The operas of Richard Wagner (1813-1883) exist in a world of fantasy, populated by mythic knights... more The operas of Richard Wagner (1813-1883) exist in a world of fantasy, populated by mythic knights, gods and goddesses, and depictions of heaven and hell. The exception is Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (1867). Foregoing the world of myth, Wagner transports the audience back to sixteenth-century Nürnberg, where the city is led by the Meistersingers and, in particular, Hans Sachs. Though still writing in a nineteenth-century style, Wagner went to great lengths to integrate the actual practices and compositional rules of the Meistersingers into his opera. This attempt at historical accuracy allows for an exploration of the musical correspondences between historical Meistergesang and Wagner’s own depiction of the genre. By comparing Silberweise and Morgenweise, two pieces written by the historical Hans Sachs, to the Meistergesang within Wagner’s opera, it becomes clear that Wagner’s most accurate representations of Meistergesang are sung by Beckmesser, the antagonistic marker. Why then,...
The music and culture of the sixteenth century Meistersinger is the central topic of Richard Wagn... more The music and culture of the sixteenth century Meistersinger is the central topic of Richard Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg , his only operatic comedy. Wagner turned to Johann Christoph Wagenseil’s Von der Meister-Singer Holdseligen Kunst for information on the customs of the Meistersinger , and many scenarios within the opera are based on information from this treatise. The inclusion of the famous historical Meistersinger Hans Sachs as a central character further strengthened the drama’s connection with the historical guild. The use of distinct set pieces, a seeming departure from the endliche Melodie of earlier operas, also helped Wagner create an air of authenticity within the music of Die Meistersinger . As much as Die Meistersinger invokes the sixteenth century, Wagner does not present an accurate musical depiction of Meistergesang in this work. Though Hans Sachs and his role as a Meistersinger is an important element in his drama, Wagner only superficially observed th...
Christoph Willibald Gluck's opera Armide (1777) is an anomaly within the context of his eigh... more Christoph Willibald Gluck's opera Armide (1777) is an anomaly within the context of his eighteenth-century operatic reform. While all of Gluck's other libretti had been written as an embodiment of the operatic reform, including his Italian works Orfeo ed Euridice (1762) and Alceste ...
he music and culture of the sixteenth century Meistersinger is the central topic of Richard Wagne... more he music and culture of the sixteenth century Meistersinger is the central topic of Richard Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, his only operatic comedy. Wagner turned to Johann Christoph Wagenseil’s Von der Meister-Singer Holdseligen Kunst for information on the customs of the Meistersinger, and many scenarios within the opera are based on information from this treatise. The inclusion of the famous historical Meistersinger Hans Sachs as a central character further strengthened the drama’s connection with the historical guild. The use of distinct set pieces, a seeming departure from the endliche Melodie of earlier operas, also helped Wagner create an air of authenticity within the music of Die Meistersinger.
As much as Die Meistersinger invokes the sixteenth century, Wagner does not present an accurate musical depiction of Meistergesang in this work. Though Hans Sachs and his role as a Meistersinger is an important element in his drama, Wagner only superficially observed the form and style of historical Meistergesang. None of Walther’s songs, including Fanget an!, Am stillen Herd, or his Prize song, which wins him the admiration of both the masters and the people, completely satisfies the rules set down by Wagenseil. The character of Sachs, in fact, sings no Meisterlied at all. A comparison of Sachs’ Morgenweise and Silberweise with Wagner’s drama reveals that it is actually in the music of Beckmesser, the pedantic, rule-bound antagonist, that Wagner comes closest to the musical traditions of the sixteenth century. Given the historical setting of the opera and the emphasis the libretto places on rules and traditions, this paper sets out to examine how these three characters are musically portrayed, the degree to which they deviate from traditional Meistergesang, and what this reveals about Wagner’s ideas on artistic genius and musical composition.
The year 2014 marked the tercentenary of the birth of Christoph Gluck, an anniversary shared with... more The year 2014 marked the tercentenary of the birth of Christoph Gluck, an anniversary shared with his fellow operatic reformer Niccolò Jommelli and the most famous Bach son, Carl Philipp Emanuel. For most people, the mention of Gluck brings to mind his involvement in the reform of eighteenth-century opera and seminal works such as Orfeo ed Euridice, associations that have had the effect of minimizing Gluck's other accomplishments, including the majority of his dramatic oeuvre. The conference and festival Gluck and the Map of Eighteenth-Century Music, organized by Brian Locke and Anita Hardeman at Western Illinois University, focused less on Gluck's involvement in operatic reform than on the many ways in which he engaged with operatic and balletic traditions. Encompassing studies of genre, performance and reception history, the papers portrayed Gluck as a composer enmeshed in the musical culture of his time, whose works still leave much to be discovered by both scholars and performers.
