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THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY<br />
COLLEGE OF MUSIC<br />
LIRICHE VOCALE DA SALOTTO DI FRANCO ALFANO<br />
(LYRIC VOCAL SONGS FOR THE SALON OF FRANCO ALFANO)<br />
By<br />
LUVADA A. HARRISON<br />
A Treatise submitted to <strong>the</strong><br />
College <strong>of</strong> Music<br />
in partial fulfillment <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
requirements for <strong>the</strong> degree <strong>of</strong><br />
Doctor <strong>of</strong> Music<br />
Degree Awarded:<br />
Spring Semester, 2007
The members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Committee approve <strong>the</strong> Treatise <strong>of</strong> Luvada A. Harrison defended on<br />
12 December 2006.<br />
______________________________<br />
Douglas L. Fisher<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Directing Treatise<br />
______________________________<br />
Andre Thomas<br />
Outside Committee Member<br />
______________________________<br />
Mat<strong>the</strong>w Lata<br />
Committee Member<br />
The Office <strong>of</strong> Graduate Studies has verified and approved <strong>the</strong> above named committee<br />
members.<br />
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS<br />
List <strong>of</strong> Examples .................................................................................................. iv<br />
Abstract ...................................................................................................... vi<br />
1. EARLY YEARS AND EDUCATION<br />
Posillipo ................................................................................................ 1<br />
Leipzig ................................................................................................ 4<br />
Berlin ................................................................................................ 5<br />
2. BEGINNING HIS PROFESSIONAL LIFE<br />
Paris ................................................................................................ 6<br />
Return to Italy ............................................................................................. 12<br />
3. THE ART SONGS OF ALFANO ................................................................. 20<br />
Felicità ................................................................................................ 21<br />
Al chiarore della mattina............................................................................ 25<br />
Rabindranath Tagore................................................................................... 31<br />
Giorno per giorno....................................................................................... 33<br />
È giunto il nostro ultimo autunno ............................................................... 39<br />
Luce ................................................................................................ 46<br />
CONCLUSION ................................................................................................ 51<br />
APPENDIX A<br />
Art Song Catalog ........................................................................................ 54<br />
REFERENCES ............................................................................................... 62<br />
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH .............................................................................. 64<br />
iii
LIST OF EXAMPLES<br />
1.1 Risurrezione, Act II. Recitative: “Giunge il treno”............................................. 9<br />
1.2 Risurrezione measures 18-19............................................................................... 10<br />
1.3 Katiusha’s Aria: “Dio pietoso,” Act II, measures 1-4 ......................................... 11<br />
1.4 measures 34-41 .................................................................................................... 12<br />
2.1 Felicita measures 1-2........................................................................................... 22<br />
2.2 measures 6-8 ........................................................................................................ 23<br />
2.3 measures 21-23 .................................................................................................... 23<br />
2.4 measures 9-14 ...................................................................................................... 24<br />
2.5 mesures 30-32 ...................................................................................................... 24<br />
3.1 Al chiarore della mattina… measures 1-4 ........................................................... 26<br />
3.2 mesaures 15-18 .................................................................................................... 27<br />
3.3 measures 19-20 .................................................................................................... 28<br />
3.4 measures 21-22 .................................................................................................... 29<br />
3.5 measures 34-35 .................................................................................................... 30<br />
3.6 measures 53-54 .................................................................................................... 30<br />
4.1 Giorno per giorno measures 1-12........................................................................ 35<br />
4.2 measures 18-22 .................................................................................................... 36<br />
4.3 measures 52-55 .................................................................................................... 37<br />
4.4 measures 60-63 .................................................................................................... 37<br />
4.5 measures 68-71 .................................................................................................... 38<br />
4.6 measures 88-91 .................................................................................................... 38<br />
4.7 measures 98-101 .................................................................................................. 39<br />
5.1 È giunto il nostro ultimo autunno measures 1-4.................................................. 41<br />
5.2 measures 13-19 .................................................................................................... 42<br />
5.3 measures 37-40 .................................................................................................... 43<br />
5.4 measures 51-54 .................................................................................................... 44<br />
iv
5.5 measures 68-70 .................................................................................................... 45<br />
5.6 measures 96-100 .................................................................................................. 46<br />
6.1 Luce measures 1-4................................................................................................ 48<br />
6.2 measures 5-6 ........................................................................................................ 48<br />
6.3 measures 14-15 .................................................................................................... 49<br />
6.4 measures 24-25 .................................................................................................... 50<br />
6.5 measures 32-33 .................................................................................................... 50<br />
6.6 measures 42-43 .................................................................................................... 51<br />
v
ABSTRACT<br />
This treatise will focus on <strong>the</strong> solo art song literature <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Italian composer Franco<br />
Alfano (1875-1954). Although, Alfano composed a total <strong>of</strong> fifty-three solo vocal pieces, <strong>the</strong>se<br />
works are not generally known and are deserving <strong>of</strong> more widespread performance and study.<br />
Franco Alfano is recognized outside <strong>of</strong> Italy solely as <strong>the</strong> composer who <strong>complete</strong>d <strong>the</strong><br />
third act duet <strong>of</strong> Giacomo Puccini’s final opera, Turandot, and little scholarly research in English<br />
is available on <strong>the</strong> subject <strong>of</strong> his art songs. The first part <strong>of</strong> this treatise will provide a brief<br />
biography <strong>of</strong> Alfano. The second part will discuss <strong>the</strong> poetry Alfano used for his art songs,<br />
focusing primarily on Rabindranath Tagore, <strong>the</strong> Bengali poet, composer and educator who was<br />
<strong>the</strong> recipient <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 1913 Nobel Prize in Literature. More than half <strong>of</strong> Alfano’s art songs are set to<br />
Tagore’s poetry. The third section will be a discussion <strong>of</strong> five art songs that are representative <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> different compositional periods in Alfano life. The final section <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> treatise is a catalogue<br />
<strong>of</strong> Alfano’s art songs, providing information on publishers, <strong>the</strong> voice types for which <strong>the</strong>y are<br />
written, <strong>the</strong> general mood <strong>of</strong> each art song, style <strong>of</strong> accompaniment, and notes on potential<br />
difficulties for performers.<br />
vi
EARLY YEARS AND EDUCATION<br />
Posillipo<br />
Franco Alfano was born on 8 March 1875 i in <strong>the</strong> picturesque town <strong>of</strong> Posillipo (“respite<br />
from pain”) in <strong>the</strong> Campria (Campania) region <strong>of</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn Italy. The town was given its name<br />
by <strong>the</strong> Greeks who first settled <strong>the</strong> area in <strong>the</strong> 6 th century BC. The territory was later conquered<br />
by <strong>the</strong> Romans and renamed Neapolis (“<strong>the</strong> new city”) as part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Holy Roman Empire.<br />
Posillipo became a favorite respite for vacationing Roman Emperors and nobility, who built<br />
lavish villas and exquisite gardens <strong>complete</strong> with baths into <strong>the</strong> hills overlooking <strong>the</strong> bay. 1<br />
Centuries later this beautiful location was <strong>the</strong> inspiration for a ballet composed by Alfano for <strong>the</strong><br />
Folies Bergère. The area also inspired one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>most</strong> notable composers <strong>of</strong> Neapolitan songs,<br />
Sir Francesco Paolo Tosti (1846-1916) ii .<br />
The year <strong>of</strong> Alfano’s birth, 1875, brought forth a cornucopia <strong>of</strong> talented individuals who<br />
made major contributions in <strong>the</strong> fields <strong>of</strong> education, finance, science, psychology, literature and<br />
music. In <strong>the</strong> United States, Mary McLeod Bethune, African-American educator and founder <strong>of</strong><br />
Bethune-Cookman College and financier, E.F. (Edward Francis) Hutton; iii in England, Samuel<br />
Coleridge-Taylor, Afro-British composer, conductor and educator; 2 in Switzerland, Carl Gustav<br />
Jung, <strong>the</strong> founder <strong>of</strong> Analytical Psychology, who pioneered dream analysis; in Austria, violin<br />
prodigy and composer, Fritz Kreisler, who won <strong>the</strong> premier prix <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Paris Conservatoire at<br />
age 12, and for whom Edward Elgar iv (1857-1934) wrote a Violin concerto; 3 in Germany, Paul<br />
Thomas Mann, novelist, philanthropist and essayist who won <strong>the</strong> Nobel Prize in Literature in<br />
1929; Rainer Maria Rilke, one <strong>of</strong> Germany’s greatest twentieth-century poets; and <strong>the</strong> 1952<br />
Nobel Prize winner, <strong>the</strong>ologian, philosopher, physician, and musician, Albert Schweitzer, who<br />
specialized in <strong>the</strong> music <strong>of</strong> Johann Sebastian Bach and published a study <strong>of</strong> Bach and Bach<br />
interpretation. 4 And in France, Joseph Maurice Ravel, composer and pianist, who was a founding<br />
member <strong>of</strong> Les Apaches (“<strong>the</strong> hooligans”). v<br />
Alfano was born into a family <strong>of</strong> mixed cultures, his fa<strong>the</strong>r Vincenzo was an artisan who<br />
earned his living as a silver engraver. His mo<strong>the</strong>r, whose maiden name Fourcade later Italianized<br />
to Forcati, was French. The advantage <strong>of</strong> having parents <strong>of</strong> different cultural heritage more than<br />
1 Columbia University Encyclopedia Online, http://reference.allref.com/encyclopedia/P/Posillipi.html (accessed<br />
June 3, 2005)<br />
2 Alison Latham, ed., The Oxford Companion to Music. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2002), 270.<br />
3 Lathan, Oxford Companion to Music, 662.<br />
4 Ibid., 1130.<br />
1
likely helped to broaden <strong>the</strong> cultural horizons <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> young Franco. Music was frequently heard<br />
in <strong>the</strong> Alfano household. Before long a precocious three-year-old Franco could be heard singing<br />
“Mira, o Norma,” a duet from Bellini’s opera Norma. 5<br />
Alfano was first introduced to <strong>the</strong> piano by his paternal uncle, who brought with him a<br />
grand piano when he came to live with <strong>the</strong> family. Alfano’s fa<strong>the</strong>r may have been entertained by<br />
his son’s early musical prowess, however, when it came time to begin his formal education, he<br />
insisted that <strong>the</strong> young Franco attend <strong>the</strong> Istituto fisico-matematico (<strong>the</strong> Institute <strong>of</strong> Physics and<br />
Ma<strong>the</strong>matics). Alfano continued to study piano with his uncle while a student at <strong>the</strong> Istituto,<br />
where he also showed an aptitude for technical studies. His uncle was more than likely an<br />
amateur musician, so it wasn’t long before Alfano found himself in need <strong>of</strong> a more advanced<br />
teacher. At this point, Signora Alfano enlisted <strong>the</strong> help <strong>of</strong> Raffaele Morfella, a family friend, who<br />
introduced <strong>the</strong> eleven-year-old Alfano (who was still enrolled at <strong>the</strong> Istituto fisico-matematico) to<br />
Alessandro <strong>Longo</strong> (1864-1945).<br />
<strong>Longo</strong> was an alumnus <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Conservatorio di San Pietro a Majella. He began his<br />
teaching career at <strong>the</strong> Conservatorio when he was called upon to fill in for his piano teacher,<br />
Beniamino Cesi. He formally joined <strong>the</strong> faculty <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Conservatorio in 1897 and later became<br />
its Director. An active performer, dedicated teacher and scholar, <strong>Longo</strong> wrote numerous piano<br />
methods and anthologies. He focused his scholarly research on <strong>the</strong> music <strong>of</strong> his fellow<br />
Neopolitan, <strong>Domenico</strong> Scarlatti (1685-1757), compiling <strong>the</strong> <strong>most</strong> <strong>complete</strong> collection <strong>of</strong> his<br />
works entitled <strong>Domenico</strong> Scarlatti: Opere <strong>complete</strong> per clavicembalo. The publication consisted<br />
<strong>of</strong> eleven volumes and reignited interest in <strong>the</strong> keyboard music <strong>of</strong> Scarlatti. 6 According to <strong>the</strong><br />
Harvard Dictionary <strong>of</strong> Music and Musicians, <strong>the</strong> unusual modulations and virtuoso techniques<br />
that characterized Scarlatti’s keyboard sonatas were compositional practices that <strong>Longo</strong> passed<br />
on to his students and can be evidenced in <strong>the</strong> music <strong>of</strong> Alfano.<br />
Alfano’s work with <strong>Longo</strong> proved beneficial, when at <strong>the</strong> age <strong>of</strong> 16, he was <strong>of</strong>ficially<br />
