Please take a second to watch this video and allow me to indulge in a Louis Rant: This rant is about Mozart, although I should mention that Dame Joan is absolutely fantastic here (as always). This is the showpiece aria from Die Entführung, written for Caterina Cavalieri, one of the greatest sopranos of the time (although Mozart, imo, favored the beautiful legato and stratospheric high notes of his wifes sister [and his former love interest] Aloysia Weber). When most people talk about this aria, they comment on the fiendish difficulty of the solo soprano part, and for good reason, but fail to mention the virtuosic and shimmering solos he wrote for flute, oboe, violin, and cello (yes thats right, cello). But all of this just scratches the surface, and doesnt speak to the IMMENSE compositional genius which is exhibited in this piece. I believe that Mozarts greatest achievements lie in both opera and the concerto, and that shouldnt come as too hard of a sell, as both greatly influenced one another. In fact, the prototype for the Mozart concerto form comes from his early work writing for the voice. In this piece, he comes full circle, creating what can only be described as a unique concerto movement for voice, with great help from solo flute, oboe, violin, and cello. The hallmarks of concerto form are there: an orchestral exposition where BOTH the primary and the second themes are introduced (which is VERY rare for an aria introduction), and the secondary theme is presented in the tonic, not the dominant. The solo exposition which follows could be something out of one of the piano concertos, with the soloist introducing the main theme {for those who may care, m. 61, Martern aller Arten}, the orchestra giving just a snip-bit of the original transitional flourish {m. 74}, and then the soloist coming and creating a new transition{Nichts, nichts, m. 77}, which leads to the secondary theme in the dominant {m. 93, Laß dich bewegen}, followed by what one scholar calls the episode--the place where the soloist shows off {mm.99--140} And the episode which Mozart writes here is just as brilliant and as amazing as anything he wrote for an instrumental concerto (if, of course, the soprano doesnt take the cut ;) ), leading to the climax of the solo exposition, which is always identifiable by the credential trill. Now, HERE is where the typical aria form comes in: instead of having the normal development, Mozart writes a brief transition back to the tonic, for which should be in either concerto or aria form the return of the principal theme {mm.146--159}. But Mozart gives us a NEW, incredibly exciting theme, which although has thematic ties to the original, is a surprising shock {Doch du bist entschlossen, m. 160}. Is it a coda? Is this the end? NO---Mozart brings back the secondary theme {m.197}, now in the tonic, and gives the soprano another episode, which is in essence the same as it was in the solo exposition, but orchestrated differently to accommodate for the fourth transposition {mm.206-215}, and to allow Mozart an expansion of the episode (with the famous high C that lasts forever) {m. 216}, leading to a glorious QUINTUPLE trill {m.241 :) }, which goes directly into the NEW theme again {m. 244}, which leads to the frenetic coda (stringendo il tempo, he writes) {m.290}, all leading to a deceptive cadence to VIb on the penulitmate Tod {m. 306}, and then cadencing finally after another orchestral flourish. It should be said, after all of this, that this was written in 1781, premiered in 82, and by a genius who had just begun a new life, in a new city--the City of Cities for a musician--where possibilities were endless and opportunities coming. The music of a 25 year old man, who was just about to be married. The music of youth, the music of brilliance, the music of boundless joy and enthusiasm. https://youtube/watch?v=6NKL6hE3Szs
Posted on: Thu, 28 Aug 2014 02:10:14 +0000
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