in such a hurry on “lo giuro al nostro amor!”  I’ll give you the time here.

 

            D.A.   On your final “giura!” with fermata:  we have not been doing the embellishment that really should be done here, but in order to still activate the drama we discussed of this exchange back in January, at LEAST hold the fermata longer so D.O.’s “lo giuro” is a noticeable contrast.

 

            D.O./D.A.:  Do not rush when you start the eighth-notes “vammi ondeggiando il cor”

 

No. 4: Catalogue Aria:

            I started this a bit too quickly, but keep your lines moving forward – especially in the very active staging. 

 

            Watch for “nella biondo” BUT, more important (and we have talked about this before)…the pause MUST be filled with some dramatic intention.  WHY does this music (ie. Leporello’s tone) change?  If you are filling this pause dramatically, you will not rush into it. 

 

            Well executed at “la piccina”!

 

            The chromatics at “vezzosa…Delle vecchie” will remain as we have done all semester.  Of course they are absolutely stylistically correct and the reasons, dramatic and stylisitic were discussed at length months ago.  Again, it is not effective if not sung with an intention.  Remember the character discussions at the beginning of the semester:  Leporello is not kind hearted simply:  he is enjoying the fact that he is pulling strings over this woman ( he does not get to seduce and manipulate women the way D.G. does, so this is the only pleasure he gets at playing with a woman’s heart).  You have to ENJOY moment.  (AND, FYI, the move to G natural is necessitated by clearing the chromatic flirtations with G-sharp that, also, are indicative of Leporello’s indulgence in this moment. Bla blab la ---- just sing the d***ed chromatic embellishment, but do it with an evil grin!).  Mozart will thank you for being aware!

 

No. 5:  CORO

            Ladies Chorus:  Remember we need voices on the bottom line!  It is only a couple bars of music and I don’t think we need to have another rehearsal on that.  If you volunteered to sing those notes, please make sure we can hear you.

 

No. 10:  Recit and Aria

            D.A.            Take a bit of time with “O Dei!...”  each can stretch a little more than the previous…this should not be TOO strict in tempo or it will be dramatically unnatural”.

            D.O.            Speak through your text at “Oh ciel! Possible che sotto…”  You are performing every syllable the same, losing the rhythm of the speech and making it sound unnatural.  For example, tack just a little more time on “narratemi”

            D.O.              More energy on initial “p” of “Perfido! E alfin” – remember to match orchestra’s energy here.

 

Batti, batti:

            Z:              Very well done!!! Remember always to differentiate the color of the initial “b” between “batti” and “bel” (two of Zerlina’s favorite words!)

            Connect with me to start “pace”.  Needs a little bit more life despite staging.  Just think ‘exhuberant’ if nothing else.  It is not music about ‘peace” despite the word “pace”.

 

FINALE

 

Men’s chorus:                        Remember energetic precision (energy) BUT, fill out vowels on “svegliatevi da bravi” in order to project. 

 

Andante:

 

            D.G.:   More indulgent when sing “Zerlinetta” (diminuendo to ‘sexify’). 

            Z:            clear phrase direction towards “via” on “Ah, lasciatemi andar via!”

 

Adagio:

 

            D.A./D.O.:            Do not get too slow on “Protegga il giusto cielo” – just keep a crescendo going through the dotted quarter not so you do not get stuck.  Don’t RUSH…just don’t get bogged down in the rhythm.

 

Allegro 6/8:

 

            TUTTI:  Look over your parts.  Entrances are tricky and I will try to help you as much as I can, but you should never be DEPENDENT on any conductor to show you when to sing. 

 

Andante maestoso:

 

            “Tutto, tutto gia si sa”:            separate for double consonants “tutto”, but LEGATO “gia si sa”

 

Allegro:

            “Trema, trema” will be taken slightly slower.  Because of Audio issues, I did not concern myself with that too much.  I couldn’t hear the piano either!

ACT II

 

Trio: 

D.E.            Continue to review “Non e costui lingrato?”:  I’ll try to be as clear as possible there, but you need to look it over on your own as well. 

 

Vedrai carino:

 

Z:            Keep embellishment at fermata (“dove, dove mi sta?”), but again, be aware of dramatic purposes.  Self-indulgence, playfulness, patronizing, whatever works.  Embellishments are always dramatic, never just to be pretty.  If you put a purpose behind it, it will sound good, I promise.

Remember to take just a LITTLE time to indulge initial “b” of “battere” in “sentilo battere” – enjoy the word! That’s why you keep saying it over and over!!!

After second fermata, make sure Masetto’s head comes to rest on the ground on the word “bocca” (right where the orchestra music indicates his head should come to rest).

 

Sextet:

Direction and more energy on initial “p” “Ah, mora il perfido”

E:  Best legato on “E mio marito!” 

E:  NO crescendo “Pieta! Pieta!”  The others need to break you off with their “No, no, no, no!”

 

Duet:  O Statua …

L:              Fill out your sound on the first note (good long, round “O” vowel)

 

FINALE

L.;            don’t rush “ah, pardon…”

Manwhore chorus:   Don’t drag:  “tutto a tue colpe…”  Anticipate beat a bit since you are so far away.

 

Allegro assai:

Rhythm (energize short note) “Ah, dov’ e il perfido”

Don’t be tentative on “e noi tutti, o buona gente”

Don’t begin ritardando too soon on “l’antichisima canzon”

Rehearsal Schedule

 Rehearsal schedule for the week of February 23rd.  

The off-book date for Act I is fast approaching, and note that Carroll will begin staging this Friday.  It is imperative that everyone spend time working those portions of the score that are uncomfortable.  Likewise, you must continue to keep the recitatives going as we will not have a chance to work them as intensively again as we did earlier this semester.  Knowing your words (including the literal meanings), notes and rhythms is entirely your responsibility.  Having this work done before walking into the rehearsal room will ensure a smooth and efficient rehearsal process and guarantee we will have enough time to put this show together in time.