accepted into <strong>the</strong> Conservatorio di San Pietro a Majella vi in Naples (known today as <strong>the</strong> Naples<br />
Conservatory) and placed directly into <strong>the</strong> third level harmony course taught by Camillo De<br />
Nardis (1857-1951). He began to study <strong>the</strong> violin and organ, while continuing his piano studies<br />
with <strong>Longo</strong>.<br />
5 Dryden, Konrad, “Franco Alfano and Risurrezione.” (Master’s Thesis, California State University, 1996), 12.<br />
6 Carolyn Gianturcoxr: ‘<strong>Longo</strong>, Alessandro’, Grove Music Online ed L. Macy (Accessed 31 May 2005),<br />
http://www.grovemusic.com.proxy.lib.fsu.edu.<br />
2
Up until this time, Alfano and his mo<strong>the</strong>r had been successful in concealing his musical<br />
studies from his fa<strong>the</strong>r. However, when he was accepted into San Pietro a Majella, his mo<strong>the</strong>r<br />
withdrew him from Istituto fisico-matematico. When mo<strong>the</strong>r and son finally made <strong>the</strong> elder<br />
Alfano privy to <strong>the</strong>ir actions, both endured a harsh reprimand from <strong>the</strong> fa<strong>the</strong>r for <strong>the</strong>ir deception.<br />
Alfano was an exceptional student with a gifted aptitude for composition. In <strong>the</strong> following year<br />
he skipped counterpoint levels four and five and advanced to <strong>the</strong> sixth level which was taught by<br />
Paolo Serrao (1830-1907). Alfano’s respect and appreciation for <strong>Longo</strong> is evidenced by his<br />
continued friendship with his pr<strong>of</strong>essor following his graduation from <strong>the</strong> conservatory and by<br />
his dedication <strong>of</strong> Quatre pieces pour piano op.3 to his former teacher and mentor.<br />
<strong>Longo</strong> had been a student <strong>of</strong> Paolo Serrao, who was also an alumnus <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Conservatory.<br />
Serrao remained at <strong>the</strong> Conservatory after graduating, becoming a pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong> composition,<br />
counterpoint and piano. Eventually, he gained <strong>the</strong> reputation as one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> best teachers in Naples<br />
as evidenced by <strong>the</strong> success <strong>of</strong> many <strong>of</strong> his students, including Francesco Cilea (1866-1950) vii ,<br />
who would later become director <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Conservatory; Umberto Giordano (1867-1948) viii ,<br />
Ruggiero Leoncavallo (1857-1919) ix and Giuseppe Martucci (1856-1909). x Serrao also sat on a<br />
committee chaired by Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) that was established in 1871 to reform <strong>the</strong><br />
Conservatory’s musical studies. 7<br />
Alfano had a strong interest in composing instrumental music, more specifically<br />
symphonic music. Italy was <strong>the</strong> land <strong>of</strong> opera, but <strong>the</strong> Germans had cultivated <strong>the</strong> symphonic<br />
form, in particular <strong>the</strong> Mannheim school. xi Many Italian composers <strong>of</strong> Alfano’s generation<br />
traveled north seeking more fertile compositional instruction. Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936),<br />
who is known for his brilliantly orchestrated orchestral suites Fontane di Roma and Pini di<br />
Roma, studied in Berlin, and Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924), who won <strong>the</strong> Rubinstein<br />
Competition in 1890, studied in Leipzig. 8 Alfano was in good company when at <strong>the</strong> age <strong>of</strong><br />
twenty (having <strong>complete</strong>d his course <strong>of</strong> study at <strong>the</strong> Conservatorio di San Pietro Majella), and,<br />
after he and his mo<strong>the</strong>r convinced his fa<strong>the</strong>r to assist him financially, he continued his education<br />
in Germany. His city <strong>of</strong> choice was Leipzig, one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> major cultural centers in Germany. The<br />
city would expose <strong>the</strong> young musician to <strong>the</strong> music <strong>of</strong> Bach, Wagner, Strauss, and o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
noteworthy composers whose music had yet to migrate southward to Naples. Leipzig was more<br />
7 Matteo Sansone: ‘Serrao, Paolo,’ Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (accessed 31 May 2005),<br />
http://www.grovemusic.com.proxy.lib.fsu.edu.<br />
8 Alison Latham, Oxford Companion to Music, 183-184.<br />
3
cosmopolitan than Posillipo or Naples, and would allow Alfano to experience living in a worldly<br />
city. Intent upon streng<strong>the</strong>ning his skills in orchestration, and equally exited by <strong>the</strong> cultural<br />
diversity that awaited him, Alfano enrolled in <strong>the</strong> Conservatory <strong>of</strong> Leipzig, where he began his<br />
studies with Salomon Jadassohn (1931-1902).<br />
Leipzig<br />
Just as <strong>Longo</strong> and Serrao had returned to <strong>the</strong>ir alma mater to teach, Jadassohn had done<br />
<strong>the</strong> same. After his studies at <strong>the</strong> Leipzig Conservatory, he went to Weimar to continue his piano<br />
studies with Franz Liszt (1818-1886). Jadassohn was a successful performer before becoming a<br />
<strong>the</strong>orist and teacher, as well as <strong>the</strong> author <strong>of</strong> multiple <strong>the</strong>oretical texts that dealt with harmony,<br />
counterpoint, analysis and instrumentation. Ferruccio Busoni, Frederick Delius (1862-1934) and<br />
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) (whom Alfano idolized), were former students <strong>of</strong> Jadassohn, who<br />
went on to become successful composers. 9<br />
Alfano attended <strong>the</strong> Leipzig Conservatory for less than a year. He entered <strong>the</strong><br />
Conservatory on 3 October 1895. 10 Four months later, on 11 February 1896, he impressed a<br />
panel <strong>of</strong> judges during his fourth exam with a brilliant performance <strong>of</strong> his Drei Präludien und<br />
Fugen für Pian<strong>of</strong>orte (Three Preludes and Fugues for piano). Alfano was awarded his diploma<br />
and left <strong>the</strong> conservatory on 18 July 1896. 11 His compositional output at Leipzig included pieces<br />
for piano, orchestral works, and Cinq Mélodies (Five Songs) for voice and piano, set to poems by<br />
Alfred de Musset (1810-1857), Alphonse de Lamartine (1790-1869) and Victor Hugo (1802-<br />
1885). Alfano made this statement about <strong>the</strong> Cinq Mélodies: “Cinque Melodi su testi francesi le<br />
quali, pubblicate in Germania e capitate fra le mani di Jules Massenet, ebbero dal grande<br />
musicista parole d’insperata lode.” 12 (“The Five Melodies with French text, were published in<br />
Germany and ended up in <strong>the</strong> hands <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> great musician, Jules Massenet (1842-1912), who<br />
found <strong>the</strong>m inspirational and worthy <strong>of</strong> praise.”) The songs were published by Ed. Hug in 1896<br />
and received a second publication posthumously under <strong>the</strong> title Letze Gedanke in 1964.<br />
Alfano took full advantage <strong>of</strong> all that Leipzig had to <strong>of</strong>fer. In his master’s <strong>the</strong>sis, “Franco<br />
Alfano and Risurrezione,” Konrad Dryden writes, “…he made use <strong>of</strong> his German sojourn to<br />
9 Janna Saslaw: ‘Jadassohn, Salomon’, Grove Music Online ed L. Macy (accessed 31 May 2005),<br />
http://www.grovemusic.com.proxy.lib.fsu.edu.<br />
10 Johannes Streicher, Ultimi splendori: Cilea, Giordano, Alfano. (Roma: ISMEZ, 1999), 450.<br />
11 Ibid., 451.<br />
12 Francesco Canessa and Rino Maione, Franco Alfano: presagio di tempi nuovi con finale controcorrente. Milano:<br />
Rugginenti, 1999, 237.<br />
4
immerse himself in Leipzig’s cultural life, frequenting concerts with <strong>the</strong> music <strong>of</strong> Richard<br />
Strauss and o<strong>the</strong>r en vogue composers who had been far from popular in Naples. He was<br />
inebriated with enthusiasm for <strong>the</strong> rich, dynamic and exotic colors Strauss wove into his tapestry<br />
<strong>of</strong> sound, especially his tone poems.” Strauss’s music evoked an enthusiasm in Alfano that may<br />
have been <strong>the</strong> impetus for his decision to broaden his compositional style and repertoire. He had<br />
successfully composed songs and piano pieces, and it was time to return to his Italian heritage<br />
and compose for <strong>the</strong> stage. Not only would Alfano compose <strong>the</strong> music for his first opera, he<br />
would also write <strong>the</strong> libretto. Miranda is based upon a poetical romance written by his fellow<br />
Neapolitan and friend, Antonio Fogazzaro (1842-1911). <strong>Longo</strong> (his former composition and<br />
piano instructor) was spending <strong>the</strong> summer in Leipzig and <strong>the</strong> two men frequently spent time<br />
with each o<strong>the</strong>r. It is probable that Alfano sought his former instructor’s opinion and advice<br />
regarding <strong>the</strong> composition <strong>of</strong> his first opera. <strong>Longo</strong> was only eleven years older than Alfano, so<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir relationship at this point may have evolved to that <strong>of</strong> older/younger bro<strong>the</strong>r. Jadassohn on<br />
<strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand was more <strong>the</strong>n sixty years <strong>of</strong> age when Alfano became his student and although<br />
he was an exceptional <strong>the</strong>orist and composer, he had never composed an opera.<br />
Berlin<br />
In <strong>the</strong> fall <strong>of</strong> 1896, Alfano moved to Berlin to pursue a career as a pianist. During his stay<br />
in Berlin, Alfano composed his second opera An den Quellen von Enschir (The source <strong>of</strong><br />
Enschir) xii , for which Luigi Illica (1857-1919), was <strong>the</strong> librettist. xiii The opera received its<br />
premiere performance on 8 November 1898, on a double bill with Der Bajazzo, composed by<br />
Ruggiero Leoncavallo (1857-1919) at <strong>the</strong> Stadt<strong>the</strong>ater in Breslavia, which is now Warsaw. The<br />
performance was well received by both <strong>the</strong> audience and critics, in spite <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> libretto which<br />
was judged by <strong>the</strong> critics as mediocre. Following <strong>the</strong> success <strong>of</strong> An den Quellen von Enschir,<br />
Alfano traveled to Poland and Russia at <strong>the</strong> invitation <strong>of</strong> former classmates from his days in<br />
Leipzig. Before leaving Berlin to move to Paris in <strong>the</strong> summer <strong>of</strong> 1899, Alfano composed<br />
Quatre dances roumaines for piano and orchestra. The dances, composed in tribute to a great<br />
lady <strong>of</strong> Bucharest, were performed in traditional folk regalia, and remain in <strong>the</strong> repertoire to this<br />
day.<br />
5
BEGINNING OF HIS PROFESSIONAL LIFE<br />
Paris<br />
Alfano moved to Paris in search <strong>of</strong> new experiences and more lucrative financial<br />
opportunities. A new century was perched upon <strong>the</strong> horizon. Construction <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Paris Metro<br />
began in 1899. Paris ushered in <strong>the</strong> new century with <strong>the</strong> Paris Exposition, which influenced <strong>the</strong><br />
Art Deco movement, and <strong>the</strong> Olympic Games. Alfano found <strong>the</strong> environment <strong>of</strong> Paris<br />
intellectually and culturally stimulating. At this point, Alfano was no longer receiving financial<br />
support from his fa<strong>the</strong>r. Like a true bohemian he shared a small apartment in Auteuil with a<br />
painter and managed to make ends meet working as a pianist and accompanist. The largest boost<br />
to Alfano’s finances came when his roommate introduced him to Paul Milliet, one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
librettists for Massenet’s Wer<strong>the</strong>r and Herodiade. Milliet <strong>of</strong>fered <strong>the</strong> scenario for <strong>the</strong> first <strong>of</strong> two<br />
ballets that Alfano composed for Les Folies Bèrgere. The success <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ballets brought Alfano<br />
some notoriety (<strong>the</strong> first ballet, entitled Napoli ran for 160 performances), and although <strong>the</strong><br />
money was good, <strong>the</strong> young composer was hesitant to continue on this path.<br />
On 30 April 1902, Pelléas et Mélisande, <strong>the</strong> <strong>most</strong> important French opera <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> twentieth<br />
century was premiered at <strong>the</strong> Opéra-Comique in Paris. This masterpiece composed by Claude<br />
Debussy (1862-1918) masterfully adheres to <strong>the</strong> melody <strong>of</strong> French speech. In all probability,<br />
Alfano was one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> repeat attendees at performance <strong>of</strong> this great opera. Motivated and<br />
intrigued by <strong>the</strong> intellectual debates that were fueled by <strong>the</strong> varying operatic compositional styles<br />
<strong>of</strong> such notable French composers as Massenet, Charpentier and especially Debussy, Alfano<br />
decided to return to <strong>the</strong> world <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> melodrama.<br />
On 14 November 1902, Alfano attended a performance <strong>of</strong> Résurrection, Henri Bataille’s<br />
romantic adaptation <strong>of</strong> Leo Tolstoy’s 1900 novel Voskreseniye (‘Resurrection’), at <strong>the</strong> Théâtre<br />
National de l’Odéon. Tolstoy based <strong>the</strong> premise for this his third <strong>most</strong> popular novel on a<br />
newspaper article. He used <strong>the</strong> novel to introduce his own ideas about <strong>the</strong> moral double standards<br />
<strong>of</strong> society. xiv Set in Russia around 1910, Résurrection tells <strong>the</strong> tragic story that results from<br />
socially prohibited love between a servant and an aristocrat. Caterina Mikaïlovna, <strong>the</strong> orphaned<br />
Russian peasant girl known as Katiusha, has <strong>the</strong> misfortune <strong>of</strong> falling in love with Prince<br />
Dimitrii Ivanovitch Neklud<strong>of</strong>f, <strong>the</strong> handsome nephew <strong>of</strong> her mistress, S<strong>of</strong>ia Ivanovna. It is Easter<br />
Eve. Katiusha anxiously awaits <strong>the</strong> return <strong>of</strong> her mistress, S<strong>of</strong>ia Ivanovna, and her nephew from<br />
church. Prince Dimitrii, on leave from his regiment, has come to spend this <strong>most</strong> sacred holiday<br />
6
with his aunt. The uncertainty that comes with war leads Katiusha to proclaim her love to<br />
Dimitrii, who takes advantage <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> situation and seduces Katiusha, impregnating her. Rebuked<br />
by her mistress, and abandoned by Prince Ditmitrii, Katiusha is left alone to have her baby. The<br />
death <strong>of</strong> her child sets Katiusha on a spiraling descent into <strong>the</strong> world <strong>of</strong> Russian prostitution, and<br />
eventually she is falsely accused <strong>of</strong> murder. As an aristocrat, one <strong>of</strong> Prince Dimitrii’s duties is to<br />
serve on a jury. He recognizes <strong>the</strong> accused woman as his former conquest, Katiusha. As <strong>the</strong> trial<br />
unfolds, Dimitrii realizes that his behavior was <strong>the</strong> catalyst that propelled <strong>the</strong> poor young woman<br />
to her subsequent demise. Katiusha is found guilty and exiled to Siberia. Overcome with<br />
remorse, Dimitrii is determined to right <strong>the</strong> wrong he has perpetrated on Katiusha. He obtains a<br />