Anne-Pierre-Jacques de Vismes du Valgay began what was to be a twelve-year tenure as director of ... more Anne-Pierre-Jacques de Vismes du Valgay began what was to be a twelve-year tenure as director of the Académie Royale de Musique in April 1778. By March 1780, having incurred massive debt, he was removed from the position by Royal decree. Budgetary failures, however, were not the sole cause of his downfall. De Vismes had attempted to institute numerous reforms at the Opéra, including alterations to the hall, company membership and salary, and the repertoire that appeared on stage, notably inviting a troupe of Italian actors to perform opera buffa. Swift opposition to these changes arose both inside and outside the Opéra. A supervisory committee appointed in February 1779 was unable to stem the hostility directed towards de Vismes, nor repair the effects of his financial mismanagement. Following de Vismes’ departure, the king replaced him with a committee made up of Opéra employees and performers, ensuring that no single director would ever again wield such controversial authority.
Discussions of French opera generally focus on individual composers and works as drivers of innovation. In comparison, the directors of the Opéra may seem little more than bureaucratic figureheads. Yet de Vismes’ tenure, though short and unpopular, illustrates the far-reaching and tangible impact of a director determined to reshape an aging institution. By examining de Vismes’ proposed reforms and their reception, this paper will demonstrate the ways in which the director could influence not only the repertoire and daily operations of the Opéra, but also its identity in the eyes of the public and the artists who created it.
Anne-Pierre-Jacques de Vismes du Valgay began what was to be a twelve-year tenure as director of ... more Anne-Pierre-Jacques de Vismes du Valgay began what was to be a twelve-year tenure as director of the Académie Royale de Musique in April 1778. By March 1780, having incurred massive debt, he was removed from the position by Royal decree. Budgetary failures, however, were not the sole cause of his downfall. De Vismes had attempted to institute numerous reforms at the Opéra, including alterations to the hall, company membership and salary, and the repertoire that appeared on stage, notably inviting a troupe of Italian actors to perform opera buffa. Swift opposition to these changes arose both inside and outside the Opéra. A supervisory committee appointed in February 1779 was unable to stem the hostility directed towards de Vismes, nor repair the effects of his financial mismanagement. Following de Vismes’ departure, the king replaced him with a committee made up of Opéra employees and performers, ensuring that no single director would ever again wield such controversial authority.
Discussions of French opera generally focus on individual composers and works as drivers of innovation. In comparison, the directors of the Opéra may seem little more than bureaucratic figureheads. Yet de Vismes’ tenure, though short and unpopular, illustrates the far-reaching and tangible impact of a director determined to reshape an aging institution. By examining de Vismes’ proposed reforms and their reception, this paper will demonstrate the ways in which the director could influence not only the repertoire and daily operations of the Opéra, but also its identity in the eyes of the public and the artists who created it.
Opera historiography presents Gluck as a composer who shaped his operas on the basis of his aesth... more Opera historiography presents Gluck as a composer who shaped his operas on the basis of his aesthetic ideals, not as a response to the qualities or demands of singers. In fact, when he went to Paris in 1773, his opera Iphigénie en Aulide was already composed and he had to instruct the singers in how to conform to his exacting standards. I will argue, however, that Gluck’s subsequent works for Paris owe more to his dealings with singers than has previously been recognized. In 1769, the Académie Royale de Musique had a strictly hierarchical standing company of fifty-two singers in which only the premiers sujets, two to three singers in each voice type, were chosen to create new roles. Gluck worked primarily with Rosalie Levasseur, Joseph Legros, and Henri Larrivée. While this trio created the main roles in Alceste, Armide, and Iphigénie en Tauride, they also performed in operas as diverse in style as Amadis de Gaule by J.C. Bach and Roland by Piccinni. These singers did not share Gluck’s aesthetics, specialize in his musical style, or conform to his dramatic ideals. They were merely the best choice among a limited selection.
Philidor’s Ernelinde, princesse de Norvège was revived in Paris shortly after Gluck’s arrival, and a comparative, analytical score study indicates that Gluck’s revisions to Orphée are modeled on Philidor’s Italianate model. I assert that there are clear parallels between the two works that suggest that Gluck catered to the singers’ demands in light of their experiences singing Ernelinde. At the most basic level, Gluck gave the singers more time on stage, as demonstrated by additional arias and ensembles for the main characters.