Thanks for your hard work.

 

Monday, February 23, 2009

 

3:30-4:30  (Opera Room – Class/Harvey)

Act I  Finale

 

4:30-5:30 (Opera room – Class/Harvey)

No. 5 (Z/M)

Quartet (DA/E/O/G)

No. 2 (DA/DO)

 

4:30-5:30 – (Room 41 – Freeman/Murphy)

Leporelli (Act I Finale; Act II:  Recit & Duet No. 22; Act II Finale if time permits)

 

 

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

 

3:30-4:30 (Opera Room – Class/Harvey)

Act II  Finale

 

4:30-5:30 (Opera Room – Class/Harvey)

No. 22  Recit & Duet (DG/L/Com.)

No. 15 Trio (DE/DG/L)

No. 14 Duet (DG/L)

 

4:30-5:30 – (Room 41 – Freeman/Murphy)

Zerlini (TBA)

 

Friday, February 27, 2009

3:30-5:30 (Opera Room – Class/Harvey/Freeman)

Staging TBA

 

3:30-5:30 (Room 41 – Maness)

TBA

 

 

 

 

 

Rehearsal Notes

La ci darem was very well executed.  The balance issues are not entirely the problems of either voice or orchestra.  Cox Auditorium is a terrible hall for soloists and the positioning of the shell makes it very difficult for the orchestra to not over power anyone standing in front.  After suggestions, there was some improvement in balance, but all that really can be done on the part of the singer is spin your legato out front as much as possible.

The Trio was very well done as well.  Balance was actually the best in this number.  

Sextet:  Extemely well done with a tempo that does not support the needs of the voice sufficiently.  Leporello: do not dot the rhythms on the word "tempo" in "ecco il tempo" before the key change.  The rhythm IS dotted at "cheto, cheto" because of the rhythmic inflection of the italian.  Elvira:  give a little more time to the "i" or "mio" at "E mio marito".  Moving too quickly to the "o" breaks the needed legato of this phrase and implies an unwanted accent.  The word "mio" can be treated as either a one or two syllable word.  Regardless of how you view it, we simply need a little more length on the 'i' so as not to disrupt the line.  Leporello:  once again, think crescendo when you have repeated pitches such as "perdon, perdono...".  Doing very with ascending line at "viver lasciatemi", but came off the tie much too soon both times.

"Dei! Leporello!":  Do not accent final syllable! It's being held too long and therefore not being shaped appropriately.  

During the finale at "che impensata novita" (m. 240), do not rush!  Listen to basses and celli, you're getting slightly ahead.

  

Rehearsal Notes

Monday, February 9, 2009

Much improved on the Sextet.  I had anticipated having to spend more time on pitches than necessary after the previous Friday's orchestra rehearsal, but everyone took their work seriously and improved significantly in the intervening days.  Everyone else should have looked at this act II material considering that we were scheduled to do an Act II work-through two weeks ago.  I'm at a bit of a loss as to why anyone is still sight-reading any of this.

Rehearsal Schedule Feb. 9-20

Don Giovanni

 Notes:

1)  Off-Book dates:   Act I – March 2

                                    Act II – March  9

These are non-negotiable.  By now you have had sufficient notice about your roles and should have invested enough time and effort into your preparations that these dates should pose no great difficulty for you.  Being glued to a score inhibits your absorption of the information it contains and will only slow the process of music and staging and hinder the progress of your colleagues.  Take these dates seriously!

 

2) During this week (Feb.  9-13), everyone should be in Cox Auditorium observing rehearsals even if you are not singing on the 13^th.  You should be attentive to what you are hearing and observing, following full scores for those of you that have acquired them, and reinforcing your own study of these numbers.  These rehearsals are during opera hours so there should be no conflicts other than any that may have already been cleared by Mr. Freeman. 

 

 

Monday, February 9, 2009

3:30-4:30pm  Opera room (Class/Harvey)

 

Act II:  Sextet

              Trio

(All relevant cast called, but those singing with UTSO on Saturday will sing this rehearsal)

 

4:30 -6:00pm   Cox Auditorium  UTSO

            L’Italiana: Finale

            Giovanni:  Sextet, Trio, Duet

 

 

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

 

3:30-4:30  Opera room (Class/Harvey)

 

            Sextet  (other casts)

            Trio (other casts – as time permits)

 

4:30-6:00pm  Cox Auditorium UTSO

 

            L’Italiana:  Finale

            Giovanni:  Sextet, Trio, Duet

 

Friday, February 13, 2009  Opera Room(Class/Harvey)

 

Giovanni:    Act II: 

Duet No. 14 (DG/L)

Duet No. 22 (DG/L)

Canzonetta (DG)

 

Monday, February 16, 2009  Opera Room (Class/Harvey)

 

3:30-4:30            Act II Finale

4:30-5:30             Duets, Trio and Sextet from Act II

 

Wednesday, February 18, 2009 Opera Room (Class/Harvey)

 

3:30-5:30           Act I Finale

                                Act II Finale

                                Act I Quartet (DA/DE/DO/DG)

 

Friday, February 20, 2009  Opera Room (Class/Harvey)

 

3:30-5:30            Work through Act I (music)

Rehearsal Notes

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Aria Coachings:

Ho capito:

Masetto:  Fill out first note - good round vowel on "ho" - legato through "Ho capito.", and best legato through descending line at "chino il capo..."  Follow orchestra crescendo through "aver per me" repetitions.  At m. 77 onwards, energize but fill out the eighth notes so we do not lose them in the orchestra.