pardon for her from <strong>the</strong> Tsar and proceeds to travel to Siberia to ask for Katiusha’s hand in<br />
marriage. Katiusha refuses his <strong>of</strong>fer. As an advocate for fellow prostitutes she has finally found<br />
her purpose in life. She has also been befriended by a fellow prisoner and political exile,<br />
Simonson, who helped to restore her self-respect. Although, she is not in love with Simonson,<br />
Katiusha respects him and believes that her true place is at his side fighting for <strong>the</strong> rights <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
fellow prisoners.<br />
Risurrezione xv was <strong>the</strong> third and last <strong>of</strong> Alfano’s operas composed during <strong>the</strong> verismo xvi<br />
period. Unable to obtain <strong>the</strong> rights for <strong>the</strong> play xvii , Alfano enlisted <strong>the</strong> assistance <strong>of</strong> Italian<br />
journalist Cesare Hanau xviii , (who was living in Paris at <strong>the</strong> time) to write <strong>the</strong> libretto. Alfano<br />
wrote <strong>the</strong> opera in just five months, across four cities, Paris (acts one and two), Berlin (act three),<br />
Moscow (part one <strong>of</strong> act four), and <strong>the</strong> final duet in his home town <strong>of</strong> Posillipo. G. Ricordi &<br />
Co., having passed on <strong>the</strong> publishing rights to Alfano’s second opera An den Quellen von<br />
Enschir, would not make <strong>the</strong> same mistake again. Upon hearing <strong>the</strong> score to Risurrezione,<br />
Ricordi acquired <strong>the</strong> publishing rights and premiered <strong>the</strong> opera at <strong>the</strong> Teatro Vittorio Emanuele<br />
in Turin on November 30, 1904. The production was conducted by Tullio Serafin and cast<br />
consisted <strong>of</strong> Elvira Magliulo as Katiusha, Oreste Mieli as Dimitrii and Angelo Scandiani as<br />
Simonson. Two years later, <strong>the</strong> opera was presented at La Scala. Critics labeled Alfano as a<br />
“veristic” composer, comparing Risurrezione to Giordano’s Fedora. The success <strong>of</strong> Risurrezione<br />
gained <strong>the</strong> twenty-nine-year-old Alfano international recognition with subsequent performances<br />
in Brussels, Berlin and Madrid. Over a span <strong>of</strong> forty-nine years, Risurrezione would receive over<br />
1000 performances in Italy alone.<br />
7
Katiusha’s second act aria “Dio pietoso,” serves as an excellent example <strong>of</strong> Alfano’s<br />
early compositional period. A comparison can be made between Katiusha and Cio-Cio-San in<br />
Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. xix The two characters are foreign and exotic. Both women love<br />
naively, become impregnated and are abandoned by narcissistic men who are unaware <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
pregnancy. Both characters steadfastly hold on to <strong>the</strong> belief that <strong>the</strong>ir respective lovers will<br />
return, restoring <strong>the</strong>m to an acceptable place within society.<br />
Katiusha has been assured by her friend Anna, that Dimitrii will pass through <strong>the</strong> train<br />
station in this small town in Little Russia on his way to rejoin his regiment. Banished from <strong>the</strong><br />
home <strong>of</strong> her mistress, Dimitrii is Katiusha’s only salvation. She believes that when he learns <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> baby, he will rectify <strong>the</strong> situation with his aunt and do <strong>the</strong> right thing. As <strong>the</strong> hours pass and<br />
snow begins to fall, <strong>the</strong>re is still no sign <strong>of</strong> Dimitrii. Disconsolate, Katiusha turns to <strong>the</strong> one<br />
infinite source <strong>of</strong> hope she knows, desperately beseeching God for compassion.<br />
Dio, pietoso<br />
Katiusha’s aria from Act II: Risurrezione<br />
Giunge il treno ed ei non giunge ancor!<br />
Non vien! Non verrà!<br />
Tornerò sola indietro...<br />
Nell’asilo mio triste...<br />
Col pensier del doman<br />
Che nell’ombra mi spia<br />
Come una preda!<br />
Dio pietoso, fa ch’ei venga alfin,<br />
che vegga il mio duol,<br />
del rio mio destin tutto l’orror...<br />
che senta l’oscuro minacciar mortale,<br />
che su di me incombe che mi strugge il cuore...<br />
Oh! mio pietoso Iddio,<br />
Dio di bontà suprema,<br />
Dio che vedi e perdoni,<br />
Signore onnipossente.. umil mi volgo a te!<br />
Signor... Dio d’amor.<br />
Ascolta l’angoscia d’un’anima che muor...che muor!<br />
God <strong>of</strong> compassion<br />
The train has arrived and still he is not here!<br />
He does not come! He will not come!<br />
I will return alone to my sad refuge<br />
with <strong>the</strong> thought <strong>of</strong> tomorrow, that spies on me from <strong>the</strong> shadows like prey.<br />
8
God <strong>of</strong> compassion, make him finally return,<br />
make him see my sadness, all <strong>the</strong> horrors <strong>of</strong> my cruel destiny …<br />
so that he feels <strong>the</strong> darkness that threatens my mortality,<br />
that hangs over me, that my heart struggles with…<br />
Oh! My compassionate God,<br />
God <strong>of</strong> supreme goodness,<br />
God who sees and forgives,<br />
Omnipotent Lord, humbly I turn to you!<br />
Lord…God <strong>of</strong> love.<br />
Listen to <strong>the</strong> anguish <strong>of</strong> a dying soul.<br />
EXAMPLE 1.1 Risurrezione, Act II. Recitative: “Giunge il treno” measure 1-9. xx<br />
The tempo marking is Lento e grave (slow and solemn) xxi . The first nine measures <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
recitative are seen in Example 1.1. Although <strong>the</strong> lack <strong>of</strong> a key signature would imply C major or<br />
a minor, <strong>the</strong> four chords used in <strong>the</strong> introduction to <strong>the</strong> recitative clearly establishes <strong>the</strong> tonal<br />
center <strong>of</strong> F major. The recitative begins solemnly on an F major chord in first inversion that<br />
moves through a chromatic progression <strong>of</strong> harmonically unrelated chords – a device that is<br />
reminiscent <strong>of</strong> Wagner – <strong>the</strong> introduction ends on <strong>the</strong> same chord, now in root position. As <strong>the</strong><br />
9
last chord dissipates, <strong>the</strong> voice enters parlando (speech-like). Con grande commozione (with<br />
great emotion) is written above <strong>the</strong> opening phrase: “Giunge il treno ed ei non giunge ancor,”<br />
(“The train has arrived and still he is not here”) that is sung on same repeated notes until <strong>the</strong><br />
pronoun “ei” (“he”) when <strong>the</strong> pitch changes as Katiusha refers to Dimitrii. Katiusha feels hope<br />
slipping away like trails <strong>of</strong> smoke that dissipate into <strong>the</strong> air as trains leave <strong>the</strong> station. The<br />
ambiguous tonality <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> recitative, clearly illustrates Katiusha’s emotional turmoil. The vocal<br />
line becomes mainly conjunct as Katiusha speaks <strong>of</strong> returning to her meager lodging, “Tornerò<br />
sola indietro…Nell’asil mio triste” (“I will return alone to my sad refuge.”) The last phrase <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> recitative is parlando again, on repeated pitches: “che nell’ombra me spia come una preda”<br />
(“that spies on me from <strong>the</strong> shadows like prey”) that ascend from b' to d # ', <strong>the</strong> leading tone <strong>of</strong> e<br />
minor, <strong>the</strong> key <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> prayer (example 1.2). The final pitch <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> recitative is accompanied by a<br />
B major chord, <strong>the</strong> dominant chord <strong>of</strong> e minor, ending <strong>the</strong> recitative with on an au<strong>the</strong>ntic cadence<br />
clearly establishing <strong>the</strong> key <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> prayer that follows.<br />
EXAMPLE 1.2 measures 18-19<br />
The prayer begins in a new meter ¾. Alfano may have chosen this meter because<br />
Katiusha is praying to God. The number three has strong connotation within Christian doctrine.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> aria Katiusha makes her supplication to God first as God <strong>of</strong> compassion, secondly as God<br />
<strong>of</strong> supreme kindness and lastly as <strong>the</strong> God <strong>of</strong> love. The au<strong>the</strong>ntic cadence that ends <strong>the</strong> recitative<br />
leads <strong>the</strong> listener directly to e minor <strong>the</strong> key <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> prayer. The new tonality is fur<strong>the</strong>r established<br />
within <strong>the</strong> first four measures (example 1.3), as <strong>the</strong> chord progressions fluctuate between <strong>the</strong><br />
tonic and dominant harmony <strong>of</strong> e minor.<br />
10
EXAMPLE 1.3 Katiusha’s Aria: “Dio pietoso,” Act II, measures 1-4<br />
The tempo marking for <strong>the</strong> prayer is poco a poco accelerando insino all andante con<br />
moto (little by little getting faster until at a walking tempo); eventually <strong>the</strong> tempo should reach a<br />
metronome marking <strong>of</strong> quarter-note equaling 76. The piano vocal score has an additional<br />
emotional instruction, abbandonandosi al dolore (abandoning to sorrow) written above <strong>the</strong><br />
tempo marking. The voice enters simultaneously with <strong>the</strong> accompaniment. Katiusha’s emotional<br />
reaction to her situation is extroverted and clearly declaimed in <strong>the</strong> recitative. However, <strong>the</strong> act<br />
<strong>of</strong> prayer is personal as Katiusha becomes introspective, humbly making her supplication to God<br />
for compassion. The melodic vocal line, though disjunct, is consonant and rhythmically stable,<br />
clearly establishing this prayer as an aria. The syncopated chords in <strong>the</strong> accompaniment provide<br />
a sense <strong>of</strong> momentum while simultaneously creating emotional tension. With each phrase, <strong>the</strong><br />
intervals expand until <strong>the</strong> octave is reached on “del rio mio destin” (“<strong>of</strong> my cruel destiny”)<br />
which is <strong>the</strong>n followed by a more linear vocal line. The vocal line rises above <strong>the</strong> staff on <strong>the</strong><br />
first emotional outburst in <strong>the</strong> aria “che senta l’oscuro minacciar mortale” (“so that he feels <strong>the</strong><br />
darkness that threatens my mortality.”) The accompaniment reinforces <strong>the</strong> emotion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> phrase<br />
by doubling <strong>the</strong> vocal line in open octaves, a device indicative <strong>of</strong> Puccini. In typical versimo<br />
style, <strong>the</strong> composer indicates many nuances in tempo (ritardando, animando, sostenuto, molto<br />
sostenuto, etc.) that allow for expansive vocalism in <strong>the</strong> more emotional moments <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> aria.<br />
11
EXAMPLE 1.4 measures 34-41.<br />
The aria ends (example 1.4) with true dramatic flair as <strong>the</strong> vocal line ascends to a<br />
fortissimo high B-flat that is followed immediately by a pianissimo descending line. The<br />
dramatic intensity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> aria should be maintained with a mixture <strong>of</strong> voce di petto e di testa<br />
(chest and head voice) creating a cry in <strong>the</strong> voice on “d’un’anima che muor” (“<strong>of</strong> a dying soul.”)<br />
Return to Italy<br />
Alfano spent nine years away from his native Italy broadening his education, expanding<br />
his compositional palette and absorbing various cultural diversities. He began in <strong>the</strong> small city<br />
<strong>of</strong> Leipzig, <strong>the</strong>n moved on to <strong>the</strong> more stimulating city <strong>of</strong> Berlin, and finally to Paris, <strong>the</strong> cultural<br />
capital <strong>of</strong> world at <strong>the</strong> turn <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> century. Alfano proudly returned to Italy as a young<br />
12
cosmopolitan composer. Backed by one <strong>of</strong> Italy’s <strong>most</strong> prestigious publishing houses, G. Ricordi<br />
& Co., Risurrezione garnered Alfano international success at <strong>the</strong> age <strong>of</strong> twenty-nine.<br />
Alfano returned to an Italy that was experiencing vast economic disparities between <strong>the</strong><br />
agrarian south and <strong>the</strong> mercantile and increasingly industrialized north. Italy was plagued with<br />
widespread strikes between 1902 and 1907 as <strong>the</strong> movement to create unions was underway.<br />
Alfano lived a ra<strong>the</strong>r nomadic life for <strong>the</strong> next four years traveling to Berlin, Paris and Naples,<br />
overseeing productions <strong>of</strong> Risurrezione and performing. In 1906, an international exposition that<br />
took place in Milan to celebrate <strong>the</strong> opening <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Simpione Tunnel, which at that time was <strong>the</strong><br />
longest tunnel in world. In conjunction with <strong>the</strong> exposition, La Scala extended its season with<br />
productions <strong>of</strong> Risurrezione and La Figlia di Jorio, a pastoral drama by Gabriele D’Annunzio<br />
(1863-1938) with music by Baron Albert Franchetti (1860-1942). 13 Ricordi wanted to maintain<br />
<strong>the</strong> public enthusiasm for its next generation <strong>of</strong> operatic composers and pushed Alfano to begin<br />
work on his next opera. In <strong>the</strong> spring <strong>of</strong> 1906, Alfano would again team-up with Luigi Illica for<br />
his fourth opera Il principe Zilah. xxii Alfano would spend <strong>the</strong> next two years composing Il<br />
principe Zilah and an orchestral piece, <strong>the</strong> Suite italiana.<br />
In 1908 Alfano established residency in Milan and immediately ensconced himself in <strong>the</strong><br />
music community <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> city. He ingratiated himself into <strong>the</strong> G. Ricordi & Co. fold, attending<br />
various events hosted by <strong>the</strong> publishing firm, along with premieres <strong>of</strong> operatic works by<br />
Giordano, Mascagni, Puccini and Zandonai. The next two years proved to be pivotal in Alfano’s<br />
career. The lukewarm success <strong>of</strong> his fourth opera, Il principe Zilah gave <strong>the</strong> composer reason to<br />
pause and choose between a career <strong>of</strong> popular approval or <strong>of</strong> uncompromising expression <strong>of</strong> his<br />
true musical nature. Alfano chose <strong>the</strong> idealistic course, spending <strong>the</strong> next two years composing<br />
<strong>the</strong> Suite romanitca (Romantic Suite) for orchestra and <strong>the</strong> Sinfornia in mi (Symphony in E).<br />
Both works consists <strong>of</strong> four movements and were published by G. Ricordi & Co., in 1909 and<br />
1910 respectively. Irving Schwerke, xxiii in his article “A Puccini Aide” wrote <strong>the</strong> following<br />
regarding <strong>the</strong> Romantic Symphony: “It is distinguished by a frankly melodic style and a subtle<br />
impressionism, and is permeated by a feeling <strong>of</strong> introspective emotion and sentiment for<br />
Nature.”<br />
The forward thinking and cyclical compositional form that Alfano used to construct <strong>the</strong><br />
four movements <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sinfornia in mi garnered Alfano attention in artistic and academic circles.<br />
13 Gatti-Casazza, Giulio. Memories <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Opera. New York: John Calder Ltd, 1941, 137.<br />
13
In recognition <strong>of</strong> his exceptional compositional style, Alfano was nominated to <strong>the</strong> first<br />
