| Contents |
Preface / by professor John Walter Hill -- Introduction. The delightful problem ; How a Puccini melody unfurls: primary sources ; "The ten rules of Puccini" ; Puccini's neglected metronome markings ; Further travesties of tempo ; Technology's needs are more important than art, aren't they? ; The delightful problem, compounded -- Problems of tempo in the soprano arias of La Boheme. Introduction -- "Si. Mi chiamano Mimi" -- Overview ; Analysis of tempo markings and modifications ; Luigi Ricci's rehearsal notes ; Puccini's autograph ; Early recordings of "Si. Mi chaimano Mimi." Cesira Ferrani, Gemma Bellincioni, Claudia Muzio, Geraldine Farrar, Gabrielle Ritter-Ciampi, Delia Reinhardt, Zinaida Jurjewskaya, Maria Cebotari, Grace Moore, Rosetta Pampanini, Licia Albanese ; So where has this got us in terms of arriving at performance criteria? -- "Quando me'n vo'." Overview ; Analysis of tempo markings and modifications ; Luigi Ricci's rehearsal notes ; Puccini's autograph ; Early recordings of "Quando me'n vo'." Luisa Bresonier, Gina Viafora, Irene Pavlovska, Alma Gluck, Maria Kurenko, Maria Jeritza, Conchita Supervia, Bidu Sayao, Tatiana Menotti, Anne McKnight, Lucine Amara -- So where has this got us in terms of arriving at performance criteria? -- "Donde lieta usci." Overview ; Analysis of tempo markings and modifications ; Luigi Ricci's rehearsal notes ; Puccini's autograph ; Early recordings of "Donde lieta usci." Cesira Ferrani, Nellie Melba, Selma Kurz, Alma Gluck, Frances Alda, Hina Spani, Grace Moore, Magda Olivero, Molajoli (with Muzio), Beecham (with Perli), Berrettoni (with Albanese), Toscanini (with Albanese), Beecham (with Los Angeles) ; Summary ; So where has this got us in terms of arriving at performance criteria? -- Problems of tempo in the soprano arias of Tosca. Introduction -- "Non la sospiri la nostra casetta." Overview ; Analysis of tempo markings and modifications ; Luigi Ricci's rehearsal notes ; An early recording of "Non la sospiri la nostra casetta." Geraldine Farrar ; Criteria for deciding on the tempos -- "Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore." Overview ; Analysis of tempo markings and modifications ; Luigi Ricci's rehearsal notes ; Early recordings of "Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore." Medea Mei-Figner, Salomea Kruszelnicka, Emma Eames, Emma Carelli, Elda Cavalieri, Nellie Melba, Geraldine Farrar, Nellie Melba, Emmy Destinn, Selma Kurz, Maria Jeritza, Frances Alda, Claudia Muzio, Rosa Ponselle, Marie-Louise Edvina, Hertha Stolzenberg, Helene Wildbrunn, Berta Kiurina ; Summary ; So where has this got us in terms of arriving at performance criteria? -- Problems of tempo in the soprano arias of Madama Butterfly. Introduction -- "Ancora un passo." Overview ; Analysis of tempo markings and modifications ; Luigi Ricci's rehearsal notes ; Early recordings of "Ancora un passo." Geraldine Farrar ; Criteria for deciding on the tempos -- "Ieri son salita." Overview ; Analysis of tempo markings and modifications ; Luigi Ricci's rehearsal notes ; Early recordings of "Ieri son salita." Geraldine Farrar ; Criteria for deciding on the tempos -- "Un bel di vedremo." Overview ; Analysis of tempo markings and modifications ; Luigi Ricci's rehearsal notes ; Early recordings of "Un bel di vedremo." Emmy Destinn, Geraldine Farrar, Natalie Ermolenko, Yuzhina, Maria Jeritza, Tamaki Miura, Rosa Ponselle, Rosa Raisa, Amelita Galli-Curci, Zinaida Jurjewskaya, Berta Kiurina, Maria Gerhart, Elisabeth Rethberg, Edith Mason, Hina Spani ; Summary ; So where has this got us in terms of arriving at performance criteria? -- "Sai cos' ebbe cuore." Overview ; Analysis of tempo markings and modifications ; Luigi Ricci's rehearsal notes ; Early recordings of "Sai cos' ebbe cuore." Geraldine Farrar ; Criteria for deciding on the tempos -- "Con onor muore ... Tu? tu? tu? tu? piccolo Ilddio." Overview ; Analysis of tempo markings and modifications ; Luigi Ricci's rehearsal notes ; Early recordings of "Con onor muore ... Tu? tu? tu? tu? piccolo Ilddio." Emmy Destinn, Geraldine Farrar ; Criteria for deciding on the tempos -- Conclusion. How does a Puccini melody unfurl in time? |
| Abstract |
This book seeks to establish the originally intended tempos for the soprano arias in those operas. By examining Puccini's autographs, the first edition vocal scores, and many early recordings--especially those by the sopranos or conductors who worked with the composer or performed the arias during Puccini's lifetime--the author demonstrates that one can discover tempos for the arias that conform better than others to Puccini's musical and dramatic intentions. A living performance, one that resonates best with the soul of the music, requires a faithful interpretation of the composer's score. This is as true of performances of Puccini's operas as it is for renditions of Beethoven's symphonies and Bach's cantatas. Interpretation of the composer's score is always necessary because the score itself can never include indications of every detail and nuance required for a living performance. Instead, scores are really only approximations, more or less incomplete and imprecise, of the composer's intentions. The composer, consciously or not, always depends upon commonly understood conventions, which together with the notation add up to the intention, the musical work, more or less. |