Il mio tesoro:

Ottavio:  The question about the rhythm in the first measure Ottavio sings is answered somewhat by the natural rhythm of the language.  While you can observe the two eighth notes in prinicple, the rhythm of the word "mio" requires a slight dotted "feel" to it in order to give proper stress to the first syllable.  Lean in this direction without being overly precise by dotting the rhythm completely.

Do not accent unstressed final syllables (even those which are difficult to sing!).  

Crescendo (forward phrasing) through long notes, especially the long 'F'.  Never sit on any pitch.

Meta di voi:

Giovanni:  M. 7: eighth-note pick up and legato.  Take your time on the pick up so the strings have time to settle into the downbeat.  Same at m. 57 ("tu sol verrai con me").

In m. 60, accent the "n" of "noi" then diminuendo.  Do not try to match the 'sfp' of the orchestra, but rather pace your diminuendo evenly across the bar line.

Crudelle/Non mi dir:

Recitative:  Allow the orchestra sound to clear before entering with "Ah"

Aria:  Clear phrasing.  No portamento between "son" and "io" in mm. 24-25.  IN m. 38 do not anticipate the "l" of "calma" thus breaking the legato and affecting pitch.

Rehearsal Notes

Monday, February 2, 2009

Introduzione, No. 1

In very good shape through most of this.  Pay careful attention to dynamics throughout, especially Leporello observing the "p" after "Sconsigliata!/Scellerato!"  

Commendatore:  Secure entrances, rhythms and pitches.  The Andante was fairly secure but "Lasciala, indegno!" was problematic.  

Andante:  Leporello: keep sixteenth notes of dotted rhythms very short and energized.

Aria/Trio, No. 3

This number was in excellent shape.  Donna Elvira's:  keep your legato spinning in "che per mio scorno amai...".  Keep connection during octave leaps, making sure to fill out the eighth notes at "vo' farne orrendo scempio...".

Aria, No. 8

"Ah, fuggi il traditor!"

This was very well prepared by all.  Despite its vocal challenges and very angular rhythm, do not feel you need to push the volume beyond the point that allows you appropriate opportunity for color.  The voice is accompanied only by strings, so the voice does not have to put out as much volume as in other parts of this score.  

Keep direction on long notes so that the line never becomes stagnant, even for a couple beats.  At m. 22 you can find an opportunity to bring back the volume a bit, lyricising the chromatic quarter-notes and giving you a slight respite from the driving energy of the piece.

Duetto, No. 2

Also well prepared.  In second measure, take time to sing through the initial "L" of "Lascia", giving a bit of time for orchestra to enter "p" beneath.  Don Ottavio:  despite the rests and angular rhythms, think of the long phrase at "Senti, cor mio..."

Donna Anna:  indulge the initial "b" of "bene" for the sake of both coloring the word, and allowing time for the "sfp" in the orchestra accompanying it.

Rehearsal Notes

Friday, January 30, 2009

Act I Finale

The overall preparations for this difficult finale were very pleasing.  For a first read-through of this material there were many good things happening.  I realize this was quite intimidating for some people, but there was great value in being present to at least hear this music and gain a sense for how this work flows. 

As always, keep legato when the music allows.  The orchestra is the machinery of articulation and your best bet for projection is to keep your sound spinning at all times. 

Allegro assai:

Zerlina simply needs to look for the second beat from the conductor then proceed in the new tempo.  Momentary eye-contact is all that is necessary. 

Andante maestoso:

“L’empio crede con tal frode”:  Think of filling out the first syllable with a warm accent (lots of air through the ‘L’) that will be supported by the “fp” in the strings. 

“Tutto, tutto gia si sa”:  Short, energized sixteenths with requisite separation on “tutto”, but be sure to fill out the vowel with legate on “gia si sa”. 

Allegro:

Molto “P” on “Trema” so that his crescendo has maximum dramatic effect. 

 

Quartet No. 9

 

This ensemble requires a good deal of work.  We will revisit it soon.  The operative word should be “effortless”, especially fort he sixteenth-note passages that are, of course, very difficult.  Despite the technical complications, these passages should not be oversung, riding on the vibrato as much as possible and sounding as effortless as possible. 

Continue working text.

Rehearsal Notes

Aria Coachings

General comments:  Keep your attention on clear phrase direction and line.  Think too how your sound should be different in Mozart than it is in other literature.  Your lines should always be clearly defined, tone round and pure (and without undo weight) and always elegant (never pushed).  I will not steer anyone in the direction of doing something vocally unhealthy or at odds with what you are doing in studios, but do speak to your teachers about your sound in Mozart.  We will continue to work this.

 

Batti, batti:

 

Despite the surface pleadings of this text, the line must seem always effortless and gentle.  The coloring of the word “batti” comes from the observation of the double consonant and requires little else.  This diction, however, should not inhibit the clear direction of the line, and it is the phrasing which makes the music sound elegant and refined. 

In m. six, be sure to note that the rhythm is NOT dotted on “…lina le”.  I believe it is improperly dotted in the Schirmer edition. 

It is especially important to maintain this ‘effortless’ quality in the Allegretto [“pace, pace”].  Although the rhythmic activity increases, the clarity of the line is still of utmost importance.  For the melissma on “passar”, use the “ss” to give you a clear accent when opening to the “a”.  These melissmas should sound quite suggestive and exhuberant, so utilize what Mozart gives you in the writing.  Give us a great difference in articulation between the energized staccato of “si, si , si , si…” and the elegance of “notte e di vogliam passar”.

 

Vedrai carino:

 

Crescendo throughout first measure leading to downbeat of second bar.  The ornament should be on the beat, and use the breath (vibrato) to lightly articulate the grace notes.  Mm. 28 and 30:  do not hold on to “no”.  These should be short. 

