Karajan and Othello: thoughts, reflections,...

[Rosy]

Dear Alexander,

Thanks for having written an article so interesting! I think there is very material to open a nice discussion! Verdi's Otello is among the Operas that I love more. About the video with Jon Vickers, you had asked me an opinion, I have that DVD, but I have not seen it yet; in fact sometimes I like the waiting and then I am a great admirer of Mario del Monaco, that I have had the fortune to know him when I was a child (phenomenal his recitar-cantando!), so I would not be influenced by the fact that in that role there is Jon Vickers, that is also an excellent tenor.

The title of the Opera had to be "Jago", because unlike Shakespeare, Verdi puts this figure at the centre of the tragedy; he is the puppeteer, he decides the fate of many people. Verdi emphatizes so much this thing, but then he decides to give the Opera the original title.

If it is possible, I will try to describe the meaning of taking the tones, for example ascendind, descending, level, of singing in the Verdi's Opera.

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with very best wishes
Rosy

[Rosy]

Hello,

I try briefly to explain to you how works the lyrical language of Giuseppe Verdi. First, when a character's emotions became more intense, animated, heated, the melodic line becames more varied, intervals that form it has been growing, and more wide the extention overall of the voice between high tones and low tones (toni acuti and toni gravi). This happens when someone speaks and when sings.

The extreme case is a song that insists on a single sound, namely singing monotone (monocorde). This monotone chant expresses usually a psychological state of detachment and emotion suspended.
In the III Act of Aida, Radames feels what will be his fate: "La fatal pietra sopra me si chiuse", his chant is stuck on a single note: Si. But when he pronounces the name of Aida, his voice rises a little, as a lament: and the memory of his beloved, arouses his feelings and his regret.

An axample of contrast between "full voice chant" and monotone chant can be found in Otello: "Esultate, l'orgoglio musulmano sepolto e` in mar, nostra e del ciel e` gloria, dopo l'armi lo vinse l'uragano". Here, the voice is full of power, and runs the entire range of sounds that it has available, from low to high. We can understand immediately how much are intense Otello's feelings.

Now, we think Otello in the III Act, when the perfidous Jago convinced him that his beloved Desdemona betrays him. Otello is alone with himself and he curses. His words are full of anger: Dio, mi potevi scagliar tutti i mali..". Otello's voice is sucks on the same sound, that goes down when the phrase ends, a monotone chant, a melodic line flat that represents the extremes case of cancellation of emotion. Verdi shows us a character psychologically annihilated, destroyed. Only at the end, when begins to be moved, his voice raice gradually:"..Ma, o pianto o duol..".

Another rule concerns the direction of sounds. Basic direction are ascending , descending, and monotone. The ascending is generally the voice of emotional tension, of momentum and sublimation; the descending usually evokes relaxation, depression, closure. The end of Verdian Opera usually the ascending, with the violins that transfer the melody in the region of sharp sound (sublimation). This happens in many Opera, for example Rigoletto, La Traviata, Nabucco, Un ballo in maschera, Aida.

In Aida, Verdi creates a double musical situation, inversely related with physical space. In the underground closed, the voice of the two lovers close to death, rises to melodic waves towards the high register: "O terra addio", the violins accompany the voice and they arrive to sovracuti where the voice cannot reach. Amneris, followed by the mournful chanting of the priests, says his prayer on low tone of Re bemolle :" Pace t'imploro!"

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Rosy

[Catalin N. R.]

Hi Alexander, hello Rosy,

The Verdian musicological analysis made by Rosy is eminent. Recently, I've read again a romanced biography about Verdi. The book tells that, in his continuous effort of improving his music, in the late period of his creation, Verdi attained to his own philosophy of music. This was the reason of the dramatic change of composition style in Otello and Falstaff. He never wrote the thoughts that led him through his last productions. But he considered that these principles were too profound for his epoch and wondered if somebody ever will attain to their understanding. Well, I don't know if these principles do correspond with Rosy's analysis, but this is a step of course. Moreover, the book I read is a romanced biography, and I don't know how much of it is romance, and how much is truth...

With kind regards,
Catalin

[Rosy]

Dear Alexander,

I'm sorry, it is very difficult for me to explain some concepts in English language; I wanted to try because I know that they are essential to understand Verdi's lyrical language. I will try to explain one thing at a time to be more clear as possible!

Yes, Otello (III Act) is full of anger, but he instead of shouting out his anger and his pain, he articulates them in monotone manner, just to give them more prominence. His words are harsh but his voice is flat and his sentiment seems to be nil. Verdi, in this, show us his maestry.

I'll tell you my memories about Mario del Monaco, that I knew when I was a child, and Franco Corelli, born in my own city, but where he has never sung. I knew him when I was about 34 years old. Unfortunately I didn't know the great Giuseppe di Stefano

Alberto Erede conducted with great maestry Verdi's Operas. I immediately recognize his style, perfectly in line with Verdian tempi! Another great Verdian conductor was Tullio Serafin; Karajan always listened to his performances before tackling a new Verdi's score.

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Rosy

[Rosy]

Hi Catalin,

What I've written, it relates the Verdian lyrical language in toto, and not his last production. I will also point out that the post doesn't contains my opinion, but my small analysis is only the fruit of my musical studies that I have done...ahime`...many years ago!

Certainly Falstaff created and creates till today problems of comprehension; the meaning of this work remains rather obscure. His only Opera buffa (after the unhappy youthful experience of Un giorno di regno)hides several things. Verdi, the Great Giuseppe Verdi has tricked us!!

"Tutto nel mondo e` burla!" (everything in the world is a thick!)

...It's also true that he wanted to prove that he was able to compose in a style different from what he had always used. Curious to note that he also this time he is inspired by the dramatist that he so much admirer.

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Rosy