Examination Commission <strong>of</strong> Composition for <strong>the</strong> Conservatorio di Milano. He was also <strong>of</strong>fered<br />
<strong>the</strong> directorship <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Liceo Musicale di Bologna. 14 Although, he declined <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>fer, he would<br />
later accept <strong>the</strong> position <strong>of</strong> Director <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Liceo Musicale di Bologna when it was <strong>of</strong>fered to him<br />
a second time in 1921.<br />
The next four years, 1910-1914 were filled with emotional ups and downs. Following <strong>the</strong><br />
success <strong>of</strong> his orchestral works, Alfano began composing I cavalieri e la bella, an opera in three<br />
acts that he did not <strong>complete</strong>. Giulio Ricordi, <strong>the</strong> founder <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> publishing company that bore his<br />
name, died in Milan on 6 June 1912. He was succeeded by his son Tito, who would direct <strong>the</strong><br />
company until 1919. 15 Alfano returned to <strong>the</strong> genre <strong>of</strong> melodrama with his fifth opera L’ombra<br />
di Don Giovanni, based on <strong>the</strong> romance Il demone by Ettore Moschino (1867-1941) 16 . The<br />
opera was premiered in Milan at Teatro alla Scala on 2 April 1914. Tulio Serafin was <strong>the</strong><br />
conductor. Critics judged <strong>the</strong> opera more successful than <strong>the</strong> public. Tito Ricordi sided with <strong>the</strong><br />
public, a decision that led to a temporary break in <strong>the</strong> relationship between Alfano and his<br />
publisher.<br />
In August <strong>of</strong> 1914, Alfano learned that one <strong>of</strong> his <strong>most</strong> cherished friends, Giovanni Pozza<br />
(1852-1914), <strong>the</strong> noted poet, <strong>the</strong>atre and music critic for <strong>the</strong> Corriere della Sera 17 was gravely ill,<br />
so he moved to Sanremo xxiv to care for him. It was Pozza who introduced Alfano to Sankùntala,<br />
<strong>the</strong> famous poem written by <strong>the</strong> 4 th -5 th century Sanskrit poet Kalidasha. When Alfano decided<br />
that Sankùntala would be <strong>the</strong> source <strong>of</strong> his next opera, he wished for Pozza to write <strong>the</strong> libretto.<br />
Alfano began work on La leggenda di Sakùntala while he was caring for Pozza. Whe<strong>the</strong>r or not<br />
Pozza’s illness prevented him from collaborating with Alfano on <strong>the</strong> libretto is unclear.<br />
Unfortunately, Pozza’s inevitable death meant that Alfano would be both composer and librettist<br />
for what would become his operatic masterpiece. Alfano found comfort and solace in Sanremo.<br />
Eventually he purchased a home Villa delle Onde (House on <strong>the</strong> Waves), where he was “inspired<br />
by <strong>the</strong> murmur <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sea, by <strong>the</strong> penetrating odor <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sea-weeds and transported by <strong>the</strong><br />
breezes from <strong>the</strong> waves and <strong>the</strong> opal colors <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> day, <strong>the</strong> phosphorescent clearness <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
14 Canessa and Maione, Franco Alfano: presagio di tempi nuovi con finale controcorrente, 18<br />
15 Streicher, Ultimi splendori, 457.<br />
16 http://www.aib.it/aib/editorial/dbbi20/,moschino.htm.<br />
17 http://www.milanesiabella.it/pozzagiovanni_bio_el.htm.<br />
14
moon-lit nights.” 18 Alfano’s home in Sanremo became <strong>the</strong> “respite” for his adulthood, just as<br />
Posilippo had been <strong>the</strong> respite for <strong>the</strong> aristocracy <strong>of</strong> Rome. Alfano would surrender to nature in<br />
Sanremo, leaving behind <strong>the</strong> politics <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> day and <strong>the</strong> trials and tribulations <strong>of</strong> everyday life as<br />
a patriot <strong>of</strong> a country that for <strong>most</strong> <strong>of</strong> his life was continuously fighting to establish for itself a<br />
political, cultural and artistic identity that would place it on a more even keel with <strong>the</strong> rest <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
world.<br />
In 1915, one year after Alfano began composing La leggenda di Sakùntala, Italy<br />
foreswore allegiance with Austria-Hungary. The following year 1916, Italy foreswore allegiance<br />
with Germany and entered into World War I (1914-1918). Alfano’s compositional output during<br />
<strong>the</strong> next seven years consisted <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> completion <strong>of</strong> his operatic masterpiece, La leggenda di<br />
Sakùntala; <strong>the</strong> lirica, Felicità (1914); Quartetto in re for two violins, viola and cello (1918); Tre<br />
poemi di Rabindranath Tagore (1919) and Nostalgie (1919) a piece for piano. He also accepted<br />
<strong>the</strong> position <strong>of</strong> Director at <strong>the</strong> Liceo Musicale in Bologna. La leggenda di Sakùntala was<br />
premiered in Bologna at <strong>the</strong> Teatro Comunale on 10 December 1921. Alfano remained at <strong>the</strong><br />
Liceo Musicale in Bologna until 1923.<br />
The territorial gains that Italy received at <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> First World War could not<br />
possibly justify <strong>the</strong> lost <strong>of</strong> life and governmental expenditure. Italy lost over 600,000 lives during<br />
World War I and <strong>the</strong> government expenditure reached 148 billion lire, double <strong>the</strong> sum <strong>of</strong> all<br />
government expenditure in <strong>the</strong> previous half century <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> young nation’s existence. 19 The<br />
political and social canvas <strong>of</strong> Italy was in <strong>complete</strong> turmoil. Infighting was rampant within <strong>the</strong><br />
popolari xxv and socialist xxvi political parties, creating an opening for <strong>the</strong> establishment <strong>of</strong> a third<br />
party, <strong>the</strong> Fascist.<br />
The Fascists were led by Benito Mussolini (1883-1945) an oddly charismatic individual<br />
with remarkable rhetorical talents and oratory skills. He started as a teacher and quickly<br />
abandoned <strong>the</strong> field <strong>of</strong> education to become a political journalist and public speaker.<br />
Immediately after learning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> death <strong>of</strong> one <strong>of</strong> Italy’s <strong>most</strong> beloved composers, Giuseppe<br />
Verdi, Mussolini – <strong>the</strong>n a student – gave a rousing impromptu speech extolling <strong>the</strong> virtues <strong>of</strong><br />
Verdi’s tremendous contribution as a composer and political activist. Mussolini was in and out <strong>of</strong><br />
jail for his outspokenness and socialist activism. The success <strong>of</strong> his newspaper La Lotta di Classe<br />
18 G. Viafora. Franco Alfano: An Interview, Musical Courier, 25 August 1927.<br />
19 Sachs, Harvey, Music in Fascist Italy. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd, 1987, 8.<br />
15
(The Class Struggle) led to his being appointed editor <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficial Socialist newspaper, Avanti!<br />
(Forward!). Originally Mussolini was vehemently opposed to Italy’s intervention into World<br />
War I. He soon changed his mind and began writing articles and making thunderous speeches in<br />
favor <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> war. As a result he was expelled from <strong>the</strong> Socialist Party and resigned as <strong>the</strong> editor<br />
<strong>of</strong> Avanti!.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> summer <strong>of</strong> 1922, under Mussolini’s direction, volunteers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Fascist party<br />
defeated a strike by <strong>the</strong> trade-union that <strong>the</strong> government failed to prevent. The well calculated<br />
move by Mussolini won him tremendous favor amongst <strong>the</strong> middle class, fur<strong>the</strong>r streng<strong>the</strong>ning<br />
him politically. Later that same year Mussolini threatened to march on Rome. The threat <strong>of</strong> civil<br />
unrest forced <strong>the</strong> King to dispatch a compromise to Mussolini, who through this maneuver<br />
placed himself in position to become <strong>the</strong> youngest Prime Minister in Italian history. Within a<br />
year <strong>the</strong> King abdicated his throne and Mussolini became <strong>the</strong> first Dictator <strong>of</strong> Italy. The people<br />
were deceived and manipulated by his flamboyancy. Tired <strong>of</strong> strikes and riots, <strong>the</strong> middle class<br />
fell into a false sense <strong>of</strong> security in <strong>the</strong> belief that Mussolini could stabilize <strong>the</strong> economy and<br />
restore <strong>the</strong> dignity <strong>of</strong> Italy. The Fascist party abolished Italy’s already fragile democracy in favor<br />
<strong>of</strong> a one-party state by outlawing opposition parties, trade-unions, and <strong>the</strong> free press. The Fascist<br />
ruled Italy from 1922 to1943 during which time it controlled all aspects <strong>of</strong> Italian life and had a<br />
tremendous effect on music in <strong>the</strong> second quarter <strong>of</strong> twentieth-century Italy, just as Nazism<br />
affected <strong>the</strong> music scene in Germany. Mussolini claimed “godlike omniscience in <strong>the</strong> field <strong>of</strong><br />
music.” 20 And he hired a well known music journalist to write a series <strong>of</strong> booklets to inflate and<br />
praise every aspect <strong>of</strong> his musical prowess in an effort to convince <strong>the</strong> people <strong>of</strong> his claim.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> midst <strong>of</strong> this new Fascist era, Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924), Italy’s leading<br />
operatic composer <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> “The Young Italian School” known as veristi, died <strong>of</strong> throat cancer in<br />
Brussels on 24 November 1924, leaving his last opera Turandot unfinished. The original<br />
premiere date <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> opera was April 1925. In order to preserve <strong>the</strong> earning power <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> newly<br />
deceased composer’s final work, Ricordi encouraged <strong>the</strong> belief that Turandot was essentially<br />
finished. Nothing was fur<strong>the</strong>r from <strong>the</strong> truth. Puccini had barely left skeletal drafts that consisted<br />
<strong>of</strong> a few measures <strong>of</strong> music for voice and piano, some harmonic progressions, some detached<br />
chords and <strong>the</strong> rare indication here and <strong>the</strong>re <strong>of</strong> instrumentation for <strong>the</strong> final scene. Initally,<br />
Arturo Toscanni, who was to conduct <strong>the</strong> premiere attempted to flesh out <strong>the</strong> fragments left<br />
20 Sachs, Music in Fascist Italy. 11.<br />
16
ehind by Puccini. When he realized that <strong>the</strong> task was beyond his scope <strong>of</strong> expertise, Ricordi<br />
decided to postpone <strong>the</strong> premiere. On July 1, 1925 Antonio Puccini met privately with Alfano to<br />
ask him to <strong>complete</strong> his fa<strong>the</strong>r’s unfinished opera. According to Linda B. Fairtile in her article:<br />
“Duetto a tre: Franco Alfano’s completion <strong>of</strong> Turandot,” published in <strong>the</strong> Cambridge Opera<br />
Journal, 16, 2 (2004): “<strong>the</strong> two composers had been good friends who candidly discussed each<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r’s work.” Due to <strong>the</strong> recent success <strong>of</strong> Alfano’s lastest opera La leggenda di Sankùntala and<br />
his longstanding affiliation with Ricordi, Toscanni agreed that Alfano was <strong>the</strong> man for <strong>the</strong> job.<br />
Alfano though flattered, was apprehensive about accepting <strong>the</strong> daunting and thankless task <strong>of</strong><br />
completing ano<strong>the</strong>r composer’s work. Let alone that it was <strong>the</strong> work <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>most</strong> prolific operatic<br />
composer <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> post-Verdi era. He felt that his own compositional career and administrative<br />
duties at <strong>the</strong> Liceo Musicale in Turin would leave him very little, if any time to undertake <strong>the</strong><br />
task <strong>of</strong> completing Turandot. Eventually, Alfano agreed to <strong>complete</strong> <strong>the</strong> unfinished score.<br />
Fairtile <strong>of</strong>fered <strong>the</strong> following explanation for Alfano’s decision to <strong>complete</strong> <strong>the</strong> unfinished opera:<br />
“he (Alfano) had once sketched a Turandot libretto for his own use, but had abandoned <strong>the</strong><br />
subject when he learned <strong>of</strong> Puccini’s interest in it.” Unfortunately for Alfano <strong>the</strong> decision proved<br />
to be a poor one because today if remember at all, it is as <strong>the</strong> composer who <strong>complete</strong>d <strong>the</strong> final<br />
scene <strong>of</strong> Puccini’s last opera.<br />
In 1926 <strong>the</strong> Fascist government began unionizing all aspects <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> artistic fabric <strong>of</strong> Italy<br />
from <strong>the</strong> opera houses to conservatories to <strong>the</strong>aters to dance troops to carpenters and musicians.<br />
Membership was mandatory. If you were not a member <strong>of</strong> a union you did not work. xxvii To be<br />
successful during this period one had to at least pay lip-service to <strong>the</strong> regime and to praise its<br />
magnanimity towards <strong>the</strong> arts or risk being ostracized from <strong>the</strong> musical fabric <strong>of</strong> Italy. Musical<br />
institutions were forced to change during <strong>the</strong> more than twenty years <strong>of</strong> fascist rule. Those<br />
musicians who wanted to survive <strong>the</strong> Fascist era <strong>of</strong> façade and delusion modified <strong>the</strong>ir behavior,<br />
creating <strong>the</strong>ir own façades in order to maintain <strong>the</strong>ir livelihoods during this period.<br />
Franco Sciannameo, xxviii in his article “Aspects <strong>of</strong> Alfano,” which appeared in <strong>the</strong><br />
publication <strong>of</strong> Musical Times, Winter 2002 characterizes Alfano, Ildebrando Pizzetti and<br />
Adriano Lualdi as “convinced Mussolinians.” Sciannameo bases his characterization on<br />
correspondences exchanged between Alfano and Mussolini that were published by Fiamma<br />
Nicolodi, a specialist in twentieth-century Italian music. In <strong>the</strong> same article Sciannameo also<br />
makes this statement regarding Facist Party <strong>of</strong>ficials: “ <strong>the</strong>y unquestionably admired <strong>the</strong> man,<br />
17
withou t necessarily endorsing some <strong>of</strong> his political decisions nor siding with those <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> many<br />
gerarchi surrounding him. Perhaps such a stance allowed all three to remain very much active<br />
and in positions <strong>of</strong> authority in <strong>the</strong> years after 1945.”<br />
Alfano was a model Italian citizen during <strong>the</strong> Fascist regime. He was a member <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
National Union <strong>of</strong> Musicians which was open only to those who “normally and as <strong>the</strong>ir principal<br />