A couple people struggled with the rhythms in mm. 69-71. The first  “battere” is dotted, but the first beats of the next two bars are not. 

 

 

Madamina!:

 

Remember the rule:  If you sing the same pitch three or more times consecutively, then you MUST exaggerate the direction of the line (either crescendo or diminuendo – those are your two choices).  This is very important to remember throughout this aria as the voice has little true melodic movement.  Keep the legato through your lines as much as possible and allow the orchestra to take care of the articulation. 

In m. 62, do not lose the pulse as you are slowing down.  Any ritardando must be evenly paced, so do not linger too long on “ma”. 

Think “easy” and “elegant” in the minuet.  Do not put an accent on unaccented final syllables such as “bionda”. 

 

Or sai chi l’onore:

 

We were excited during the rehearsal, but eventually settled on a pace/tempo that was closer to what we wanted.  The energy is generated by the fast articulation of the strings, but the accompaniment is always “p”, so there is little reason to push for sake of projection over the orchestra.  Instead, think of fullness of sound and fill out short notes, especially pick ups which may get lost if not given good resonance.  

Rehearsal Notes

Recitative Coachings:  Day 5

Thanks everyone for your continued hard work and seriousness of purpose.  There is still a long way to go with our recitatives, but having worked through everything at this point puts us in a great position to sculpt and polish them as we continue.  I will collect reports from Carroll and Patrick to determine where our greatest efforts are needed with regard to recits, and will try to carve out some extra time as we proceed to bring up to speed those that are perhaps struggling a bit more than others.  Again, do not put these recitatives on the shelf.  Continue to work slowly and precisely with the language.  A few people are still more interested in speed than they are in accuracy.  Bad habits learned now will be very difficult to fix later.  Just be patient but also diligent and you will find yourself enjoying recitatives once they become more comfortable.

As for next week, we will start to turn our attention more towards music with some aria work on Monday and run throughs of the rest of the material on Wednesday and Friday.  

Rehearsal Notes

Recitative Coachings:  Day 4

Progress is continuing admirably for most people, while a few others are falling a bit behind in their individual preparations.  You absolutely must invest yourself in this material now because once we move into musical numbers and staging rehearsals there will be very little time to devote to learning recitatives (especially as everyone gets busier during the course of the semester).  Continue to study text and drill your pitches.  Enough has been said in other posts about learning text and connecting to the natural rhythms of the language.  Just make a point to carve out a portion of each day to devote to recitatives to keep them fluent.

Now, one concern needs to be addressed in your individual voice lessons.  PLEASE ASK YOUR TEACHERS FOR HELP WITH THIS! The voice faculty is invested in this production and your success in it, so be sure to use this valuable resource.   The concern is the over singing in recitative. 

Many of you have little or no experience with recitative and so it is entirely understandable that you will wrestle with the style of ‘singing’ required in performing them.  Your teachers will help you approach this in the best technical way, so consult with them on this material.  The point is not to sing too much.  These are not arias, this is dialogue that at all times must retain some qualities of speech.  It is a style called Parlando and lies somewhere between speech and fully invested singing.  Keep in mind that in secco recitative (ie. the recits accompanied by harpsichord), there is no orchestra to compete with, so projection is limited to simply getting the voice into the hall. My suggestion has been to practice speaking your lines (always with appropriate dramatic pacing and inflection) then simply add pitches to it.  However, another approach may be to consider removing spin or legato line (beyond the normal legato quality of the spoken language).  Regardless of how one thinks about the approach, do not try to “sing” recitatives in the manner in which you would sing any aria or ensemble.

On another note, we will talk a bit more about appoggiaturas as we continue to work and shape recitatives (especially in the context of staging), but as a quick mention: words such as “mio” (which can be considered to be either one or two syllables) should contain an appoggiatura only if there is a good, dramatic reason.  Possessive pronouns should usually have a certain amount of emphasis usually created by the diction itself.  Adding an appoggiatura on its two syllables adds a very pronounced emphasis that must be motivated by something in the text.  So, use it expressively but not too often.

Score Study: Don Giovanni Act II: No. 19 [18] Aria

Unlike the duet and aria from Act I, “Vedrai, carino” is music that is stylistically indicative of Zerlina’s status.  This is our indication that her sentiments in this aria are sincere, particularly in her complete lack of acceptance of any guilt and her projection onto Masetto that he must be the one to alter his behaviour to deserve her attention.  She is convinced of her position and proceeds to articulate this through an aria that is tender and completely straightforward in structure.

The caressing quality of the melody, as introduced by the orchestra, is signaled through the leggiero bowing of the violins.  The first bar should be taken as three consecutive up-bows with clear direction over the bar line.  The voice should maintain absolute legato upon entrance and allow the strings to continue with the articulation. 

Absolute care and attention must be taken not to rush the voice off of phrase endings!  Fluidity and subtle control of phrasing must be executed throughout.

Mm. 25-33 must have forward momentum without unnaturally pushing the tempo.  Slight ritardando in m. 33 with a caesura, in the voice and strings, before the downbeat of m. 34 (Flutes and Bassoons should attentively carry over the barline). 

The fermata in the voice (m. 51) should be ornamented.  Suggestion: voice ascends from E to F-F#-G-A then descends G-F natural -E -D.

Heartbeat in the bassi/celli (m. 53) must be sufficiently articulate and countered by best legato of woodwinds.  Non-vibrato in strings. 

