Activities
1. The first main composer that Howard Goodall considers is Claudio Monteverdi. You will hear the dramatic introduction to the opera 'Orfeo'. What do you notice about the orchestration and instrumentation compared to a modern chamber or opera orchestra? What do you notice about the tonality of the piece? Now listen to the madrigal that follows this extract. What unusual instruments do you notice? What do you notice about the voices being used? You will also hear a recitative (sung speech). The purpose of this is to move the action along at a fast speed and also to convey thoughts and feelings that are difficult to articulate. What is the mood of the example of recitative heard in the programme? What do you notice about the vocal line? Finally what do you notice about Orfeo's plea to the underworld?
2. 'Orfeo' by Monteverdi and 'Orphée aux Enfers' by Offenbach share the same plot line but the treatment of the story is markedly different. Listen to some sections from both works and list the differences you find in orchestration, singing style and dramatic techniques.
3. The second main composer in the programme is the Austrian Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In the extract given, compare the orchestration of the piece to the work of Monteverdi. What differences do you notice in the vocal line? What difference can you detect in the subject matter of the pieces? Listen to some other operatic works by Mozart such as 'The Magic Flute' (sung in German) or 'Don Giovanni' or 'Così Fan Tutte'.
4. Listen to the "Prisoners' Chorus" from 'Fidelio'. This piece perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the time, with its themes of liberation and deliverance. How does Beethoven contribute to the power of the moment by his use of chorus and orchestra? Find a poem that offers images of freedom, liberation or deliverance. Using the words, create a hymn-like chorus in either three or four parts for the others students in your group. Once you have created the vocal line then think about the accompaniment that you might also wish to use. Think about how powerful the all- male voice choir can sound. Listen to some other examples possibly of Welsh male voice choirs or an all-male chorus from a Verdi opera.
5. Several of the operas mentioned feature great ensemble pieces for trio, quartet or quintet. Compare examples by Mozart (possibly from 'Così Fan Tutte'), Verdi (possibly from 'Rigoletto'), Wagner (possibly from 'Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg' and Richard Strauss (final trio from 'Rosenkavalier'). In a century of operatic writing what similarities rather than differences can you detect?
6. In the final opera examined, 'Nixon in China', by the American composer John Adams, we hear President Nixon's speech. Compare the way that this speech is sung with the vocal style heard at the beginning of the programme when Orfeo is singing. In almost 400 years of operatic writing does Adams' work look forward or backwards? In short does it reflect any contemporary idioms? If you can listen to the orchestral piece 'The Chairman's Dances' taken from the opera, consider the orchestration. John Adams is considered to be a minimalist composer. How can you tell from the extracts heard, but particularly in the scene when Nixon actually arrives in China?