Yet Gluck also compromised on his reformist ideals. The preface to Alceste condemned vocal display, yet in Paris Gluck added a florid ariette for the haute-contre Legros to sing at the end of Act I of Orphée. The virtuosic style of this piece finds a direct correlation in the role sung by Legros in Ernelinde. Though Gluck later eschewed such dramatic displays of virtuosity, similar Italianisms can be observed in later works such as Armide.
In his monograph Listening in Paris: A Cultural History, James Johnson argues that prior to the a... more In his monograph Listening in Paris: A Cultural History, James Johnson argues that prior to the arrival of Christoph Gluck in the 1770s, the Paris Opéra functioned primarily as an opportunity for socialization amoung the upper classes. While several scholars have disputed the idea that the audience did not listen to the opera before Gluck, anecdotal evidence and intellectual discourse indicate a shift towards attentive listening contemporaneous with the presentation of his works. Examining the impact Gluck's operas had on the listening culture of the Opéra not only deepens our understanding of these works but also reveals how the political, social, and intellectual milieu of Parisian society shaped listening practices in the theatre. Understanding how and why people listened both illuminates the import of Gluck’s music in France and reveals how the Paris Opéra functioned to create French identity.
The tragédie lyrique Armide (1686) was the last collaboration between Jean Baptiste Lully, the fo... more The tragédie lyrique Armide (1686) was the last collaboration between Jean Baptiste Lully, the founder of French opera, and his librettist Philippe Quinault. Armide was widely regarded not only as Lully’s best work, but also the perfect embodiment of French opera, and it remained popular on the French stage long after the composer’s death. Little wonder that Christoph Willibald Gluck’s decision to re-set Quinault’s libretto in 1777 caused an uproar in Paris. Gluck wrote opera on the Parisian stage between 1774 and 1780, continuing the operatic reforms he had begun in Vienna. Armide was the first work Gluck wrote with a full knowledge and understanding of the expectations of the French stage. However, it was also the only reform opera to use a libretto not written or revised to meet the goals of Gluck’s operatic reform. Nevertheless, this re-setting of Armide was not a concession to the expectations of the French audience at the expense of Gluck’s operatic ideals. Rather, it was an attempt on Gluck’s part to both honor the style of Lully’s operas and incorporate the tragédie lyrique into his conception of opera. There are numerous structural and musical parallels between the two versions of Armide that suggest Gluck was familiar with Lully’s opera and consciously aimed to emulate the style of the earlier composer. An examination of the similarities between the two versions of Armide reveals the shared aesthetic between Lully’s tragédie lyrique and Gluck’s operatic reforms, similarities that Gluck intended to elucidate.
Though not as well known as Orfeo ed Euridice, Alceste (1767) is an important work within Gluck's... more Though not as well known as Orfeo ed Euridice, Alceste (1767) is an important work within Gluck's operatic works and the reform of opera seria in the eighteenth century. Though best known for its accompanying preface that lists the goals of Gluck's opera seria reform, Alceste is in many ways a more consistent and realistic fulfillment of the reform movement than Orfeo (1762). Like Orfeo, however, Alceste exists in more than one form, the Italian original and the French revision for the Paris Opera. While the Italian and French version of Orfeo remain quite similar, the changes that Gluck made to the 1776 Paris version of Alceste, affecting both music and dramatic conception, have often led scholars to label its two versions as connected yet independent operas.
This paper compares the two versions of Alceste from the perspectives of libretto, plot – especially in relation to the original play by Euripides – and characterization, with an overview of the major musical revisions. In closing, it speculates on the motivations behind Gluck's dramatic and musical changes to the Paris version, and concludes that the major issues may have been the competing demands of Italian and French opera, the requirements of French translation, and Gluck's maturation as a composer of reformed opera seria in the years since 1767.
The music and culture of the sixteenth century Meistersinger is the central topic of Richard Wagn... more The music and culture of the sixteenth century Meistersinger is the central topic of Richard Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, his only operatic comedy. Wagner turned to Wagenseil’s Von der Meister-Singer Holdseligen Kunst for information on the customs of the Meistersinger, and many scenarios within the opera are based on information from this treatise. The inclusion of the famous historical Meistersinger Hans Sachs further strengthened the drama’s connection with the historical guild, while the use of distinct set pieces, a seeming departure from the unendliche Melodie of earlier operas, helped create an air of authenticity within Die Meistersinger.