Although obvious in its meaning about the beating of her heart, the exorbitant repetition of the words “sentilo battere” is also suggestive and allusive to “Batti, batti.”  The subito “p” that occurs on the word “battere” requires time to execute, time that the voice can provide by carefully indulging the initial consonant of the word in a way that is consistent with Zerlina’s sadomasochistic nature and her delight in the very expression of the word. The woodwind articulations in mm. 63 and 64 should, therefore,  accent the first note of the gesture and diminuendo over the bar line in order to illuminate this characterization.  In m. 65 the sixteenths should crescendo to the downbeat for the sake of the cadential movement.

Score Study: Don Giovanni Act II: Scene V Recitative/Scene VI Recitative

Scene V

 

M. 6: Masetto:  Do not articulate both “no’s” in the same tempo. Slight emphasis on “vo” in “vo’ farlo in cento brani.”  

Slight break between “Villano!” and “Mascalzon!”

 

Scene VI

 

Masetto: Guard against predictability of rhythm in opening two measure.  I suggest connecting after “la testa mia” and “ahi, ahi!”  Also connect “le spalle” to “e il petto.”  

Score Study: Don Giovanni Act II: No. 18 [17] Aria

Slight separation between each note of first violins, energized rhythm in rest of strings.  The characterization is in the urgency of the rhythm, the deliberate ‘confusion’ as articulated by the syncopation, and the articulate angularity of Giovanni’s line.  Voice must keep vowels fully resonant, and allow orchestra to articulate on dotted rhythms.

Score Study: Don Giovanni Act II: No. 17 [16] Canzonetta

Don Giovanni should have his mandolin positioned and ready before delivering the final line of the recitative “ora cantiamo” so that the dominant chord may be played in tempo resolving with the downbeat of the Canzonetta. 

This canzonetta is delivered in the same lyric (bel canto) style as his other “romantic” displays.  Absolute legato is the byword.  The dramatic inflection of the text is less important (although not to be entirely ignored) than the pure lyricism, and seductive quality,  of the voice.  Keep the spin focused and direction clear in all lines and especially in long notes (eg. m. 7).  One of the few instances of text indulgence is achieved by enjoying the mandatory shortening of the vowel on the word “bocca” followed by a sensuous legato on “dolce”. 

Consider ornamenting final “amore” with a turn over the “D”.

Score Study: Don Giovanni Act II: No. 16 [15] Trio

Elvira is trying to silence the frustrating conversation she is having inside her own head.  The “palpitations” she is referring to are as much obsessive as they are indicative of heart beats.  To characterize the attempts of Elvira to strengthen and ‘lift herself up’ only to be brought back to her anguish, the opening gesture of the first violins should be articulated in a way that conveys this adequately.  Up bow and open ‘E’ string on the first note, with slight separation before the rapid descending gesture.  This scalar descent becomes a motive of Elvira’s inability to uphold her feelings as exemplified in mm. 9 and 10. 

In m. 21:  D.G.: careful not to turn the syllabification of “idolo” into even eighths. 

At m. 29, Giovanni’s music changes to the overt ‘songlike’ music typically reserved for moments meant to be overly “romantic” and insincere.  The tempo may invite a VERY slight push forward, or at least needs to remain forward moving to frame this section as a bit of an 'act' on Giovanni's part, as well as to support the long, bel canto line.  The bowings of the celli/bassi should follow that of violas, preferably with an upbow for one measure to a downbow at m. 30.  Mm. 36 onwards, strive for best, most relaxed legato in second violins.

M. 46, slight separation between "no," and "non ti credo...".  The "fp" in the orchestra should be emphatic but not harsh due to the rhythmic activity of the vocal line (it could become too intrusive).  

Rehearsal Notes

In brief, a wonderful discussion on Thursday regarding characters and perceptions in this work.  As Mr. Freeman so rightly said, there are not always answers to the questions, but rather it is up to you, at times, to make decisions about your characters based on what information your research, history, the libretto and the music tells us.  It is exciting to see so much involvement in the characters at this stage of the production.  This will be an asset as we continue to prepare.  I will simply reiterate what I said yesterday:  Be curious!  Your curiosity about your characters and about the music will be your most valuable tool when working on this score. 

 

Recitative Coachings:  Day 3

 

Another productive day, from my vantage point.  Continue reviewing the Act I recitatives, even while working on Act II.  The time and energy invested now will pay off in a big way later, but you must continue to give them attention to gain greater fluency with the language and intimacy with the intentions behind everything you say.  The will continue to grow, and we will groom and shape them in the course of rehearsals. 

I’ll reiterate the suggestion to spend some time with these texts using a libretto only (as opposed to the scores).  Use any printed libretto (such as Castel or those found with any CD) and learn to speak through these lines in a way that makes sense.  We will continue to address the issues of rests and rhythms as we work.  Most important is to understand how you would, in fact, speak these lines if there was no music attached. 

Also, there are a few who are simply trying to get through these recits too quickly.  SLOW THEM DOWN!!!!  Deliver them in a spoken pace, otherwise they sound ridiculous, unbelievable and VERY uninteresting. 

Continue with the excellent work.  Looking forward to next weeks Act II Recitatives.

Score Study: Don Giovanni Act II: No. 15 [14]

Conduct predominantly in one, but with secondary pulse on 2^nd quarter when needed -  essential more for propulsion of energy rather than for ensemble.  

Rehearsal Notes:

Recitative Coachings: Day 2

Again, I was pleased with the overall level of preparation for these recitatives.  While it is challenging to provide in depth work with a total of six Zerlini in the room, I think we managed to get some very productive work done on the Act I recitatives.  I appreciated the effort that has gone into the language and, most important, in understanding the text and thinking of how it needs to be delivered.  This pace of preparation will put us well on course to an exciting peformance.