activity practice <strong>the</strong> art <strong>of</strong> music as composers, concert artists, band masters, or private teachers<br />
<strong>of</strong> music, or o<strong>the</strong>r analogous artistic activities.” 21 He served on <strong>the</strong> executive council <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
union and was <strong>the</strong> Director <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Corporation <strong>of</strong> Entertainment for his region. During <strong>the</strong> more<br />
than twenty year <strong>of</strong> Fascism and through to <strong>the</strong> conclusion <strong>of</strong> World War II, Alfano composed<br />
and performed throughout Italy and South America. Even before it was called for in one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
many manifestos published during this period, Alfano was composing orchestral and chamber<br />
music. On 26 March 1927 Alfano’s Secondo Quartetto in do - which was dedicated to Mussolini<br />
- received a private premiere at Mussolini’s home, where Alfano occupied a seat <strong>of</strong> honor next to<br />
Mussolini for <strong>the</strong> performance. He oversaw productions <strong>of</strong> three <strong>of</strong> his <strong>most</strong> popular operas,<br />
Risurrezione, La leggenda di Sakùntala and Cyrano de Bergerac xxix which were performed<br />
throughout Italy and in South America. He accompanied many important singers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> day<br />
when <strong>the</strong>y performed his liriche. Alfano’s compositional output during this time includes four<br />
new operas, twenty-six liriche, seven piano pieces, two string quartets, two sonatas for violin and<br />
cello respectively, a concerto for piano, violin and cello, a second symphony and his only choral<br />
work, as well as o<strong>the</strong>r instrumental pieces. The majority <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se works received performances<br />
throughout Europe.<br />
In 1935 or ‘36 (<strong>the</strong> specific date is unclear), Alfano received <strong>the</strong> Officier de la Légion<br />
d’Honneur(The Legion <strong>of</strong> Honour). 22 Life began to take a downward spiral for Alfano in 1941,<br />
one year after Mussolini allied Italy with Germany in World War II. In a letter to Mussolini,<br />
Alfano states that he is “al<strong>most</strong> poverty stricken” <strong>the</strong> meager pension that he receives from <strong>the</strong><br />
State is no longer being supplemented by royalties from his compositions. In <strong>the</strong> same letter<br />
Alfano voices his dissatisfaction with <strong>the</strong> “anti-artistic” trapping <strong>of</strong> his administrative<br />
responsibilities as <strong>the</strong> Artistic Director <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Teatro Massimo in Palermo where he feels far<br />
removed from any cultural stimuli. Alfano now 66 years <strong>of</strong> age, had spent <strong>the</strong> last forty years <strong>of</strong><br />
21 Ibid., 31.<br />
22 Streicher. Ultimi splendori, 482.<br />
18
his life working as a composer and pedagogue, continuously striving to bring honor to his<br />
beloved Italy through his work. The tone <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> letter is one <strong>of</strong> a confused child seeking an<br />
explanation for a punishment that is undeserved. In a second letter sent only five months later<br />
Alfano writes:<br />
“Duce, You to whom <strong>the</strong> longing <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> poets and <strong>the</strong><br />
suffering <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> people are not unknown, I turn, once again, today.<br />
Forgive me; I hope my request will not seem strange to you. After<br />
having composed so much music, served <strong>the</strong> Revolution in <strong>the</strong><br />
Sindacato dei musicisti <strong>of</strong> Turin and in <strong>the</strong> school, in order to make<br />
a living (for which I am very grateful to <strong>the</strong> Ministro della Cultura<br />
Popolare) I find myself today in Palermo, Direttore artistico <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
opera house here, Duce, a musician is in need <strong>of</strong> many things,<br />
especially a vast environment as representative <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> artists in <strong>the</strong><br />
centre <strong>of</strong> an open world. I appeal to You for a new appointment as<br />
representative <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> artists in <strong>the</strong> Camera dei Fasci e delle<br />
Corporazioni… and, once in Rome I would be able to feel liberated<br />
from exile.<br />
To those who think <strong>of</strong> politics as being different from Art,<br />
I, in full conscience, can answer that in Italy, today, one must<br />
follow only one politic: Yours. Our duty is, <strong>the</strong>refore, to obey and,<br />
with our work, contribute to a greater Italy. This is what I have<br />
done and wish to continue to do. Yours always very<br />
affectionately.”<br />
Alfano had two children. He lost his only son during <strong>the</strong> war. Then in February <strong>of</strong> 1943,<br />
he lost all his household possessions when <strong>the</strong> storage facility in Turin was destroyed during an<br />
air raid. Alfano poignantly describes <strong>the</strong> loss in ano<strong>the</strong>r letter to Mussolini: “my entire world, my<br />
past, <strong>the</strong> memory <strong>of</strong> which was supposed to bring joy and comfort to my later years,<br />
unfortunately no longer productive.” 23 Mussolini’s sense <strong>of</strong> compassion for <strong>the</strong> aging<br />
composer’s dilemma is documented by a receipt that is on file for a check in <strong>the</strong> amount <strong>of</strong><br />
50,000 lire that was sent to Alfano. Alfano sent <strong>the</strong> following thank you note: “Thank You,<br />
Duce, Thank You from my heart! May God guide and crown every act <strong>of</strong> Yours for Your<br />
personal welfare and our much beloved Italy.” 24<br />
In June <strong>of</strong> 1942 Alfano was <strong>of</strong>ficially released from his duties at <strong>the</strong> conservatory in<br />
Palermo and transferred to <strong>the</strong> Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome to teach Opera Studies. In<br />
Less than a year later in April <strong>of</strong> 1943, Alfano would suffer <strong>the</strong> loss <strong>of</strong> wife after a lengthy<br />
23 Sciannameo. Aspects <strong>of</strong> Alfano, 9<br />
24 Ibid., 10<br />
19
illness. Alfano poured himself into his work. During <strong>the</strong> next ten years Alfano composed ano<strong>the</strong>r<br />
23 liriche, Quintetto in la for piano and string quartet, one opera, his third string quartet, and<br />
three works for orchestra. His last composition renamed Sinfonia classica, was a reshaping <strong>of</strong> his<br />
Sinfonia in mi and published by Ricordi in 1953. Alfano died amidst <strong>the</strong> murmurs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sea at<br />
his home in Sanremo on 27 October 1954.<br />
20
THE ART SONGS OF ALFANO<br />
Alfano belongs to <strong>the</strong> first generation <strong>of</strong> twentieth-century Italian composers devoted to<br />
<strong>the</strong> composition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> art song, denoted as la lirica da camera. Unlike Puccini, whose songs<br />
were studies for many <strong>of</strong> his operatic arias, <strong>the</strong> art songs <strong>of</strong> Alfano have little or no relationship<br />
to his operatic compositions. Alfano took his compositional style and poetic aes<strong>the</strong>tic for <strong>the</strong> art<br />
song from <strong>the</strong> French who with such composers as Saint-Saëns, Fauré, Debussy and Ravel were<br />
dominating <strong>the</strong> genre in <strong>the</strong> first half <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> twentieth-century.<br />
Italian author and musicologist Rino Maione bestows upon Franco Alfano <strong>the</strong> title <strong>of</strong><br />
“Regenerator della lirica da camera” (Regenerator <strong>of</strong> Vocal Chamber Music) <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Generazione dell’Ottanta xxx (<strong>the</strong> Generation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 1880s). Webster’s New World Italian<br />
Dictionary defines <strong>the</strong> word lirica (<strong>the</strong> singular form <strong>of</strong> liriche,) as lyric poetry. Donna Esselstyn<br />
Harrison in her book Poetry in Song Literature: A Handbook for Students states that: “Lyric<br />
Poetry forms <strong>the</strong> bulk <strong>of</strong> all poetry and <strong>of</strong> all song literature. In lyric poems, <strong>the</strong> poet is said to<br />
have relative vision because he expresses only personal thoughts and feelings.” Harrison fur<strong>the</strong>r<br />
states that “Lyric Poetry is musical poetry, usually with a distinct rhythm <strong>of</strong> which a singer must<br />
be extremely conscious in order to achieve a graceful and sensitive performance <strong>of</strong> music and<br />
words.” In <strong>the</strong> Introduction to Italian Art Song, Robert C. White Jr. states “The lyrical quality <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> Italian language predisposes Italian melodies to follow lyrical curved lines.” The new<br />
generation <strong>of</strong> Italian composers, keenly aware <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> importance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> text, composed music that<br />
followed <strong>the</strong> dictates <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> poetry. Composers were careful to set words so as not to stretch out<br />
melodies to conform to a particular musical form but to adhere to <strong>the</strong> natural accents <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
words as <strong>the</strong>y occur when spoken.<br />
The liriche <strong>of</strong> Alfano are composed in a tonal language born <strong>of</strong> polytonality and<br />
unresolved dissonances to create a particular interpretive quality and color that strongly denote<br />
<strong>the</strong> combined influence <strong>of</strong> French Impressionism and German Chromaticism. Alfano also uses<br />
rhythmic and harmonic patterns as interpretive devices to express <strong>the</strong> ideas <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> text. These<br />
patterns are <strong>the</strong>n developed with elaborations. Notwithstanding <strong>the</strong> influence <strong>of</strong> French<br />
Impressionism and German Chromaticism, Alfano maintains <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> verism to express passion<br />
in a warm and Italianate way.<br />
On 16 March 1953, (<strong>the</strong> year before his death) Alfano was invited to present a program<br />
<strong>of</strong> his music at <strong>the</strong> Naples Conservatory. He took this opportunity to share with <strong>the</strong> audience <strong>the</strong><br />
21
position vocal chamber music held within his body <strong>of</strong> works. He stated that vocal chamber<br />
music was: “…certainly not <strong>of</strong> secondary importance compared to <strong>the</strong> more complex operatic<br />
and symphonic compositions. I have always thought that a lyric, xxxi a beautiful lyric <strong>of</strong> course, is<br />
to a Sonata, a quartet or a Symphony as a sonnet is to an epic poem.” 25<br />
<strong>of</strong> forty-nine songs, ten <strong>of</strong> which were orchestrated.<br />
Alfano composed a total<br />
Alfano found inspiration from a wide variety <strong>of</strong> poetic sources, including French<br />
Romanticism, early twentieth-century Italian poetry that was influenced by <strong>the</strong> French<br />
Parnassians, intellectual and feminist poetry, and especially <strong>the</strong> Indian exoticism <strong>of</strong> Rabindranath<br />
Tagore. Five songs will be discussed in chronological order, as a sampling <strong>of</strong> Alfano’s<br />
contribution to twentieth-century Italian art song repertoire.<br />
Felicità<br />
Felicità (Happiness)<br />
(Francesco Pastonchi)<br />
Nel vento della sera odorano i rosai:<br />
Godi l’ora che mai più non ritornerà!<br />
Nel vento della sera baciami tra le rose.<br />
Fatta di tenui cose è la felicità!<br />
Happiness<br />
In <strong>the</strong> evening wind <strong>the</strong> rose bushes give scent:<br />
Enjoy <strong>the</strong> hour that will never return!<br />
In <strong>the</strong> evening wind kiss me among <strong>the</strong> roses.<br />
Happiness is made <strong>of</strong> tenuous things!<br />
EXAMPLE 2.1 Felicita measures 1-2<br />
25 Translation by Timothy Allan Shaw from <strong>the</strong> liner notes <strong>of</strong> Liriche di Tagore.<br />
22
Felicità is Alfano’s first lirica set to an Italian text. The poemetto (short little poem) was<br />
written by Francesco Pastonchi (1877-1953) 26 and is only four lines. Very little information is<br />
available in English on Pastonchi. His poetry was influenced by <strong>the</strong> classical style <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> French<br />
Parnassians and <strong>the</strong> decadentism <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> more famous Italian poet Gabriele D’Annunzio. At least<br />
three volumes <strong>of</strong> his poetry were published during his lifetime. He also wrote one novel and a<br />
number <strong>of</strong> short stories. Written in 1914 at <strong>the</strong> start <strong>of</strong> World War I, <strong>the</strong> poem expresses <strong>the</strong><br />
tenuous nature <strong>of</strong> happiness. The poem describes a time <strong>of</strong> evening when <strong>the</strong> scent <strong>of</strong> roses (<strong>the</strong><br />
flower <strong>of</strong> love) is carried upon <strong>the</strong> wind and <strong>the</strong> spontaneous reaction <strong>of</strong> lovers is to punctuate<br />
<strong>the</strong> moment in time with a kiss. The lirica is only thirty-two measures in length. The tempo<br />
marking is Largamente, ma molto elastico (broadly, but very elastic), with fur<strong>the</strong>r instructions<br />
sempre molto espressivo (always very expressive) written between <strong>the</strong> staves. The<br />
accompaniment is impressionistic as <strong>the</strong> piano introduction creates a wistful atmosphere with a<br />
descending melodic <strong>the</strong>me that is suggestive <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> wind, supported by some arpeggiated chords<br />
(example 2.1). Just as <strong>the</strong> wind would rise again on a mild spring evening, <strong>the</strong> melodic <strong>the</strong>me <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> first measure varies continuously throughout <strong>the</strong> song. The accompanist should be acutely<br />
aware <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> composer’s accent marks as <strong>the</strong> piano accompaniment is <strong>the</strong> focal point <strong>of</strong> this<br />
composition.<br />
EXAMPLE 2.2 measures 6-8<br />
The voice enters più calmo (calmly) on an anacrusis in measure five, accompanied by<br />
syncopated blocked chords as it verbally describes <strong>the</strong> piano introduction (example 2.2). The<br />
first and third lines <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> poem are musically identical with slight rhythmic variations to<br />
26 http://Appbio.net/biographies/Pastonchi-%20Francesco-5524.html.<br />
23
compensate for changes in <strong>the</strong> text. The rhythmic variation occurs on <strong>the</strong> words “odorano i<br />
rosai” (“<strong>the</strong> rose bushes give scent”) (example 2.2) <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> first line and “baciami tra le rose”<br />
(“kiss me among <strong>the</strong> roses”) (example 2.3). The singer should take care to observe <strong>the</strong><br />
composer’s marking sospirato (sighed) above this line.<br />