As much as Die Meistersinger invokes the sixteenth century, Wagner does not present an accurate musical depiction of Meistergesang in this work. Though Hans Sachs and his role as a Meistersinger is an important element in his drama, Wagner only superficially observed the form and style of historical Meistergesang. None of Walther’s songs, including the Prize song, completely satisfy the rules set down by Wagenseil. The character of Sachs, in fact, sings no Meisterlied at all. A comparison of Sachs’ Morgenweise and Silberweise with Wagner’s drama reveals that it is actually in the music of Beckmesser, the pedantic, rule-bound antagonist, that Wagner comes closest to the musical traditions of the sixteenth century. Given the historical setting of the opera and the emphasis the libretto places on rules and traditions, this paper sets out to examine how these three characters are musically portrayed, the degree to which they deviate from traditional Meistergesang, and what this reveals about Wagner’s ideas on artistic genius and musical composition.
The operas of Richard Wagner (1813-1883) exist in a world of fantasy, populated by mythic knights... more The operas of Richard Wagner (1813-1883) exist in a world of fantasy, populated by mythic knights, gods and goddesses, and depictions of heaven and hell. The exception is Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (1867). Foregoing the world of myth, Wagner transports the audience back to sixteenth-century Nürnberg, where the city is led by the Meistersingers and, in particular, Hans Sachs. Though still writing in a nineteenth-century style, Wagner went to great lengths to integrate the actual practices and compositional rules of the Meistersingers into his opera. This attempt at historical accuracy allows for an exploration of the musical correspondences between historical Meistergesang and Wagner’s own depiction of the genre. By comparing Silberweise and Morgenweise, two pieces written by the historical Hans Sachs, to the Meistergesang within Wagner’s opera, it becomes clear that Wagner’s most accurate representations of Meistergesang are sung by Beckmesser, the antagonistic marker. Why then,...
The music and culture of the sixteenth century Meistersinger is the central topic of Richard Wagn... more The music and culture of the sixteenth century Meistersinger is the central topic of Richard Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg , his only operatic comedy. Wagner turned to Johann Christoph Wagenseil’s Von der Meister-Singer Holdseligen Kunst for information on the customs of the Meistersinger , and many scenarios within the opera are based on information from this treatise. The inclusion of the famous historical Meistersinger Hans Sachs as a central character further strengthened the drama’s connection with the historical guild. The use of distinct set pieces, a seeming departure from the endliche Melodie of earlier operas, also helped Wagner create an air of authenticity within the music of Die Meistersinger . As much as Die Meistersinger invokes the sixteenth century, Wagner does not present an accurate musical depiction of Meistergesang in this work. Though Hans Sachs and his role as a Meistersinger is an important element in his drama, Wagner only superficially observed th...
Christoph Willibald Gluck's opera Armide (1777) is an anomaly within the context of his eigh... more Christoph Willibald Gluck's opera Armide (1777) is an anomaly within the context of his eighteenth-century operatic reform. While all of Gluck's other libretti had been written as an embodiment of the operatic reform, including his Italian works Orfeo ed Euridice (1762) and Alceste ...
he music and culture of the sixteenth century Meistersinger is the central topic of Richard Wagne... more he music and culture of the sixteenth century Meistersinger is the central topic of Richard Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, his only operatic comedy. Wagner turned to Johann Christoph Wagenseil’s Von der Meister-Singer Holdseligen Kunst for information on the customs of the Meistersinger, and many scenarios within the opera are based on information from this treatise. The inclusion of the famous historical Meistersinger Hans Sachs as a central character further strengthened the drama’s connection with the historical guild. The use of distinct set pieces, a seeming departure from the endliche Melodie of earlier operas, also helped Wagner create an air of authenticity within the music of Die Meistersinger.
As much as Die Meistersinger invokes the sixteenth century, Wagner does not present an accurate musical depiction of Meistergesang in this work. Though Hans Sachs and his role as a Meistersinger is an important element in his drama, Wagner only superficially observed the form and style of historical Meistergesang. None of Walther’s songs, including Fanget an!, Am stillen Herd, or his Prize song, which wins him the admiration of both the masters and the people, completely satisfies the rules set down by Wagenseil. The character of Sachs, in fact, sings no Meisterlied at all. A comparison of Sachs’ Morgenweise and Silberweise with Wagner’s drama reveals that it is actually in the music of Beckmesser, the pedantic, rule-bound antagonist, that Wagner comes closest to the musical traditions of the sixteenth century. Given the historical setting of the opera and the emphasis the libretto places on rules and traditions, this paper sets out to examine how these three characters are musically portrayed, the degree to which they deviate from traditional Meistergesang, and what this reveals about Wagner’s ideas on artistic genius and musical composition.
