2008/11/12
Purcell - Dido and Aeneas
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音學
Purcell - Dido and Aeneas
Purcell's setting of a Latin psalm. Shown here is a detail of the florid 'Halleluja' with which the piece closes, British Library Add. MS. 30930, f.12v (Source: http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/features/psalmlge.html)
每次遇到準備聲樂考試曲目, 都會選擇一首Purcell的作品, 如 Music for a while 和 Sweeter than roses. 今次也不例外, 也是由Purcell 開始練習....
Henry Purcell (1659-1695) is one of England's greatest composers, died in November 1695, and is buried in Westminster Abbey. Purcell worked with the British court until the 1680's, where he began composing more for the theatre (f.ex his semi operas.). Purcell made some of his greatest music for the royals, examples like his odes, welcome songs, anthems and services. He also made instrumental music. During the 1690's Purcell wrote mostly for the theatre. One of his famous opera is Dido and Aeneas.
The Story - Dido and Aeneas
The story for Dido and Aeneas was adapted from part of the Aeneid by Virgil. Dido, Queen of Carthage, falls in love with Aeneas, who has landed in Carthage after fleeing from Troy after defeat in the Trojan War. However, some witches living near Carthage, who hate Dido, remind him that he is fated to go and be the founder of the Roman Empire. Aeneas leaves Dido, who is heartbroken and kills herself.
The story is exceptional for opera of this period, because one of the major characters (Dido) dies. In most pre-19th Century opera, the hero or heroine's life may be threatened, but something usually happens to save the day by the end of the opera.
The Music -
Ground Bass Arias
The two most famous arias from Dido and Aeneas, 'Ah! Belinda' and 'When I am laid in earth' (Dido's Lament), both have ground basses which is very common in Baroque period; a bass line which repeats itself over and over, while the other parts change over the top. Pachabel's Canon is another example of a piece of music with a ground bass. The bass line doesn't change; so it is easy for pieces of music that use ground basses to get repetitive, because the composer has to use the same bass notes the whole time. Purcell keeps the interest going by having the phrases in the vocal line overlap the repeats of the ground bass, and harmonizing the ground bass with different chords from repetition to repetition.
Dissonance
Purcell's use of dissonance is very English. In Dido's Lament, the string parts are very dissonant, helping to illustrate Dido's extreme anguish.
Ground Bass Arias
The two most famous arias from Dido and Aeneas, 'Ah! Belinda' and 'When I am laid in earth' (Dido's Lament), both have ground basses which is very common in Baroque period; a bass line which repeats itself over and over, while the other parts change over the top. Pachabel's Canon is another example of a piece of music with a ground bass. The bass line doesn't change; so it is easy for pieces of music that use ground basses to get repetitive, because the composer has to use the same bass notes the whole time. Purcell keeps the interest going by having the phrases in the vocal line overlap the repeats of the ground bass, and harmonizing the ground bass with different chords from repetition to repetition.
Dissonance
Purcell's use of dissonance is very English. In Dido's Lament, the string parts are very dissonant, helping to illustrate Dido's extreme anguish.
(Source: http://www.steenslid.com/music/purcell/)
In Youtube, I've found a video on his famous aria Dido's lament 'When I am laid in earth' sung by Janet Baker...
Dido's Lament, this is the aria Dido sings before she died.
Thy hand, Belinda,
Darkness shades me!
On thy bosom let me rest,
More I would, but Death invades me,
Death is now a welcome guest.
When I am laid in earth,
May my wrongs create,
No trouble in thy breast.
Remember me!
But ah! forget my fate!
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