I think that I should preface this initial post by stating that, having taken a couple of music theory classes (and forgotten everything) at my parents insistence many years ago, I have never really enjoyed opera. In fact, I would probably say that my displeasure has bordered on something near hatred for this particular genre of music. Nonetheless, while I will resist the opportunity to sound overly cliche, my new found understanding for Monteverdi's "L'Orfeo" has definitely significantly increased my enjoyment for this particular work, if not the whole genre of music.
While, I am no expert at telling the difference between arias and recitatives, my new comprehension has without a doubt enhanced my listening of "L'Orfeo." I think that the contrast in styles is evident when comparing the fist two pieces of Act II. The first piece is "Sinfonia," which appears to be an aria, and the second piece is "Mira, deh mira", which definitely has some verses which appear to be recitatives. The first act is much more light hearted and free flowing, mirroring the happy mood of the moment, while this eventually changes into a recitative in the second piece with the news that Euridice has passed away. At this point, the mood of the music changes and unsurprisingly becomes very sombre, which is enhanced by the speech-like singing that creates the feeling of a messenger delivering the terrible news.
I agree that the mood becomes much more somber after the messenger delivers news of Euridice's death, and would be interested to compare the recitatives before and after. Apart from the emotion in the actors' voices, I would hazard that the accompaniment changes as well. The basso continuo seems much sparser and less lively in the recitatives after Euridice's death. This changes the general mood, and also enhances the lyrics, which become more poignant with less background music. We notice the recession of the music, and associate it with the new, more somber attitude.
ReplyDeleteI also had an "unfavorable" (to say it kindly) of operas and I agree that gaining understanding the musical devices being used allows one to enjoy that type of music more. I'm starting to see that opera is a style musical performance which may require preparation in order to be fully enjoyed. It was not until I read the translations for Orfeo and began to realize that the dissonance, abrupt changes in instruments, and uneven cadence were all devices for storytelling that I could began to allow myself to enjoy its musical aspects. This preparation aspect is both daunting and exciting, and I find it fascinating that every time I listen to a piece of Orfeo, I am able to reach new levels in my enjoyment of the music.
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