The year 2014 marked the tercentenary of the birth of Christoph Gluck, an anniversary shared with... more The year 2014 marked the tercentenary of the birth of Christoph Gluck, an anniversary shared with his fellow operatic reformer Niccolò Jommelli and the most famous Bach son, Carl Philipp Emanuel. For most people, the mention of Gluck brings to mind his involvement in the reform of eighteenth-century opera and seminal works such as Orfeo ed Euridice, associations that have had the effect of minimizing Gluck's other accomplishments, including the majority of his dramatic oeuvre. The conference and festival Gluck and the Map of Eighteenth-Century Music, organized by Brian Locke and Anita Hardeman at Western Illinois University, focused less on Gluck's involvement in operatic reform than on the many ways in which he engaged with operatic and balletic traditions. Encompassing studies of genre, performance and reception history, the papers portrayed Gluck as a composer enmeshed in the musical culture of his time, whose works still leave much to be discovered by both scholars and performers.
Anne-Pierre-Jacques de Vismes du Valgay began what was to be a twelve-year tenure as director of ... more Anne-Pierre-Jacques de Vismes du Valgay began what was to be a twelve-year tenure as director of the Académie Royale de Musique in April 1778. By March 1780, having incurred massive debt, he was removed from the position by Royal decree. Budgetary failures, however, were not the sole cause of his downfall. De Vismes had attempted to institute numerous reforms at the Opéra, including alterations to the hall, company membership and salary, and the repertoire that appeared on stage, notably inviting a troupe of Italian actors to perform opera buffa. Swift opposition to these changes arose both inside and outside the Opéra. A supervisory committee appointed in February 1779 was unable to stem the hostility directed towards de Vismes, nor repair the effects of his financial mismanagement. Following de Vismes’ departure, the king replaced him with a committee made up of Opéra employees and performers, ensuring that no single director would ever again wield such controversial authority.
Discussions of French opera generally focus on individual composers and works as drivers of innovation. In comparison, the directors of the Opéra may seem little more than bureaucratic figureheads. Yet de Vismes’ tenure, though short and unpopular, illustrates the far-reaching and tangible impact of a director determined to reshape an aging institution. By examining de Vismes’ proposed reforms and their reception, this paper will demonstrate the ways in which the director could influence not only the repertoire and daily operations of the Opéra, but also its identity in the eyes of the public and the artists who created it.
Anne-Pierre-Jacques de Vismes du Valgay began what was to be a twelve-year tenure as director of ... more Anne-Pierre-Jacques de Vismes du Valgay began what was to be a twelve-year tenure as director of the Académie Royale de Musique in April 1778. By March 1780, having incurred massive debt, he was removed from the position by Royal decree. Budgetary failures, however, were not the sole cause of his downfall. De Vismes had attempted to institute numerous reforms at the Opéra, including alterations to the hall, company membership and salary, and the repertoire that appeared on stage, notably inviting a troupe of Italian actors to perform opera buffa. Swift opposition to these changes arose both inside and outside the Opéra. A supervisory committee appointed in February 1779 was unable to stem the hostility directed towards de Vismes, nor repair the effects of his financial mismanagement. Following de Vismes’ departure, the king replaced him with a committee made up of Opéra employees and performers, ensuring that no single director would ever again wield such controversial authority.
Discussions of French opera generally focus on individual composers and works as drivers of innovation. In comparison, the directors of the Opéra may seem little more than bureaucratic figureheads. Yet de Vismes’ tenure, though short and unpopular, illustrates the far-reaching and tangible impact of a director determined to reshape an aging institution. By examining de Vismes’ proposed reforms and their reception, this paper will demonstrate the ways in which the director could influence not only the repertoire and daily operations of the Opéra, but also its identity in the eyes of the public and the artists who created it.
Opera historiography presents Gluck as a composer who shaped his operas on the basis of his aesth... more Opera historiography presents Gluck as a composer who shaped his operas on the basis of his aesthetic ideals, not as a response to the qualities or demands of singers. In fact, when he went to Paris in 1773, his opera Iphigénie en Aulide was already composed and he had to instruct the singers in how to conform to his exacting standards. I will argue, however, that Gluck’s subsequent works for Paris owe more to his dealings with singers than has previously been recognized. In 1769, the Académie Royale de Musique had a strictly hierarchical standing company of fifty-two singers in which only the premiers sujets, two to three singers in each voice type, were chosen to create new roles. Gluck worked primarily with Rosalie Levasseur, Joseph Legros, and Henri Larrivée. While this trio created the main roles in Alceste, Armide, and Iphigénie en Tauride, they also performed in operas as diverse in style as Amadis de Gaule by J.C. Bach and Roland by Piccinni. These singers did not share Gluck’s aesthetics, specialize in his musical style, or conform to his dramatic ideals. They were merely the best choice among a limited selection.
