I have added some additional information on my web page. It provides additional evidence about the version of the theme for Fernando Sor's Mozart Variations, Op. 9. Sor used a version of "Das klinget so herrlich" from Magic Flute that had been adapted to the lyrics "Away with Melancholy." It was to become one of the most popular melodies of the 19th century with several hundred works using it--mostly like Sor, as theme for variations for keyed bugle, banjo, harmonium, piano four-hands, etc., etc., and as a temperance hymn, Scottish fiddle tune and Masonic song.
See http://mysite.verizon.net/vzepq31c/musexx/id14.html ajn ====================================================== Arthur Ness Tue, 28 Mar 2006 15:27:31 -0800 Dear Steve, Steve and Angelo, piano-vocal score for the 1811 Italian language version used in London http://pds.harvard.edu:8080/pdx/servlet/pds?id=2581452&n=90&s=4&res=3 http://pds.harvard.edu:8080/pdx/servlet/pds?id=2581452&n`&s=4&res=3 Sor's opening http://www.tecla.com/extras/1001/1200/op09beg.pdf "Steven Bornfeld" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message [EMAIL PROTECTED] merula wrote: > Hi Steve, > > > The pieces you have mentioned are all transcriptions although very > guitaristic (because they were transcribed by Sor or other excellent > guitarists) they weren't intended as guitar music at the point of > composition. They are not original pieces fr the classical guitar. Yes > they also link Mozart to the guitar but my point is that the opus 9 is > a piece composed almost in the style of Mozart, like a celebration of > his composition and it is also an origional piece for our instrument. > It is the closest thing to Mozart writing for our instrument, if you > see what I mean. <AJN>I don't find the variations particularly "Mozartian." They are charcter variations, and Mozart's are usually figural variations. And he uses a corrupt version of Mozart's theme. More appropriate to paying homage to Mozart would be his Opus 19 Six Airs from "Il Flauto Magico." (the titles also are from the Italian version of the libretto, as used in London). <SB>This raises an issue I've wondered about. I've listened to recordings of "The Magic Flute", but hardly can say I know the opera well. Can anyone point me to the aria that inspired Sor's Op. 9? I can't say I remember hearing a theme as such as Sor laid out.<SB> <AJN>I too was perplexed about the theme. I couldn't quite place it. But indeed it seems to be "Das klinget so herrlich" in the Finale to Act One of Duie Zauberfl=F6te, as Steve points out. But Sor was in London, and there Magic Flute was performed in an Italian translation made by Giovanni de Gemerra, court poet in Vienna and librettist for Mozart's teenage opera "Lucio Silla." The Italian version was made for a performance in Prague in 1798. Its London premiere took place "at the King's Theatre in the Haymarket for the benefit of Senor Naldi, June 6, 1811." Birchall & Co. published the piano-vocal score given above almost immediately. It seems we have the theme altered to fit it to the Italian words, "O cara harmonia" (7 syllables)/ "Das klinget so herrlich" (6 syllables) . Sor may not have been familiar with the original at that time. So the rests are replaced with notes to accommodate the extra syllables, and appoggiaturas are added to emphasize the rhyme, e.g., "ni-a" of har-mo-ni-a. And the pattern is carried out through the tune. There seems to be no use of the music for the magic bells, so essential to the piece. Oh ca-ra ar-mo-ni-a! (7 syllbles) Das klinget so herrlich (6 syll.) Oh dol-ce pian-cer! (5 syllables) Das klinget so schoen! (5 syll.) Trala-la (etc.) <AJN>The melody is so transformed that it lacks any character. And that's what you need for a theme for variation: a distinctive piece, with memorable motives and usual harmonic patterns. Thus the cheap, but fecund, waltz of Diabelli served for one of the greatest variation set ever written (Beethoven's). <AJN>At this point in the Singspiel, the evil Monostatos and his slaves have entered to shackle and abduct Pamina. But Papageno gets out his magic bells (at some first performances, Mozart played the bells off-stage). Monostatos and the slaves are so awestruck that they dance away, almost as in a trance. Breathlessly. "Das klin-get <breath> so herr-lich, <breath> Das klin-get <breath> so schoen!" ("That rings <rest> so splendidly, <rest> That rings <rest> so lovely. <rest> Never have I<rest> such a thing<rest> heard<rest> or seen<rest>" Piano-vocal score translations are not to be trusted: magic bells ring, they don't "jingle," pace Mr. Schirmer.) The breathlessness is essential to Mozart's tune. It really demonstrates how Mozart was a genius at capturing the drama of the moment, even with such a simple little tune. Lasting about 30 seconds, it is one of the most captivating moments in the entire Singspiel. But you'd hardly ever realize that judging from the version of the melody used by Sor. Sor's immediate inspiration for his variations may have been the vocal pyrotechnics of the famed soprano Madame Angelica Catalani, active for many years on the London opera stage, whose vocal variations on the tune she often interpolated into operas, such as Paisiello's La Frascatana. <AJN>Sor also used the piece (in its original form) in his Six Airs, Op. 19, also with the Italian titles. Here "Oh cara armonia" appears in a much better arrangement that respects Mozart's orginal and uses harmonics to represent the magic bells. <AJN>Well, if you've read this far, here's the ZINGER. <AJN>Here's the theme in almost the same version as Sor used (in American editions of the British tune), complete with missing rests and the rhyming appoggiaturas. Notice it is the SUBTITLE that reads "O' dolce armonia." http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=mussm&fileName=sm2/sm1857/611000/611690/mussm611690.db&recNum=3&itemLink=D?mussm:1:./temp/~ammem_1lMu::&linkText=0 For banjo (variations): http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=mussm&fileName=sm/sm1879/10200/10217/mussm10217.db&recNum=1&itemLink=D?mussm:39:./temp/~ammem_Kjn4::&linkText=0 For piano (variations) http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=mussm&fileName=sm/sm1876/14800/14824/mussm14824.db&recNum=1&itemLink=D?mussm:5:./temp/~ammem_UoZR::&linkText=0 <AJN>So it's Sor, Variations on "Away with Melancholy" Op. 9!! It was a very popular song in Britain. By the way, there are about a dozen editions of "Away with Melancholy" in a special Mozart birthday exhibition at the Boston Public Library! As well as some autograph manuscripts by Mozart. So credit for the discovery goes to the music reference librarian who lives here. <AJN>So it was, indeed, not Sor who messed up Mozart's music.<g> ajn <<snip>> Steve -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html a.. [EARLY-GUIT] Fernando Sor's Variations on "Away with Melancholy" // Was Sor's Mozart variations. Arthur Ness a.. Reply via email to