EXAMPLE 2.3 measures 21-23<br />
The vocal line rides above <strong>the</strong> original piano <strong>the</strong>me, now transposed, on <strong>the</strong><br />
contemplative second (example 2.4) and fourth lines <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> poem: “Godi l’ora che mia più non<br />
ritornerà” (“Enjoy <strong>the</strong> hour that will never return”) and “Fatta di tenui cose è la felicità”<br />
(“Happiness is made <strong>of</strong> tenuous things!”).<br />
24
EXAMPLE 2.4 measures 9 -14<br />
The last words <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> phrase “la felicità” (“happiness”) are to be sung mormorato<br />
(murmured). The last syllable <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> word is sustained until it fades into <strong>the</strong> reprise <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
opening piano <strong>the</strong>me (example 2.5), only to be murmured again as voice and piano fade into <strong>the</strong><br />
night just as <strong>the</strong> wind carries with it <strong>the</strong> scent <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> roses.<br />
EXAMPLE 2.5 measures 30-32<br />
25
Al chiarore della mattina...<br />
G. Ricordi & Co. published Sei liriche di autori diversi (six lyrics by different poets) in<br />
1925. The collection consists <strong>of</strong> liriche that were composed in 1919, 1920 and 1922. Limited<br />
information could be found on <strong>the</strong> four different poets that are represented in <strong>the</strong> collection.<br />
Giuseppe Lipparini (1877-1951) was a literary critic, poet and narrator. Although <strong>the</strong>re was no<br />
information available on Lilla Lipparini, <strong>the</strong> fact that <strong>the</strong> collection contains one poem by each <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong>se individuals and <strong>the</strong>y share <strong>the</strong> same surname, it is probable that <strong>the</strong>re is a familial<br />
connection between <strong>the</strong> two poets. The third poet to be included in <strong>the</strong> collection is<br />
Rabindranath Tagore, who will be discussed in more detail later in this paper. The final poet, F.<br />
De Lupis, wrote <strong>the</strong> text for Al chiarore della mattina... <strong>the</strong> third liriche in <strong>the</strong> collection.<br />
Sei liriche di autori diversi<br />
No. 3, Al chiarore della mattina...<br />
(F. De Lupis)<br />
Al chiarore della mattina due grandi occhi, mi stavano a guardare.<br />
Mi volevan spogliare, per farmi eterna come una forma divina!<br />
Ma da una selva ombruta, io sentivo cantare,<br />
sentivo canti di tristezza, i canti della giovinezza che passa,<br />
E lascia solo il rimpianto.<br />
Allora incontro gli corsi, gli porsi le labbra,<br />
gli porsi la mia bocca, e in quella malia ombrosa la vita sua,<br />
la mia vita volò.<br />
Come un incanto di vento nato da un’occulta armonia!<br />
At morning light...<br />
(Translation by Luvada A. Harrison)<br />
At morning light, two large eyes were staring at me.<br />
They wanted to undress me, to make me eternal like a divine form.<br />
But from <strong>the</strong> dark forest, I heard singing,<br />
I heard songs <strong>of</strong> sadness, <strong>the</strong> songs <strong>of</strong> lost youth,<br />
and only regret remains.<br />
At that moment I ran into him <strong>of</strong>fering my lips to him,<br />
<strong>of</strong>fering my mouth to him, and in that dark spell his life,<br />
my life flew.<br />
Like a wind <strong>of</strong> enchantment born from a secret harmony!<br />
Al chiarore della mattina… means “at <strong>the</strong> diffused light <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> morning.” Webster’s New<br />
World Dictionary defines <strong>the</strong> word diffuse as: “to pour in different directions.” The diffusion <strong>of</strong><br />
light is illustrated through <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> polytonality. Although <strong>the</strong> key signature could represent<br />
ei<strong>the</strong>r B-flat major or g minor <strong>the</strong>re is no clear tonal center at <strong>the</strong> beginning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> piece. The<br />
piano enters on an anacrusis, in an ascending arpeggiated flourish to a brilliant fortissimo octave<br />
26
tremolo in <strong>the</strong> right-hand that is accompanied by a sixteenth-note rhythmic pattern above a pedal<br />
point in <strong>the</strong> left hand (example 3.1).<br />
EXAMPLE 3.1 Al chiarore della mattina… measures 1-4<br />
The tempo marking is Molto animato (very animated), and is qualified with <strong>the</strong> adjective<br />
luminoso (luminous) in paren<strong>the</strong>sis below. The impressionistic introduction clearly illustrates <strong>the</strong><br />
dawning <strong>of</strong> a new day. The tremolo and sixteenth-note rhythmic pattern continue as <strong>the</strong> voice<br />
enters. The dynamic marking for both voice and piano at this point is crescendo poco a poco<br />
(increasing loudness little by little). In response to <strong>the</strong> realization <strong>of</strong> being looked upon <strong>the</strong><br />
tempo marking ritardando (growing slower and slower) appears above <strong>the</strong> phrase “occhi mi<br />
stavano a guardare” (“eyes were staring at me”). In measure six, a tempo (in time or at <strong>the</strong><br />
preceding rate <strong>of</strong> speed) and fortissimo (extremely loud) are above <strong>the</strong> second syllable <strong>of</strong><br />
guardare, to elicit <strong>the</strong> natural vocal reaction <strong>of</strong> being startled to learn that someone (even a<br />
lover) has been watching. It is as if one has to catch one’s breath to recover from <strong>the</strong> surprise<br />
<strong>the</strong>y had just experienced. The tempo marking at <strong>the</strong> start <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> next phrase, “Mi volevan<br />
spoliare” (“<strong>the</strong>y wanted to undress me”), is stentando (halting). The narrator is slightly<br />
uncomfortable in a moment <strong>of</strong> spied intimacy, this moment <strong>of</strong> voyeurism. It is <strong>the</strong> moment when<br />
27
one becomes aware <strong>of</strong> ano<strong>the</strong>r person observing your defenseless body with such intent, as if<br />
<strong>the</strong>y were attempting to permanently etch its contours into <strong>the</strong>ir mind. “Come una forma<br />
divina!” (“like a divine form”) has a dynamic marking <strong>of</strong> piano (s<strong>of</strong>tly), along with <strong>the</strong> tempo<br />
marking, poco trattenendo (a little held back). It is as if <strong>the</strong> narrator is searching for <strong>the</strong> correct<br />
words to explain away <strong>the</strong> actions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> lover.<br />
EXAMPLE 3.2 measures 15-18<br />
Section 2 is comprised <strong>of</strong> five vocal phrases that are progressively intensified with <strong>the</strong><br />
addition <strong>of</strong> a layer <strong>of</strong> harmonic texture to each new phrase. The accompaniment segues into<br />
section 2 (Example 3.2) beginning in measure sixteen with a strummed chord that is to be played<br />
fortissimo (extremely loud). The composer has bracketed <strong>the</strong> notes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> chord to indicate how<br />
<strong>the</strong> pitches should be distributed between <strong>the</strong> left and right hands. The tempo marking is<br />
Indugiando (take one’s time) is written above <strong>the</strong> last two beats <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> previous measure and a<br />
28
acket is used to indicate that <strong>the</strong> strummed chord is a part <strong>of</strong> this tempo marking. The<br />
strummed chord is immediately followed by a sixteenth-note triple figure that leads to <strong>the</strong><br />
sixteenth-note rhythmic pattern from <strong>the</strong> opening section now accompanied by a trill and<br />
transferred from <strong>the</strong> left hand to <strong>the</strong> right hand. The dynamic marking sforzando indicates<br />
sudden emphasis should be placed on <strong>the</strong> trill and <strong>the</strong>n immediately played pianissimo (very<br />
s<strong>of</strong>t). The device is used to call <strong>the</strong> narrator’s attention to not yet identified sounds from <strong>the</strong><br />
outside that are heard in <strong>the</strong> distance. The accompaniment is now in <strong>the</strong> upper register <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
piano and written in <strong>the</strong> treble clef only. An open octave b-flat in <strong>the</strong> treble clef is heard on <strong>the</strong><br />
down beat <strong>of</strong> measure 18, as if to announce <strong>the</strong> start <strong>of</strong> some type <strong>of</strong> ceremony.<br />
EXAMPLE 3.3 measures 19-20<br />
The voice enters on beat two <strong>of</strong> measure 18 (Example 3.2) and is doubled in open<br />
octaves xxxii below <strong>the</strong> repeated sixteenth-note rhythmic pattern. The vocal line is built on a<br />
pentatonic scale lending an oriental flavor to <strong>the</strong> melody. Texturally <strong>the</strong> voice doubling in open<br />
octaves draws attention to <strong>the</strong> vocal line and reinforces <strong>the</strong> melody and renders <strong>the</strong> sixteenth-note<br />
rhythm pattern purely atmospheric. The dynamic marking in <strong>the</strong> accompaniment sempre<br />
pianissimo, espressive come da lontanta (always very s<strong>of</strong>t, expressive like from a distance). The<br />
vocal dynamic marking for <strong>the</strong> first phrase is pianissimo (very s<strong>of</strong>tly) with <strong>the</strong> added instruction<br />
for vocal coloration <strong>of</strong> cupo (covered) on “Ma da una selva ombruta, io sentivo cantare” (“But<br />
in <strong>the</strong> forest I hear singing”) as <strong>the</strong> narrator - eavesdropping on <strong>the</strong> distant conversation - listens<br />
intently to decipher what <strong>the</strong> singing is about (Example 3.3).<br />
29
EXAMPLE 3.4 measures 21-22<br />
The first time <strong>the</strong> open octave b-flat is heard in <strong>the</strong> lowest extremity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> piano range is<br />
in measure twenty-one (Example 3.4) with come un rombo (like a roar) written below <strong>the</strong> notes.<br />
This “roar” is repeated on <strong>the</strong> downbeat <strong>of</strong> measures 21, 24, 25 and 28, punctuating <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong><br />
each phrase that which is extended over <strong>the</strong> bar line. The voice consistently enters on <strong>the</strong> second<br />
beat <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> next measure. The words più sonoro e molto espressivo (more resonantly and very<br />
expressive) appear above <strong>the</strong> third phrase <strong>of</strong> text “sentivo canti di tristezza” (“I hear songs <strong>of</strong><br />
sadness”). The tempo marking changes in <strong>the</strong> middle <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fourth phrase “i canti della<br />
giovinezza passa” (“songs <strong>of</strong> lost youth”). Poco indugiando (a little indulgent) is written above<br />
<strong>the</strong> word giovinezza, which is leng<strong>the</strong>ned rhythmically by notating <strong>the</strong> third and final syllables <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> word as a modified triplet. The voice returns immediately to a tempo on <strong>the</strong> last word <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
phrase, “passa” (“passes”). The tempo markings clearly illustrate <strong>the</strong> text allowing for a<br />
momentary lingering in <strong>the</strong> remembrance <strong>of</strong> youth that quickly passes. The tempo marking for<br />
<strong>the</strong> last phrase <strong>of</strong> this second section is un poco meno mosso (a little less fast or a little slower).<br />
The text reads “e lascia solo il rimpianto” (“and leaves one alone with regret”). The end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
phrase is marked ritendendo, diminuendo moltissimo (holding, growing slower and slower until<br />
much much slower) on <strong>the</strong> last note <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> phrase. The gradual slowing <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tempo to end<br />
Section 2 insinuates a moment <strong>of</strong> reflection in which <strong>the</strong> narrator reevaluates <strong>the</strong> situation.<br />
30
EXAMPLE 3.5 measures 34-35<br />
The accompaniment leads <strong>the</strong> listener into Section 3 (Example 3.5). The tempo marking<br />
reads indugiando e subito a tempo (indulgent and quickly in tempo) agitato (agitated). The piano<br />
supplies <strong>the</strong> emotional reaction <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> performer to <strong>the</strong> situation. The voice enters agitated on <strong>the</strong><br />
words “Allora incontro gli corsi” (“At that moment I ran into him”), <strong>the</strong> dynamic marking<br />
expand from forte to fortissimo as <strong>the</strong> lovers come toge<strong>the</strong>r mingling lips and mouths as <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
passion explodes (Example 3.6).<br />
EXAMPLE 3.6 measures 53-54<br />
31
The piece concludes as dramatically as it began, with <strong>the</strong> exact music from measure one<br />
guiding <strong>the</strong> listener to <strong>the</strong> conclusion <strong>of</strong> this sensually charged lirica. For a truly exciting climax,<br />
if at all possible <strong>the</strong> performer should strive to sing <strong>the</strong> last phrase: “Come un incanto divento<br />
nato da un’occulta armonia” (“Like an enchanted wind born <strong>of</strong> a secret harmony”) in one<br />
breath.<br />
Rabindranath Tagore<br />
Italian musicologist Rino Maione considers Rabindranath Tagore to be “<strong>the</strong> perfect poet<br />
for Alfano.” Alfano chose twenty-six poems from two separate Tagore collections <strong>of</strong> poetry to<br />
set to music: eleven are from Gitanjali – “Songs <strong>of</strong> Offerings” – which can also be defined as<br />
“Collection <strong>of</strong> Prayers,” and fifteen are from Il giardiniere – “The gardener, or <strong>the</strong> man who<br />
cultivates his own conscience.” The Italian translations <strong>of</strong> both collections <strong>of</strong> poetry were taken<br />
from <strong>the</strong> English translation, not <strong>the</strong> original Bengali and were published by Gino Carabba <strong>of</strong><br />
Lanciano. Gitanjali was published in 1914, followed by Il giardiniere in 1915.<br />
Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) known as a Kavi (seer), an intermediary between <strong>the</strong><br />
human and <strong>the</strong> divine, was <strong>the</strong> youngest <strong>of</strong> fourteen children born into a wealthy and religious<br />
family. In 1901, Tagore started an open air school at Shantiniketan known today as Visva<br />
Bharati, an international university. The university was first established as a cultural center to<br />
promote fellowship between <strong>the</strong> East and <strong>the</strong> West in an effort to streng<strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> fundamental<br />
condition <strong>of</strong> world peace. The Prime Minister <strong>of</strong> India is <strong>the</strong> Chancellor <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> University, which<br />
graduated such luminaries as India’s former Prime Minister Indira Ghandi (1917-1984) and<br />
Academy Award - Lifetime Achievement recipient film maker Satyajit Ray (1921-1999).<br />
Tagore was raised in a very cultured atmosphere. His early education was administered<br />
by private tutors who based his education in three languages: Sanskrit, Bengali and English. The<br />
course <strong>of</strong> study included religion and arts with emphasis in literature, music and painting.<br />