Philidor’s Ernelinde, princesse de Norvège was revived in Paris shortly after Gluck’s arrival, and a comparative, analytical score study indicates that Gluck’s revisions to Orphée are modeled on Philidor’s Italianate model. I assert that there are clear parallels between the two works that suggest that Gluck catered to the singers’ demands in light of their experiences singing Ernelinde. At the most basic level, Gluck gave the singers more time on stage, as demonstrated by additional arias and ensembles for the main characters.
Yet Gluck also compromised on his reformist ideals. The preface to Alceste condemned vocal display, yet in Paris Gluck added a florid ariette for the haute-contre Legros to sing at the end of Act I of Orphée. The virtuosic style of this piece finds a direct correlation in the role sung by Legros in Ernelinde. Though Gluck later eschewed such dramatic displays of virtuosity, similar Italianisms can be observed in later works such as Armide.
In his monograph Listening in Paris: A Cultural History, James Johnson argues that prior to the a... more In his monograph Listening in Paris: A Cultural History, James Johnson argues that prior to the arrival of Christoph Gluck in the 1770s, the Paris Opéra functioned primarily as an opportunity for socialization amoung the upper classes. While several scholars have disputed the idea that the audience did not listen to the opera before Gluck, anecdotal evidence and intellectual discourse indicate a shift towards attentive listening contemporaneous with the presentation of his works. Examining the impact Gluck's operas had on the listening culture of the Opéra not only deepens our understanding of these works but also reveals how the political, social, and intellectual milieu of Parisian society shaped listening practices in the theatre. Understanding how and why people listened both illuminates the import of Gluck’s music in France and reveals how the Paris Opéra functioned to create French identity.
The tragédie lyrique Armide (1686) was the last collaboration between Jean Baptiste Lully, the fo... more The tragédie lyrique Armide (1686) was the last collaboration between Jean Baptiste Lully, the founder of French opera, and his librettist Philippe Quinault. Armide was widely regarded not only as Lully’s best work, but also the perfect embodiment of French opera, and it remained popular on the French stage long after the composer’s death. Little wonder that Christoph Willibald Gluck’s decision to re-set Quinault’s libretto in 1777 caused an uproar in Paris. Gluck wrote opera on the Parisian stage between 1774 and 1780, continuing the operatic reforms he had begun in Vienna. Armide was the first work Gluck wrote with a full knowledge and understanding of the expectations of the French stage. However, it was also the only reform opera to use a libretto not written or revised to meet the goals of Gluck’s operatic reform. Nevertheless, this re-setting of Armide was not a concession to the expectations of the French audience at the expense of Gluck’s operatic ideals. Rather, it was an attempt on Gluck’s part to both honor the style of Lully’s operas and incorporate the tragédie lyrique into his conception of opera. There are numerous structural and musical parallels between the two versions of Armide that suggest Gluck was familiar with Lully’s opera and consciously aimed to emulate the style of the earlier composer. An examination of the similarities between the two versions of Armide reveals the shared aesthetic between Lully’s tragédie lyrique and Gluck’s operatic reforms, similarities that Gluck intended to elucidate.
Though not as well known as Orfeo ed Euridice, Alceste (1767) is an important work within Gluck's... more Though not as well known as Orfeo ed Euridice, Alceste (1767) is an important work within Gluck's operatic works and the reform of opera seria in the eighteenth century. Though best known for its accompanying preface that lists the goals of Gluck's opera seria reform, Alceste is in many ways a more consistent and realistic fulfillment of the reform movement than Orfeo (1762). Like Orfeo, however, Alceste exists in more than one form, the Italian original and the French revision for the Paris Opera. While the Italian and French version of Orfeo remain quite similar, the changes that Gluck made to the 1776 Paris version of Alceste, affecting both music and dramatic conception, have often led scholars to label its two versions as connected yet independent operas.
This paper compares the two versions of Alceste from the perspectives of libretto, plot – especially in relation to the original play by Euripides – and characterization, with an overview of the major musical revisions. In closing, it speculates on the motivations behind Gluck's dramatic and musical changes to the Paris version, and concludes that the major issues may have been the competing demands of Italian and French opera, the requirements of French translation, and Gluck's maturation as a composer of reformed opera seria in the years since 1767.
The music and culture of the sixteenth century Meistersinger is the central topic of Richard Wagn... more The music and culture of the sixteenth century Meistersinger is the central topic of Richard Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, his only operatic comedy. Wagner turned to Wagenseil’s Von der Meister-Singer Holdseligen Kunst for information on the customs of the Meistersinger, and many scenarios within the opera are based on information from this treatise. The inclusion of the famous historical Meistersinger Hans Sachs further strengthened the drama’s connection with the historical guild, while the use of distinct set pieces, a seeming departure from the unendliche Melodie of earlier operas, helped create an air of authenticity within Die Meistersinger.