One general note about recitatives:  SLOW THEM DOWN!!!  There is NO reason to be in a hurry to get through this material.  There is a horribly misguided “tradition” that says that the speed of recitatives should be sung twice as fast as notated.  This is sophomoric and stems from a time in which character development and immersion in the dramatic quality of a scene was not considered particularly important.  As a result, there was little involvement in conveying the drama in a believable way, and so performers simply tried to get through recitative as quickly as possible.  However, speed does not make a recitative interesting – it makes it sound like you can’t wait to get to the next number. This is precisely what kills recitatives and brings down a performance.  So, keep always in mind that your recitatives are, in fact, dialogue and must retain the quality of discourse.  Do not perform recitatives faster than you would actually speak these lines, and also avoid falling into the trap of adapting the same speed of speech of the other characters you are speaking with (we do not all speak in the same pace normally, and this intermingling of ‘tempos’ in recitative are one of the elements that makes it sound conversational).

Use these coachings/rehearsals as opportunities to explore different angles about the character and the way they deliver their lines and interact.  As with any dialogue, there are often many options that you, as the performer, have at your disposal.  

Rehearsal Notes:

Recitative Coachings: Day 1

 

I was fairly pleased with the preparation of those I heard today.  For the most part, text had been learned to the extent that lines could be spoken with fluidity and confidence.  While there is, of course, always room for improvement in the Italian (which we will continue to work on), and a great deal more to be done in securing the text, I thought it was a very productive and encouraging start to Act I recitatives.

In my studio, we worked through the Act I recits of Donna Anna and Don Ottavio.  The accompanied recits in particular are substantial scenes with a great deal of text.  Continue to work them as we discussed.

Imperative to the work being done now is to really think through your characters: why do they behave the way they do, why do they say the things they do, how are they likely to move, to look, to interact, etc..  The more intimately you understand your characters, the more “life” you will be able to breathe into them during the course of these recitatives. 

 

 

Consistent practice SPEAKING through lines is imperative.  Not just for the sake of fluidity in language, but also with inflection and dramatic meaning.  The only thing that makes recitative interesting for the audience is if you, the performer, own this text as though it truly is yours.  For that reason, spend time reciting your text from the libretto only, NOT from your scores.  If you are reading the text from your scores you will attempt to assimilate the notated rhythms without linking about actual sentence structure.  Remember that recitatives are notated according to certain conventions and traditions.  Mozart does an exquisite job of setting text in a natural way, but his rhythms are easier to decipher if you learn the text first and fit it to the notation afterwards. 

 

 

Continue, of course, to refine your work on pitches and the musical notation, but never lose site of the dramatic meaning of what you are “saying.”  Only when you truly understand, and have internalized, the meaning as well as the pronunciation can we really begin to shape these recitatives into something that will be interesting and propel the drama as we need it to. 

 

Keep up the excellent work.  Investing your time and sweat now will pay dividends later.  This is one of the few investments anyone can count on these days!!!

Score Study: Don Giovanni Act I: No. 14 [13] Finale

Allegro assai

The opening of the finale is in two with a very strong distinction between strong and weak half-note pulse.  Although “p”, the attack of each bar at the beginning must be strongly accented and played with great energy (think “>” with immediate diminuendo).  This energy in the orchestra must be established to motivate Masetto’s hurried lines.  The use of words beginning with the letter ‘P’ is a clever use of language to assist in conveying the frantic atmosphere of the scene.  Care need not be taken to avoid plosive consonants here as the context dictates the diction. 

The frenzy of the scene, and the texture of the orchestra, demands the horns’ entrance in m. 5 consist of a strong attack then diminuendo into m. 6.  Voicing should be toward the woodwinds in mm. 7-9 for greater contrast with the vocal color (which can easily be swallowed by the string voicing), but also for sake of textual interest (voice first the bassoons, then to the oboes in the response).  Although Masetto is pointing out a hiding place, the fact that he must first draw Zerlina’s attention to it is the reason the voice should not sound ‘covered’ or ‘hidden’ by the orchestra.  Instead, the text “cheto, cheto mi vo’ star” is doubled at the unison by the strings. 

Do not allow the orchestra to accent the downbeat of m. 12!!!!  Here, the breathless quality of the music accompanying Zerlina’s line requires stress on the dissonance that resolves over the bar line (ie. The downbeats of mm. 12, 13, 14 and 18 must all be softer than their precipitants). 

The interplay of dynamics between Zerlina and Masetto in the next passage is self-explanatory, just make sure the climax occurs on the downbeat of m. 34 and that the rest of that bar is diminuendo (NO cadential crescendo on a dominant!). 

M. 52, and in Coro parts with same text:  separation with punctuation after “Su”, then legato “svegliatevi da bravi.” while making sure to energize the eighth-note of the dotted rhythm always. 

Andante

The tempo change should not be prepared at the end of the Allegro, but rather subito at the Andante.  While it is pedantic, the tempo of the Andante can be approximated if considered to be equal to the “whole note” of a one-bar, half-note triplet. 

The music of the Andante is revelatory in that it is a Minuet, indicative of the courtly elegance equal to Giovanni’s status and that to which Zerlina aspires.  Their vocal lines are unified, answering each other with the same material before becoming intertwined together in m. 113.  This is the same pattern as their duet, indicating that Giovanni’s attempts to pick things up where they left off.  The repetition is suggestive of the singlemindedness of their interests, and the overt romanticism of the vocal melody as articulated first by the winds beginning in m. 108, then by violins in m. 113 is reminiscent of the garden scene in Le Nozze di Figaro.  As with that scene, warmth of the instrumental line should be gained from voicing to the lower octave of the melody (ie. Fg/Vln. II) and an exaggerated vibrato should be used (over-romanticize). 

The color must change dramatically and abruptly in m. 121 with Giovanni’s discovery of Masetto:  non-vibrato in strings; voice to bass.