Tagore wrote plays, short stories, novels, travel diaries, and two autobiographies. He composed<br />
musical dramas, dance dramas, and songs and at <strong>the</strong> age <strong>of</strong> sixty, took up drawing and painting.<br />
Successful exhibitions <strong>of</strong> his art work were held in Paris. However, first and fore<strong>most</strong>, he was a<br />
poet, writing more than fifty volumes <strong>of</strong> poetry. Tagore was <strong>the</strong> first Asiatic poet to receive <strong>the</strong><br />
Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 for Gitanjali (Songs <strong>of</strong> Offerings) which he translated into<br />
English himself. The Irish poet, dramatist, and prose writer William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)<br />
(who would be <strong>the</strong> recipient <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Nobel for Literature in 1923) wrote <strong>the</strong> foreword to <strong>the</strong> first<br />
32
limited <strong>edition</strong> <strong>of</strong> Gitanjali that was published by <strong>the</strong> India Society <strong>of</strong> London on 1 November<br />
1912. Yeats had this to say about Tagore’s poetry:<br />
“I have carried <strong>the</strong> manuscript <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se translations about with me<br />
for days reading it in railway trains, or on <strong>the</strong> top <strong>of</strong> omnibuses and<br />
in restaurants, and I <strong>of</strong>ten had to close it lest some stranger would<br />
see how much it moved me. These lyrics which are in <strong>the</strong> original,<br />
my Indians tell me, full <strong>of</strong> subtlety <strong>of</strong> rhythm, <strong>of</strong> untranslatable<br />
delicacies <strong>of</strong> colour, <strong>of</strong> metrical invention - display in <strong>the</strong>ir thought<br />
a world I have dreamed <strong>of</strong> all my life long. The work <strong>of</strong> a supreme<br />
culture, <strong>the</strong>y yet appear as much <strong>the</strong> growth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> common soul as<br />
<strong>the</strong> grass and <strong>the</strong> rushes.” 27<br />
Numerous twentieth-century composers <strong>of</strong> various nationalities were attracted to <strong>the</strong><br />
poetry <strong>of</strong> Tagore including: Leoš Janáček (1854-1928), Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951), Karol<br />
Szymanowski (1882-1937), Alexander Zemlinsky (1871-1942), Ravi Shankar (1920-) and<br />
Darius Milhaud (1892-1974), along with <strong>the</strong> Italians Alfredo Casella (1883-1947), Mario<br />
Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895-1968), Gian Francesco Malipiero (1882-1973), and Ildebrando<br />
Pizzetti (1880-1968). However, Alfano set more <strong>of</strong> his poems than any <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> composers listed<br />
above. There was a transfusion <strong>of</strong> spirits in <strong>the</strong> artistic union <strong>of</strong> Alfano’s music to Tagore’s<br />
poetry. Alfano was fascinated by Indian mysticism that combined <strong>the</strong> belief in one God<br />
(Theism) with <strong>the</strong> tolerance <strong>of</strong> all Gods <strong>of</strong> various cults (Pan<strong>the</strong>ism), with <strong>the</strong> belief that God<br />
exists in everything. Maione in his article La lirica vocale da camera states:<br />
“Alfano ‘fraternizes’ with Tagore in <strong>the</strong> unique quality <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> feelings in which <strong>the</strong> ecstatic joy <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> senses and religion for<br />
Nature form a single myth <strong>of</strong> love. The sensuality in Tagore’s and<br />
Alfano’s art is a sensuality in which <strong>the</strong> contemplative expression<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sense is shaped…a sensuality eager for poetry and music,<br />
something astral and magical that opens itself out to <strong>the</strong> expression<br />
<strong>of</strong> amorous, astonished lyricism.” 28<br />
Tagore’s self entitled poems “Lyrics <strong>of</strong> Love and Life” elicited <strong>the</strong> following response<br />
from Alfano: “Never have I felt so full <strong>of</strong> music as in <strong>the</strong> human and religious myth <strong>of</strong> India.” 29<br />
Alfano found in <strong>the</strong> poetry <strong>of</strong> Tagore, a sensuality and eroticism that transforms human emotion<br />
into immanence. Maione describes <strong>the</strong>ir union in this way: “…both <strong>the</strong> poetry and <strong>the</strong> music<br />
27 http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/tagore/gitnjali.htm.<br />
28 Rino Maione. La Lirica Vocale da Camera, Franco Alfano: Presagio di tempi nuovi con finale controcorrente.<br />
231.<br />
29 Ibid., 231.<br />
33
urn with erotic content, with that eroticism that is so frequent in mystics <strong>of</strong> all ages and places<br />
which, in its transcendent search for <strong>the</strong> divine expresses itself in a manner similar to sensual,<br />
earthly love.” 30<br />
Alfano’s first set <strong>of</strong> liriche to Tagore text was Tre poemi di Rabindranath Tagore da<br />
giardiniere (Three poems <strong>of</strong> Rabindranath Tagore from “<strong>the</strong> Gardener”) composed in 1919. The<br />
liriche mark Alfano’s first encounter with <strong>the</strong> Bengali poet. Tre poemi were first performed in<br />
Paris on 1 March 1921 on a program dedicated solely to new Italian music. The six Italian<br />
composers were likened to <strong>the</strong> French group Les Six xxxiii because <strong>the</strong>y represented <strong>the</strong> new<br />
generation <strong>of</strong> Italian composers. The six Italian composers were Alfano, Casella, Castelnuovo<br />
Tedesco, Davido, Pizzetti, and Respighi. And like Les Six each <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se composers maintained<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir own unique style <strong>of</strong> composition. Some were more avant-garde and o<strong>the</strong>rs more traditional.<br />
Six years later, on 4 April 1927, Tre poemi di Rabindranath Tagore in its entirety (previously<br />
only <strong>the</strong> first lirica, Mamma il giovanne principe, had been performed in Italy) along with Al<br />
chiaror della mattina (from Sei liriche) was performed in Rome at <strong>the</strong> Reale Accademia<br />
Filarmonica Romana with Alfano at <strong>the</strong> piano.<br />
Giorno per giorno<br />
Alfano composed numerous compositions in o<strong>the</strong>r genres over <strong>the</strong> next ten years before<br />
returning to <strong>the</strong> poetry <strong>of</strong> Tagore. His next group <strong>of</strong> Tagore texts, Tre liriche di Tagore was<br />
published in 1929 by Wien, xxxiv <strong>the</strong> publication includes texts in both Italian and German. The<br />
German <strong>edition</strong> Drei Gesänge (Three Songs) was translated by R. S. H<strong>of</strong>fmann. The songs were<br />
orchestrated in 1937. Tre liriche di Tagore was first performed on 6 January 1929 in Lodi<br />
following a speech entitled L’arte di Franco Alfano given by <strong>the</strong> Italian musicologist and music<br />
critic, <strong>Domenico</strong> De Paoli. The third <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> three liriche, Giorno per giorno, received <strong>the</strong> more<br />
performances than <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r two in <strong>the</strong> group. In 1941, Alfano arranged Giorno per giorno as an<br />
arietta for cello and piano.<br />
Tre liriche (1928)<br />
No. 3, Giorno per Giorno<br />
(Rabindranath Tagore)<br />
Giorno per giorno egli viene<br />
Egli viene, a poi sen va!<br />
Tieni amica, dagli un fiore<br />
Questo fior che ho tra i capelli!<br />
30 Ibid., 232.<br />
34
Se ti domanda chi glielo dona,<br />
oh! no! Non dirgli, no, non dirgli<br />
il nome mio, ti prego,<br />
perchè egli non fa che venir...<br />
che venire e andarsene!<br />
Si siede in terra sotto l’albero,<br />
fagli un sedil di foglie e fiori!<br />
I suoi occhi son tristi<br />
E partan la malinconia nel cor.<br />
Ei non rivela il suo pensero<br />
Vien soltanto, e poi senva.<br />
No. 3, Day by Day<br />
Translation by Ruth Lakeway<br />
Day by day he comes,<br />
he comes, and <strong>the</strong>n goes away!<br />
Here friend, give him a flower.<br />
This flower that I have in my hair!<br />
If he asks you who gives it to him<br />
Oh! No! do not tell him, no, do not tell him my name, I beg,<br />
because all he does is come...<br />
he comes and <strong>the</strong>n goes away!<br />
He sits on <strong>the</strong> ground under <strong>the</strong> tree,<br />
make him a seat <strong>of</strong> leaves and flowers!<br />
His eyes are sad<br />
and <strong>the</strong>y bring melancholy in my heart.<br />
He does not disclose his thoughts,<br />
he only comes and <strong>the</strong>n goes away.<br />
Giorno per giorno describes <strong>the</strong> crush a young girl has on a young man (possibly a<br />
student) that she sees in <strong>the</strong> park everyday. She enlists <strong>the</strong> assistance <strong>of</strong> a trusted friend to initiate<br />
<strong>the</strong> courting ritual. The performer should be mindful <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Bengali culture regarding interaction<br />
amongst <strong>the</strong> members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> opposite sex. A young girl would not dare to introduce herself to a<br />
young man. Introductions <strong>of</strong> this sort are always handled by a third party. The performer should<br />
take special care to maintain a youthful color to <strong>the</strong> voice as one is portraying a young girl. The<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r vocal challenge <strong>of</strong> this lirica is to maintain a dynamic level <strong>of</strong> pianissimo (very s<strong>of</strong>t)<br />
throughout <strong>most</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> piece. Alfano has clearly marked <strong>the</strong> score with phrasing indication to<br />
create an effortless ebb and flow throughout <strong>the</strong> lirica.<br />
Giorno per giorno is clearly ternary in form. The meter is 2/4 and <strong>the</strong> opening tempo<br />
marking is Allegretto (quite lively) semplice (in a simple, natural, unaffected style). The ability<br />
35
to maintain a natural unaffected style is what makes this lirica challenging. The phrases are even<br />
and lyrical throughout <strong>the</strong> piece. Each line <strong>of</strong> poetry is set to a musical phrase that is four<br />
measures in length. The dissonant harmonic palette that is characteristic <strong>of</strong> twentieth-century<br />
music is clearly illustrated in <strong>the</strong> accompaniment.<br />
EXAMPLE 4.1 Giorno per giorno measures 1-12<br />
The introduction (Example 4.1) begins with an anacrusis on a dominant chord in first<br />
inversion and travels through a series <strong>of</strong> ambiguous chords that finally reach <strong>the</strong> dominant chord<br />
in root position setting up <strong>the</strong> vocal entrance on <strong>the</strong> tonic chord <strong>of</strong> A major. The dynamic<br />
marking for <strong>the</strong> voice is sempre pianissimo (always very s<strong>of</strong>t) with <strong>the</strong> additional instruction <strong>of</strong><br />
mezzo voce (half voice) in paren<strong>the</strong>sis. The voice is accompanied by blocked chords in <strong>the</strong> left<br />
hand with an eight-note rhythmic pattern in <strong>the</strong> right hand. The accompaniment has <strong>the</strong> same<br />
dynamic marking <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> voice with <strong>the</strong> added instruction <strong>of</strong> dolcissimo (sweetly).The first eight<br />
36
measures <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> lirica are supported solely by tonic harmony. The melody is an elegant<br />
representation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> innocence <strong>of</strong> youth.<br />
EXAMPLE 4.2 measures 18-22<br />
The harmony changes as <strong>the</strong> narrator instructs her companion to give a flower that she<br />
has taken from her hair to <strong>the</strong> subject <strong>of</strong> her crush (example 4.2) “Tieni amica, dagli un fiore.<br />
Questo fior che ho tra i capelli” (“Here friend, give him a flower. This flower that I have in my<br />
hair”) and immediately instructs her friend not to tell him who sent <strong>the</strong> flower, if he should ask:<br />
“Se ti domanda chi glielo dona, Oh! No! non dirgli, no non dirgli il nome mio, ti prego” (“If he<br />
asks you who gives it to him, Oh! No! do not tell, do not tell him my name, I beg you.”) Section<br />
B is twenty-four measures in length and contains more emotionally charged material than section<br />
A which consist <strong>of</strong> thirty-three measures. Details are shared in section B “Si siede in terra sotto<br />
l’albero” (“He sits on <strong>the</strong> ground under <strong>the</strong> tree”). The narrator wants him to be comfortable so<br />
she instructs her friend to “fagli un sedil di foglie e fiori!” (“make him a seat <strong>of</strong> leaves and<br />
flowers!”) Alfano clearly marks <strong>the</strong> phrasing throughout <strong>the</strong> score. Specific dynamic and tempo<br />
directions are given for more expressive phrases, as in example 4.3: poco stentando (a little<br />
retarding) above “occhi son tristi” (“eyes are sad”). Example 4.3, also illustrates <strong>the</strong> first time<br />
that <strong>the</strong> dynamic marking has changed from pianissimo to mezzo forte (half-loud).<br />
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EXAMPLE 4.3 measures 52-55<br />
The harmonic coloration and change in dynamic illustrate <strong>the</strong> melancholy feeling that is<br />
expressed in <strong>the</strong> next phrase, “e portan la malinconia nel cor” (“and <strong>the</strong>y bring melancholy in<br />
my heart”).<br />
EXAMPLE 4.4 measures 60-63<br />
The same dynamic changes and enharmonic treatment are employed on <strong>the</strong> next<br />
emotionally expressive phrase, “Ei non rivela il suo pensiero” (“He does not disclose what he is<br />
thinking”) in example 4.4.<br />
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EXAMPLE 4.5 measures 68-71<br />
When section A returns (example 4.5) <strong>the</strong>re are two exceptions to <strong>the</strong> beginning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
lirica. The dynamic and tempo markings for <strong>the</strong> voice are <strong>the</strong> same, but <strong>the</strong>re is <strong>the</strong> added<br />
direction <strong>of</strong> dolcissimo (sweetly) as opposed to mezza voce (half-voice) as in <strong>the</strong> beginning. The<br />
rhythmic activity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> accompaniment has quickened – <strong>the</strong> eighth notes from <strong>the</strong> opening are<br />
now sixteenth-notes – and <strong>the</strong> dynamic marking is pianississimo (very, very s<strong>of</strong>t) requiring both<br />
<strong>the</strong> damper and s<strong>of</strong>t pedals.<br />
EXAMPLE 4.6 measures 88-91<br />
When <strong>the</strong> voice states for <strong>the</strong> last time “oh! no! non dirgli, no non dirgli il nome mio, ti<br />
prego,” (“oh! no! do not tell him, do not tell him my name, I beg you”) <strong>the</strong> tempo markings are<br />
very explicit, molto più espessivo poco a poco Ritardando (much more expressive little by little<br />
39
oadening) (example 4.6.) The phrase should be sung very expressively, and <strong>the</strong> performer<br />
should take note to acknowledge <strong>the</strong> breath mark before “ti prego” (“I beg you”) that also has a<br />
fermata above <strong>the</strong> last syllable. Immediately return to a tempo for <strong>the</strong> next phrase, “perchè egli<br />
non fa che venire” (“because all he does is come”). The last phrase: “che venire, e andarsene!”<br />
(“he comes and <strong>the</strong>n goes away”) must broaden.<br />
