Opera Opera Overview Beginnings Late 16th C Italy Cameratas ideas for opera fr Greek tragedies v popular v quickly Aristocracyimmediately Genl popby mid17C Opera Overview Literature ID: 155808
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Slide1
Chapters 5, 6
OperaSlide2
Opera Overview
Beginnings
Late 16th C Italy
Camerata’s
ideas for opera fr/ Greek tragedies
v/ popular v/ quickly
Aristocracy—immediately
Gen’l pop—by mid-17CSlide3
Opera Overview
Literature
story
poetry
libretto
Music
vocalinstrumentaldance
Visual Art
sets scenery costumes acting
Baroque culture likes to
combine ideas, elements, etc. So…
=
Opera
!Slide4
Opera
Text is VIMP; it tells the story. Th/f,
Homophony is IN
Polyphony is OUTSlide5
Opera
4 types of opera music:
Aria
MELODY MIMP
Plot stops
Reflects on state of events or singer’s emotions
Orchestra
accomp
Complete piece of music
Recitative
TEXT MIMPPlot moves forwardTells story
Basso continuo accompUsually transitions to an aria or ensemble
Ensemble
2-4 main characters sing
often portrays contrasting moods simultaneously
Overture
orchestra
should set mood
often includes opera’s melodiesSlide6
Monteverdi
Music must portray intense emotions.
Orchestral effects intensify mood.Slide7
Chapters 7, 8
Monteverdi,
L’Orfeo
Purcell,
Dido and AeneasSlide8
Overview
Monteverdi
Tu
sé
morta from L’Orfeooperatic recitativeI=basso continuo accomp
text expression of mournful mood:word paintingdark tone color
slow tempoSlide9
Purcell
MIMP 17
th
C English composer
Dido and Aeneas
only operaSlide10
Dido’s Lament study guide
Study resources:
PowerPoint slides
Connect Kamien
Kamien listening guide in text
Study guide
on next
4 slidesSlide11
Dido’s Lament study guide
1.
Dido’s Lament
opens with a recitative.
It uses just two instruments. What are they?
Chording instrument: _____________
Bass: ___________The term used for this accompaniment: ___________.2. The aria opens with and features a ground bass.
What is a ground bass? (see chapter and/or glossary)You are responsible to hear and recognize the ground bass.
3. Explain how the ground bass unifies the aria.Slide12
Dido’s Lament study guide
4.
Text expression
: 17
th
C listeners associated certain melodies or melodic patterns with specific emotions or moods. Two commonly used patterns express the text of
Dido’s Lament:A chromatically descending melody portrays grief or sorrow (and Baroque era listeners understood that). It happens that Dido’s ground bass IS a chromatically descending melody. Th/f its 11 repetitions powerfully express the sorrowful text.
The “sighing” gesture, a pattern of 2 or 3 tones that descend by step, portray sadness or a dejected spirit. The gesture, which sounds like a hopeless sigh, is everywhere in Dido—in both the singer’s line and orchestra accomp.
or
2 sighing gesture examplesSlide13
Using ConnectKamien:
Here are 2 examples of the
sighing gesture
:
01:04
01:06 voice
01:3401:37 violinsThe strings play the sighing gesture many times. Cite 1 example between 02:11 and 02:52. 02:??
02:?? What is the singer’s text during this excerpt? Cite 2 examples between 03:01 and the piece’s end.
03:?? 03:?? 04:?? 04:??Dido’s Lament study guideSlide14
Review
Purcell
Dido’s Lament
from
Dido and Aeneas
operatic aria (w/ recitative opening)
I=orchestra accompground bass unifiestext expression of mournful mood:
slow tempominor keydescending chromatic bass line
“sighing” gesture