Allegretto

A loose tempo relationship may be established (especially if the two framing menuetts are desired to be the same tempo), but this is neither dramatically or technically necessary.  However, a relationship is obvious between the tempo of the 2^nd menuette and the Adagio which follows.

Adagio

Quarter-note preceding should equal the new eighth-note.  Excellent and unified open ‘o’ vowel on first syllable of “Protegga”, singers should strive for a unified sound (non-soloistic) in this section that is meant to invoke the quality of a prayer.  Only Elvira’s phrase “Vendichi il giusto cielo il mio tradito amor” should be slightly activated, especially mm. 266 and 268 which require a push in tempo within the bar for purposes of emotional momentum (this movement is required in the resolving measures). 

M. 261: allow for a breath after the turns, before “Pro…”

Downbeat of the final bar should be placed for sake of the “sfp”

Allegro

Gigue 6/8 – rustic and peasant quality: do not allow 1^st violins to divide on the the chords in the first bar.

Parts of D.G. and Masetto switched in my full-score – these have been corrected.

Maestoso

In Four.  Make sure Leporello fills out his vowels on “Venite pur avanti.” 

Allegro assai

Essential to keep “p” dynamics down but highly energized.

Andante maestoso

F Major is the key of Leporello. The Cadence in the dominant of D Minor, which resolves to F Major is, as Ratner contends, indicative of the confrontation between Don Giovanni and Leporello as revealed in the key relationships at the beginning of the opera.  This section is Giovanni’s posturing in hope of escape.  The dotted rhythms should be sharp and double-dotted. 

Do NOT allow hooked bowing on dotted rhythms!!!

Allegro

“fischia” and “fulmine” are the color words of this section.  The Thunderbolts and whirling of the orchestra are obviously throughout.  The proper lenghthening of vowels is imperative for the voices to project through the turgid orchestra texture.  These figurations at tempo cannot be underplayed by the orchestra, so the voices must take advantage of legato and resonance of vowels whenever possible. 

Piu stretto

Bring orchestra down, dynamically, in measure 639 and crescendo for sake of line.  However, keep voices up in intensity for final drive

Score Study: Don Giovanni Act I: Recitative before Act I Finale

Masetto admits to being moved by his affection for Zerlina, despite his awareness of his own weakness and her obvious manipulations.  It is the slightly more melodic treatment of her line (in which she recognizes the voice of Don Giovanni) that reminds Masetto of her obvious fascination and, at this point still, preoccupation with the cavalier.  She simply must react with some sense of delight in the idea of being discovered by Giovanni, despite her not altogether insincere concerns that it may actually happen.  Masetto simply recognizes this as though hearing her mention his name just one too many times. 

The double consonants of both “passata” and “faccenda” must be indulged for sake of emphasis.  The two-chord exclamation point in the continuo that closes must come quickly – the dominant sounding together with Masetto’s last syllable.

Score Study: Don Giovanni Act I: No. 13 [12], Aria

“Batti, batti” is a work that is as sophisticated in its characterization as it is overtly sexual in its meaning.  We have seen from “La, ci darem” that Zerlina has aspirations, or at least attitudes that transcend her station in life, and her manipulations in the duet reveal that she, herself, enjoys the art of seduction as much as Don Giovanni does.  What seems clear from her time with Giovanni is that she has adopted some sense of herself as being elevated beyond her peasant status and the music of her aria suggests this.  Ratner points out that this aria is written in a “middle style”, which is unusual for a peasant girl, implying that Zerlina is adapting an elevated, more courtly air for her self.  This must surely be intentional on her part since, as Allenbrook points out, the gesture and structure of this aria is identical to the duet with Giovanni (ie. The first section being a courtly gavotte [2/4] followed by a pastorale [6/8]). 

The bowing of the violins must be adhered to strictly for the sake of the implied stress and its relation to the characteristic gavotte rhythm.  This can be subtley supported by use of an open ‘A’ in the 1^st violins on the downbeat – the first figure being taken with a downbow.  In addition, this legato in the strings is crucial to counter the necessary separation in the vocal line necessitated by the double consonants of “Batti, batti.”  I would also suggest that a non-texbook, slight plosive be permitted on these initial “b’s” for the sake of cutting through the string texture while also appropriately coloring these words.  This must be done tastefully however (and do NOT allow it on the word “bel”).

The cello obligato must sound effortless and relaxed throughout.  It only seems to elevate the affect of the piece and is, perhaps, suggestive of elevated baroque works.  This may exist to suggest that, unlike Giovanni, Zerlina does manage to possess a sense of loyalty and the ability to discern between the indulgence of fantasy and the complete abandonment of human connection.  It is perhaps a necessary element (as I think Allenbrook too may have asserted without the book in front of me) that provides this fundamental insight into her character, even as her words are clearly falsely apologetic (she believes herself guiltless) and indulgently placating what she asserts to be Masetto’s false perceptions, and inability to comprehend on “her” (self-deluded) level.  She is condescending, yet the cello obligato seems to suggest her sincerity in determining her position to be lofty.  In mocking Masetto’s ego, it is her own that reveals the extent to which she is damaged goods.

This playfulness, but also sad frailty of fundamental character, is portrayed in the playful and flirtations figure in mm. 16-18.  This, of course, is followed by her masochistic invitations.  Indulgence of the initial consonant cluster on “straziarmi” is necessary to color the meaing of the word as is the initial attack of the work “cavarmi”. 

