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”.