Score Study: Don Giovanni Act I: No. 2 Recitative & Duet

In general, recitative portions need to be conducted in 4, while the rest in 2.  Opening is in two with the initial ‘f’ being considered a strongly accented attack.  Bowings in mm. 7 and 13 should be down/up for ease of speed and, more important, for appropriate bite on the initial (sixteenth) note. There is a notated discrepancy in some scores in m. 14 as to whether or not the orchestras dynamic should remain ‘f’ or should be played ‘p’.  It is an easy matter to envision the dramatic motivation for either decision.  Despite the presence of ‘p’ marked in the Bärenreiter scores, this decision should be made in consultation with the Stage Director to ensure a dramatic consistency.  If Donna Anna’s utterance is to be anguished, then a ‘f’ attack is required; if it is sympathetic, then the singer must color the word “caro” in such a way as to justify the ‘p’ in the orchestra.  My suggestion is to adhere to the authority of the Bärenreiter edition, and request the Stage Director motivate this dynamic.

Beginning with “quel sangue” in m. 19, there must be some forward momentum in this line as, surely, the recognition of the blood and her father’s wounds increase Donna Anna’s pulse and anxiety.  It is important to recognize the “…” that follows each of her utterances in this phrase and not allow an inappropriate adherence to a ‘beat’ pull this moment down dramatically. 

The shape of mm. 29, 31 and 33 should be imaginative in not only illustrating the ‘breathlessness’ of the Commendatore, but in illustrating the obvious turmoil of Donna Anna in making these statements.  Do not shape them all the same way.  Suggestion:  m. 29 diminuendo, m. 31 < >, m. 33 diminuendo and slight ritardando throughout (illustrating her observations that he does not breathe and his limbs are cold and limp).

Measure 35 is related to m. 14 mentioned earlier, this time clearly marked ‘p’ in all editions.  In reconsideration, I think m. 14 SHOULD be ‘f’ to provide an emotional contrast to this second cry of “padre”.  The violin descent should be conducted in 2, but Donna Anna should not rush through “io manco!”, instead taking time to falter – the following descent in the violins should slow down and, possibly, even be conducted in 4.  The two chords following “io moro!” should be sharp and follow quickly to signify Ottavio’s urgency.  At the Maestoso, the violins should NOT hook the bowing but rather, again, down/up on these gestures.  At the Andante, the warmest vibrato should be used in the strings on this writing that includes voice-crossings signifying Ottavio’s sympathetic and warm embrace. 

Again, the string articulations in mm. 53-55 must not be mechanical or identical as the emotional reactions to the thoughts being spoken are too powerful.  M. 53: slight accent on first eighth-note followed by diminuedo; m. 54: slightly push through; m. 55: steady but crescendo; m. 56 (after “Padre mio”): slightly slower and heavier. Measure 58, non-vibrato from strings, conduct only in 4.  Outer players (1^st violins) playing open string (D), inner players on G string.  M. 61:  (2^nd violins), outer players on open A string, inner players on D string.  This will provide the ‘cold’ ring of open string while still providing enough of a core to the sound to clearly hear the articulation of the sixteenth note blood pulse.

The transition into “Fuggi..” should not take too long, but must be motivated by a physical reaction from the stage.  It is advisable to make this transition shorter, rather than longer, so that “Fuggi” is felt as a direct and harsh reaction to Ottavio’s attempts to be consoling.  Overcome by her grief and the horror she has seen, his words “fa core” should be the impetus for her lashing out at him.  For that reason, Donna Anna’s physical reaction should begin as he says those very words, and her intake of breath should happen on his final syllable.

In m. 80, the ‘sfp’ should be a warm accented, not harsh, as it underscores “mio bene”.

Despite the seriousness with which Don Ottavio takes himself, and with which he is treated, his stock character nature in this work is quite clear.  This character has been referred to as Mozart’s only “failure” in portraying the human condition successfully in music, but this is not entirely true.  Don Ottavio’s character is, surely enough, as contrived as Sesto in Guilio Cesare, in which it seems that every aria and every recitative is centered upon the same sentiments of vengeance and noble outrage.  Mozart engages such as stock character out of necessity, but also pokes fun at the one-dimensional side of such people by incorporating a donkey call in the orchestra in m. 99 (in a manner not too different than the donkey call in Mendelssohn’s overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream).  Why this particular moment?  Don Ottavio is telling Donna Anna WHAT he is:  “husband” and “father” … and Mozart seems to add “jackass” to that list as well.  To that end, a clear “overstatement” and complete lack of refinement should be enticed from the oboe and bassoons (also selected, as usual, for their ‘lowly’ qualities in musical text painting).

M. 158: Donna Anna’s fermata should be embellished, preferably something like : F-A-C followed by a descending scale down the octave.  This provides a chuckle-moment when answered by Ottavio’s unembellished “lo giuro!”