As much as Die Meistersinger invokes the sixteenth century, Wagner does not present an accurate musical depiction of Meistergesang in this work. Though Hans Sachs and his role as a Meistersinger is an important element in his drama, Wagner only superficially observed the form and style of historical Meistergesang. None of Walther’s songs, including the Prize song, completely satisfy the rules set down by Wagenseil. The character of Sachs, in fact, sings no Meisterlied at all. A comparison of Sachs’ Morgenweise and Silberweise with Wagner’s drama reveals that it is actually in the music of Beckmesser, the pedantic, rule-bound antagonist, that Wagner comes closest to the musical traditions of the sixteenth century. Given the historical setting of the opera and the emphasis the libretto places on rules and traditions, this paper sets out to examine how these three characters are musically portrayed, the degree to which they deviate from traditional Meistergesang, and what this reveals about Wagner’s ideas on artistic genius and musical composition.
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As much as Die Meistersinger invokes the sixteenth century, Wagner does not present an accurate musical depiction of Meistergesang in this work. Though Hans Sachs and his role as a Meistersinger is an important element in his drama, Wagner only superficially observed the form and style of historical Meistergesang. None of Walther’s songs, including Fanget an!, Am stillen Herd, or his Prize song, which wins him the admiration of both the masters and the people, completely satisfies the rules set down by Wagenseil. The character of Sachs, in fact, sings no Meisterlied at all. A comparison of Sachs’ Morgenweise and Silberweise with Wagner’s drama reveals that it is actually in the music of Beckmesser, the pedantic, rule-bound antagonist, that Wagner comes closest to the musical traditions of the sixteenth century. Given the historical setting of the opera and the emphasis the libretto places on rules and traditions, this paper sets out to examine how these three characters are musically portrayed, the degree to which they deviate from traditional Meistergesang, and what this reveals about Wagner’s ideas on artistic genius and musical composition.
Conference Reports by Annalise Smith
Talks by Annalise Smith
Discussions of French opera generally focus on individual composers and works as drivers of innovation. In comparison, the directors of the Opéra may seem little more than bureaucratic figureheads. Yet de Vismes’ tenure, though short and unpopular, illustrates the far-reaching and tangible impact of a director determined to reshape an aging institution. By examining de Vismes’ proposed reforms and their reception, this paper will demonstrate the ways in which the director could influence not only the repertoire and daily operations of the Opéra, but also its identity in the eyes of the public and the artists who created it.
Discussions of French opera generally focus on individual composers and works as drivers of innovation. In comparison, the directors of the Opéra may seem little more than bureaucratic figureheads. Yet de Vismes’ tenure, though short and unpopular, illustrates the far-reaching and tangible impact of a director determined to reshape an aging institution. By examining de Vismes’ proposed reforms and their reception, this paper will demonstrate the ways in which the director could influence not only the repertoire and daily operations of the Opéra, but also its identity in the eyes of the public and the artists who created it.
Philidor’s Ernelinde, princesse de Norvège was revived in Paris shortly after Gluck’s arrival, and a comparative, analytical score study indicates that Gluck’s revisions to Orphée are modeled on Philidor’s Italianate model. I assert that there are clear parallels between the two works that suggest that Gluck catered to the singers’ demands in light of their experiences singing Ernelinde. At the most basic level, Gluck gave the singers more time on stage, as demonstrated by additional arias and ensembles for the main characters.
Yet Gluck also compromised on his reformist ideals. The preface to Alceste condemned vocal display, yet in Paris Gluck added a florid ariette for the haute-contre Legros to sing at the end of Act I of Orphée. The virtuosic style of this piece finds a direct correlation in the role sung by Legros in Ernelinde. Though Gluck later eschewed such dramatic displays of virtuosity, similar Italianisms can be observed in later works such as Armide.
This paper compares the two versions of Alceste from the perspectives of libretto, plot – especially in relation to the original play by Euripides – and characterization, with an overview of the major musical revisions. In closing, it speculates on the motivations behind Gluck's dramatic and musical changes to the Paris version, and concludes that the major issues may have been the competing demands of Italian and French opera, the requirements of French translation, and Gluck's maturation as a composer of reformed opera seria in the years since 1767.