Mm. 25-27:  Violins I & II – up bows on all eighths  -- color word being “lieta”

The “sfp” that accompanies the word “baciar” needs to be considered in the context of Zerlina’s character as a whole.  Is this simply teasing and suggestive, and therefore played with a certain warmth in its emphasis (teasing and indulgent) OR…is it perhaps more suggestive of Zerlina’s darker core in which Mozart may be exposing her genuinely sadistic side (in which case the initial attacks of each of these accents needs to be faster, more direct, and preferably without vibrato to soften them.  Zerlina, regardless, should sing this line in a sweet, playful, seemingly tender way)?  Here, as often, it is the orchestra that is informing us more than the surface character.

Mm. 52/53:  The violin figure must be treated gesturally rather than rhythmically (as always!).  It is voicing Zerlina’s sadistic mockery of Masetto and should sound like playful laughter (which can be audibly accompanied by Zerlina on stage) prompting her text “Ah! lo vedo, non hai core.” 

The 6/8 section is marked Allegretto by Bärenreiter; an indication lacking in other editions.  Although it is a pastorale, it is more in similar in quality to the wedding scene chorus  than that of “La ci darem”.  The fact that Zerlina sings about having “peace” with music that is, in fact, so rhythmically and melodically active further suggests that her glee comes from the thrill of manipulation and taunting that she brings to the very person she loves.  (Zerlina is a sick girl!).  The eighths in the strings need sufficient rhythmic energy and separation (although the celli/bassi notes should be resonant and not played too short).  Considering Zerlina’s character, it is not the least bit too imaginative to view her melismas (on a convenient [a] vowel) in mm.  68/69, 72 and 75 to be infused with a descriptive sexual overtone.  

Score Study: Don Giovanni Act I: No. 11, Aria

The ‘champaign aria’ of Don Giovanni is straightforward in its headlong, carefree, pleasure-drunk characterization.  There is little room for subtlety in this piece as the “f-p” dynamic punctuations are as suggestive as they are abrasive.  These accentuations should not be played elegantly by the orchestra.  The voice should remain connected throughout and not try to imitate the orchestra. 

A slight pull-back or ‘luft’ may be taken in mm. 69 and 96, but should be avoided in m. 119 due to the chromatic moving line in the bassoons and clarinets.

Score Study: Don Giovanni Act I: Recitative, Scene XV

In consideration of the text, it may be advisable to not us an appoggiatura on the downbeat of the third measure on the word “matto!”  A chord, however, could quickly follow in the continuo to punctuate it.  Harpsichord embellishment could also frame Leporello’s line in mm. 7 and 8 by providing some sort of asceding figuration after Giovanni’s “va tutto bene”, then descending on the last syllable of Leporello’s “va tutto male!” 

Leporello: do not let the rhythm become too regular in mm. 21-23.  Keep the idea moving, eliminating some rests such as (as a possibility) the one between “canta” and “altri scherza”.  

Score Study: Don Giovanni Act I: No. 10, Recitative and Aria

Recitative:

The dominant chord of the preceding secco recitative should be cued in tempo.  The first two measures of No. 10 are conducted in two, but measure three is conducted in four.  The parts of Donna Anna and Ottavio should not match in tempo – rather she should take some time to anguish over “son morta”, while his response should be quicker.  The orchestra chords which punctuate her recognition of Giovanni with “…del padre mio” should happen in a quicker “tempo” than that with which she delivered the line.  Likewise, Ottavio’s “che dite!” should quickly follow.  Similarly, Ottavio’s exclamation “O ciel!” in m. 20 must come early to interrupt her word “appartamento”. 

Sufficient pause should separate “d’amicizia....” and “Ma come fu” in m. 22 and emphasis on the word “strano” for coloristic effect.  The “p” on the downbeat of m. 25 in the orchestra must be prepared by taking time over the barline into that measure.  The minor tonality must be given space to bloom for the sake of this important atmosphere that is both “strange” but also introduces us to Anna’s storytelling. 

The orchestra chord notated on beat one of m. 31 may be played either with, or after, Anna’s word “voi”.  This depends entirely on how, if at all, that statement is to register with Ottavio.  My preference is for it to strike a very mild pleasure with him that, while it may not be visually perceptible from the stage, is at least registered by the orchestra by placing the chord AFTER the word “voi.” 

Ottavio’s “Stelle!” must be cued in tempo for the sake of the ensemble of the orchestra. 

Sufficient pause should be taken in m. 39 before Anna delivers her text “non viene alcun” to allow the greatest dramatic context between her horror, and the revelation that no one answered her screams.  Her text should be in the same tempo as the orchestra’s Andante response.  The chord in m. 42 should be very short and precise.  No pause should be taken in m. 43 between “cosi” and “che gia”, and in m. 44, the orchestra should play roughly Allegro so that Don Ottavio’s lines are uttered with great agitation.  Anna, however, answers with a much slower ‘tempo’

Beginning at m. 54, a decision must be made whether or not to overlap the orchestra with the voice, or allow Donna Anna to finish each of her statements first.  Dramatically, the overlap works best, but only if balance is not a problem.  The dramatic momentum is compromised if we are unable to hear her final words.  So, this may depend on the acoustics and other balance considerations. 

Aria:

“Vengence Aria” in typical key of D Major.  Borrowed from opera seria.  Although marked Andante, the Barenreiter edition corrects many others by notating this in cut time.  This is relevant as this meter choice is a further reference to the exalted style indicative of Anna’s social status, and this music clearly moves in two rather than four.  Therefore, the Andante applies to the half-note not the quarter-note.  With this said, the rhythmic activity of this number requires much to be conducted in four or, rather, in a subdivided two with sufficient energy for the rapid not figures. 

Measure 86 can be challenging for the violins at a rapid tempo – be careful not to over conduct, but just keep celli/bassi moving steadily.  Bassoon should enter covertly in m. 87, but with a steady crescendo on the whole-note ‘E’.  This joins to form a duet with the viola line through m. 94.