As much as Die Meistersinger invokes the sixteenth century, Wagner does not present an accurate musical depiction of Meistergesang in this work. Though Hans Sachs and his role as a Meistersinger is an important element in his drama, Wagner only superficially observed the form and style of historical Meistergesang. None of Walther’s songs, including the Prize song, completely satisfy the rules set down by Wagenseil. The character of Sachs, in fact, sings no Meisterlied at all. A comparison of Sachs’ Morgenweise and Silberweise with Wagner’s drama reveals that it is actually in the music of Beckmesser, the pedantic, rule-bound antagonist, that Wagner comes closest to the musical traditions of the sixteenth century. Given the historical setting of the opera and the emphasis the libretto places on rules and traditions, this paper sets out to examine how these three characters are musically portrayed, the degree to which they deviate from traditional Meistergesang, and what this reveals about Wagner’s ideas on artistic genius and musical composition.
As much as Die Meistersinger invokes the sixteenth century, Wagner does not present an accurate musical depiction of Meistergesang in this work. Though Hans Sachs and his role as a Meistersinger is an important element in his drama, Wagner only superficially observed the form and style of historical Meistergesang. None of Walther’s songs, including Fanget an!, Am stillen Herd, or his Prize song, which wins him the admiration of both the masters and the people, completely satisfies the rules set down by Wagenseil. The character of Sachs, in fact, sings no Meisterlied at all. A comparison of Sachs’ Morgenweise and Silberweise with Wagner’s drama reveals that it is actually in the music of Beckmesser, the pedantic, rule-bound antagonist, that Wagner comes closest to the musical traditions of the sixteenth century. Given the historical setting of the opera and the emphasis the libretto places on rules and traditions, this paper sets out to examine how these three characters are musically portrayed, the degree to which they deviate from traditional Meistergesang, and what this reveals about Wagner’s ideas on artistic genius and musical composition.
Discussions of French opera generally focus on individual composers and works as drivers of innovation. In comparison, the directors of the Opéra may seem little more than bureaucratic figureheads. Yet de Vismes’ tenure, though short and unpopular, illustrates the far-reaching and tangible impact of a director determined to reshape an aging institution. By examining de Vismes’ proposed reforms and their reception, this paper will demonstrate the ways in which the director could influence not only the repertoire and daily operations of the Opéra, but also its identity in the eyes of the public and the artists who created it.
Discussions of French opera generally focus on individual composers and works as drivers of innovation. In comparison, the directors of the Opéra may seem little more than bureaucratic figureheads. Yet de Vismes’ tenure, though short and unpopular, illustrates the far-reaching and tangible impact of a director determined to reshape an aging institution. By examining de Vismes’ proposed reforms and their reception, this paper will demonstrate the ways in which the director could influence not only the repertoire and daily operations of the Opéra, but also its identity in the eyes of the public and the artists who created it.
Philidor’s Ernelinde, princesse de Norvège was revived in Paris shortly after Gluck’s arrival, and a comparative, analytical score study indicates that Gluck’s revisions to Orphée are modeled on Philidor’s Italianate model. I assert that there are clear parallels between the two works that suggest that Gluck catered to the singers’ demands in light of their experiences singing Ernelinde. At the most basic level, Gluck gave the singers more time on stage, as demonstrated by additional arias and ensembles for the main characters.
Yet Gluck also compromised on his reformist ideals. The preface to Alceste condemned vocal display, yet in Paris Gluck added a florid ariette for the haute-contre Legros to sing at the end of Act I of Orphée. The virtuosic style of this piece finds a direct correlation in the role sung by Legros in Ernelinde. Though Gluck later eschewed such dramatic displays of virtuosity, similar Italianisms can be observed in later works such as Armide.
This paper compares the two versions of Alceste from the perspectives of libretto, plot – especially in relation to the original play by Euripides – and characterization, with an overview of the major musical revisions. In closing, it speculates on the motivations behind Gluck's dramatic and musical changes to the Paris version, and concludes that the major issues may have been the competing demands of Italian and French opera, the requirements of French translation, and Gluck's maturation as a composer of reformed opera seria in the years since 1767.
As much as Die Meistersinger invokes the sixteenth century, Wagner does not present an accurate musical depiction of Meistergesang in this work. Though Hans Sachs and his role as a Meistersinger is an important element in his drama, Wagner only superficially observed the form and style of historical Meistergesang. None of Walther’s songs, including the Prize song, completely satisfy the rules set down by Wagenseil. The character of Sachs, in fact, sings no Meisterlied at all. A comparison of Sachs’ Morgenweise and Silberweise with Wagner’s drama reveals that it is actually in the music of Beckmesser, the pedantic, rule-bound antagonist, that Wagner comes closest to the musical traditions of the sixteenth century. Given the historical setting of the opera and the emphasis the libretto places on rules and traditions, this paper sets out to examine how these three characters are musically portrayed, the degree to which they deviate from traditional Meistergesang, and what this reveals about Wagner’s ideas on artistic genius and musical composition.