EXAMPLE 4.7 measures 98-101<br />
The tempo marking is poco a poco Ritandando (little by little broadening), <strong>the</strong>n<br />
moltissimo (extremely broad) (example 4.7.) The singer should acknowledge <strong>the</strong> breath mark<br />
after venire so that <strong>the</strong> final note <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> vocal line can dissipate into <strong>the</strong> final chord <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
accompaniment that should trail away to nothing. The trailing away <strong>of</strong> sound to nothing<br />
illustrates <strong>the</strong> slow disappearance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> narrator’s infatuation as he disappears out <strong>of</strong> her view.<br />
“È giunto il nostro ultimo autunno„<br />
Streicher states in his chronology <strong>of</strong> Alfano’s life that Alfano left Rome in March <strong>of</strong> 1943<br />
and went to Sanremo to work on some liriche. However, <strong>the</strong>re was a more pressing reason for<br />
Alfano to return to <strong>the</strong> place that brought him peace. His wife and <strong>the</strong> mo<strong>the</strong>r <strong>of</strong> his children, had<br />
long struggled with an illness that she would succumb to in <strong>the</strong> next month. Could <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
relationship, <strong>the</strong>ir life time spent toge<strong>the</strong>r, surviving wars and <strong>the</strong> death <strong>of</strong> a child have been <strong>the</strong><br />
imputus for Alfano’s choosing this next lirica?<br />
Autumn is a season <strong>of</strong> transition, a season <strong>of</strong> maturity when nature begins <strong>the</strong> decent into<br />
<strong>the</strong> chill and dormancy <strong>of</strong> winter so that foliage may be reborn again in <strong>the</strong> Spring. È giunto il<br />
nostro ultimo autunno (Our last autumn has arrived) elegantly expresses <strong>the</strong> transition <strong>of</strong> life to<br />
40
death, <strong>the</strong> parting <strong>of</strong> two people who anticipate <strong>the</strong> reunion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir souls in <strong>the</strong> Elysian Fields.<br />
Although <strong>the</strong> key signature implies G minor, <strong>the</strong> tonal ambiguity <strong>of</strong> this lirica clearly illustrates<br />
<strong>the</strong> transition and instability <strong>of</strong> life and love. Functional chords are used in a non-functional way<br />
for <strong>the</strong> purpose <strong>of</strong> coloring <strong>the</strong> text. The lirica is a piece <strong>of</strong> continuous harmonic development<br />
incorporating <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> pentatonic scales and modal harmonies typical <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> impressionist<br />
compositional style. Alfano uses pedal tones to establishe <strong>the</strong> various tonal centers transversed<br />
throughout <strong>the</strong> lirica. Each verse <strong>of</strong> poetry transcends from one season to <strong>the</strong> next on this<br />
journey <strong>of</strong> uncertainty in an implied future <strong>of</strong> life after death.<br />
“È giunto il nostro ultimo autunno„<br />
(Mirando Bona)<br />
È giunto il nostro ultimo autunno!<br />
Tieni le mie mani nell’ultima stretta terrena<br />
E dimmi dove andrai.<br />
Non guardarmi con occhi tristi...<br />
Dopo l’estate della mia vita<br />
ci ritroveremo nell’eterna Primavera!<br />
Fuggi l’inverno quando io non ci sarò più<br />
per fondere il ghiaccio intorno al tuo cuore...<br />
Conserva il tuo cuore fra le rose pr<strong>of</strong>umate...<br />
E cingila con un arete di spine, chè nessuno lo tocchi...<br />
Quando verrò a te dopo l’ultimo estate<br />
Ne conterò i palpiti.<br />
Nessuno dovrà mancare...<br />
Andranno a due a due coi miei palpiti<br />
Camminando con ritmo uguale.<br />
Cantiamo il nostro ultimo duetto d’amore...<br />
Raccogliamo le ultime rose<br />
Per coronare sogno...<br />
Io resterò ferma... presso la fontana del bosco<br />
E ascolterò i tuoi passi allontanarsi.<br />
Ti volgerai per l’ulitima volta verso di me<br />
E diremo insieme.<br />
“Arrivederci nella eterna Primavera.”<br />
Our last autumn has arrived!<br />
(translation by Ruth Lakeway)<br />
Our last autumn has arrived!<br />
Hold my hands in this last earthly embrace<br />
and tell me whereyou will go.<br />
Do not look at me with sad eyes...<br />
After <strong>the</strong> summer <strong>of</strong> my life<br />
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we will meet each o<strong>the</strong>r again in <strong>the</strong> eternal Spring!<br />
You escape <strong>the</strong> winter when I will not be <strong>the</strong>re any longer<br />
in order to melt <strong>the</strong> ice around your heart...<br />
and gird it with a net <strong>of</strong> thorns,<br />
so that no one may touch it...<br />
When I will come to you after <strong>the</strong> final summer<br />
I will count its beats.<br />
Not one must be missing...<br />
<strong>the</strong>y will go two by two with my own heartbeats<br />
pacing with equal rhythm.<br />
Let us sing our final duet <strong>of</strong> love...<br />
Let us ga<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> last roses to crown our dreams...<br />
I will remain steady near <strong>the</strong> fountain in <strong>the</strong> forest<br />
and I will listen to your steps as <strong>the</strong>y turn away.<br />
You will turn for <strong>the</strong> last time towards me<br />
and we will say toge<strong>the</strong>r:<br />
“Goodbye, (until we meet again) in <strong>the</strong> eternal spring!”<br />
EXAMPLE 5.1 È giunto il nostro ultimo autunno measures 1-4<br />
È giunto il nostro ultimo autunno can be divided into five sections. The first section<br />
begins on a G minor 7 chord, immediately establishing <strong>the</strong> tonal ambiguity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> piece. Example<br />
5.1 illustrates <strong>the</strong> four measure motive that is repeated verbatim when <strong>the</strong> voice enters and<br />
returns at <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> lirica (measures 96-102) to <strong>complete</strong> <strong>the</strong> circle <strong>of</strong> life. Notice that <strong>the</strong><br />
eighth-note figure moves in opposition <strong>of</strong> each o<strong>the</strong>r in <strong>the</strong> left and right hand scores <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> piano<br />
accompaniment and that both hands are written in <strong>the</strong> bass clef. This recurring four measure<br />
motive lends a minimalist character to <strong>the</strong> lirica. The voice enters in measure 5, “È giunto il<br />
nostro ultimo autunno!” (“Our last autumn hs arrived!”), <strong>the</strong> dynamic marking is pianissimo<br />
(very s<strong>of</strong>t) with <strong>the</strong> added vocal direction più calmo (very calm). Alfano is very explicit in his<br />
vocal directions throughout <strong>the</strong> lirica. Fervidamente (fervently or passionately) is written above<br />
“Tieni le mie mani nell’ultima stretta terrene” (“Hold my hands in this last earthly embrace”).<br />
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The simple physical gesture <strong>of</strong> holding hands symbolizes <strong>the</strong> bond between two people. It is <strong>the</strong><br />
narrator’s way <strong>of</strong> getting his/her lover to accept what is happening. The holding <strong>of</strong> hands<br />
signifies that <strong>the</strong>y are in agreement about how to confront this issue toge<strong>the</strong>r.<br />
EXAMPLE 5.2 measures 13-19<br />
When <strong>the</strong> voice moves to <strong>the</strong> final vowel sound <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> word andrai <strong>the</strong> accompaniment is<br />
divided into three staves. The notes sung to <strong>the</strong> words “dove andrai” (“where will you go”) are<br />
echoed as <strong>the</strong> first three notes <strong>of</strong> an ascending modal scale written in <strong>the</strong> treble clef - sandwiched<br />
between two bass clefs - supported by a subdominant chord in <strong>the</strong> lower bass clef staff (example<br />
5.2.) The accompaniment once again is written in <strong>the</strong> bass clef as <strong>the</strong> narrator demonstrates<br />
emotional strength in words <strong>of</strong> consolation sung dolce e molto espressivo (sweetly and very<br />
expressive): “Non guardarmi con occhi tristi… Dopo l’estate della mia vita” (“Do not look at<br />
43
me with sad eyes… After <strong>the</strong> summer <strong>of</strong> my life,”) A dynamic marking <strong>of</strong> forte (loudly) is used<br />
for <strong>the</strong> first time as <strong>the</strong> voice rises above <strong>the</strong> staff ci retroveremo (we will meet each o<strong>the</strong>r again)<br />
only to diminuendo (diminishing in loudness) “nell’eterna “(“in <strong>the</strong> eternal”), arriving at<br />
pianissimo (very s<strong>of</strong>tly) on “Primavera!” (“Spring!”)<br />
EXAMPLE 5.3 measures 37-40<br />
Winter is upon us in Section B (example 5.3) which begins with <strong>the</strong> accompaniment in<br />
<strong>the</strong> treble clef. The voice enters piano (s<strong>of</strong>tly) with <strong>the</strong> additional instruction sempre assai dolce<br />
(always very sweetly) “Fuggi l’inverno quando io non ci sarò più” (“You escape <strong>the</strong> winter<br />
when I will not be <strong>the</strong>re any longer in order to melt <strong>the</strong> ice around your heart”). The eighth-note<br />
rhythmic pattern no longer consists <strong>of</strong> single eighth-notes but is made textually denser with a<br />
virtual rainbow <strong>of</strong> harmonies. The vocal line is buried within <strong>the</strong> harmonies <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
accompaniment just as <strong>the</strong> narrator instructs <strong>the</strong> subject: “Conserva il tuo cuore fra le rose<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>umate e cingilo con una rete di spine ché nessuno lo tocchi” (“Preserve your heart among<br />
<strong>the</strong> fragrant roses and gird it with a net <strong>of</strong> thorns, so that no one may touch it.”)<br />
44
EXAMPLE 5.4 measures 51-54<br />
Section C (example 5.4) begins in measure 53. The dynamic marking is pianissimo (very<br />
s<strong>of</strong>tly); <strong>the</strong> vocal instruction is lontano (far away); and <strong>the</strong> tempo marking is ancòra più calmo<br />
(still more calmly.) The tempo marking can serve a dual purpose, instructing <strong>the</strong> performer as to<br />
<strong>the</strong> mood <strong>of</strong> this section as well as slowing <strong>the</strong> tempo. The narrator accepts death. However<br />
he/she must remain calm and reassuring in an effort to ease <strong>the</strong> grief and sense <strong>of</strong> abandonment<br />
being felt by <strong>the</strong> lover: “Quando verrò a te dopo ultimo estate ne conterò i palpiti” (“When I<br />
will come to you after <strong>the</strong> final summer I will count its beats.”) The right hand <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> piano<br />
accompaniment now plays blocked chords, creating a bell-like effect that illustrates <strong>the</strong> passing<br />
<strong>of</strong> time. The use <strong>of</strong> D-flat major, E-flat major and F-minor chords, are an example <strong>of</strong> functional<br />
chords being used in a non-functional way, and a common feature <strong>of</strong> Impressionistic music.<br />
45
EXAMPLE 5.5 measures 68-70<br />
The passion <strong>of</strong> this relationship is expressed in Section D, example 5.5. The vocal<br />
instruction is con abbandono (with abandonment). The eighth-note rhythmic pattern is replaced<br />
with harp-like arpeggios in <strong>the</strong> accompaniment that begins on a B-flat major 7 chord. The vocal<br />
line is disjunct as each phrase begins with an intervalic series <strong>of</strong> leap. The first phrase begins<br />
with an augmented fifth on “Cantiamo” (“Let us sing”) that is followed by a perfect fourth on “il<br />
nostro ultimo duetto d’amore” (“our last duet <strong>of</strong> love”); <strong>the</strong> second phrase begins with a major<br />
sixth on “Raccogliamo” (“Let us ga<strong>the</strong>r”), <strong>the</strong> interval immediately following this word is a<br />
perfect fifth on “le ultime rose” (“<strong>the</strong> last roses”.) As <strong>the</strong> ascending intervals increase by a whole<br />
step in each <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se two phrases, <strong>the</strong> descending intervals decrease by a half-step. The<br />
descending interval in <strong>the</strong> first phrase is an octave, while <strong>the</strong> descending interval <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> second<br />
phrase is a minor seventh. Each <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> two phrases ends with <strong>the</strong> ascending interval <strong>of</strong> a perfect<br />
fifth. The last phrase <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> vocal line is echoed accompaniment signifying <strong>the</strong> pact that <strong>the</strong><br />
couple hs made with each o<strong>the</strong>r to crown <strong>the</strong>ir dreams with <strong>the</strong> last roses <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> season. The<br />
melancholy mood <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> phrase is colored with a diminished seventh chord.<br />
The accompaniment in Sections E consists <strong>of</strong> a series <strong>of</strong> functional chords that are spelled<br />
using enharmonics supported by a G tremolo in <strong>the</strong> left hand as <strong>the</strong> descending vocal line is now<br />
conjunct and parlando: “Io restorò ferma... presso la fontana del bosco” (“I will remain steady<br />
near <strong>the</strong> fountain in <strong>the</strong> forest”). The dynamic marking in <strong>the</strong> accompaniment is pianissimo with<br />
46
<strong>the</strong> added direction <strong>of</strong> lontano (distant) representing <strong>the</strong> lover’s departing footsteps. The voice<br />
enters pianissimo, gradually becoming a whisper molto sottovoce (much under <strong>the</strong> breath) as <strong>the</strong><br />
performer sings “e ascolterò i tuoi passi allontanarsi” (“and I will listen to your steps as <strong>the</strong>y<br />
turn away”).<br />
EXAMPLE 5.6 measures 96-100<br />
For <strong>the</strong> remainder <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> lirica, <strong>the</strong> vocal line is conversational. The text is set on many<br />
repeated notes, in a very narrow range, written in <strong>the</strong> lower-middle register <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> singer’s voice<br />
and should be sung in a parlando style. The lirica comes full circle with <strong>the</strong> return <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
opening motive in <strong>the</strong> accompaniment (example 5.6.) Now, however <strong>the</strong> initial tempo is<br />
modified by <strong>the</strong> added direction ma sempre più tranquillo (but always more tranquil) at <strong>the</strong><br />
beginning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> final statement “Arrivaderci nella eterna Primavera!” (“Until we meet again in<br />
<strong>the</strong> eternal Spring!”) The voice must clearly display <strong>the</strong> sense <strong>of</strong> calmness that comes with <strong>the</strong><br />
act <strong>of</strong> acceptance without fear. The final vocal direction dolce e molto espressivo (sweet and very<br />
expressive) appears above <strong>the</strong> word “Primavera!” (“Spring!”), <strong>the</strong> season <strong>of</strong> rebirth. The lirica<br />
ends as it began with <strong>the</strong> harmonic instability <strong>of</strong> an unknown future.<br />
Luce<br />
Unlike <strong>most</strong> <strong>of</strong> Alfano’s o<strong>the</strong>r liriche, which were originally composed for voice and<br />
piano, Luce is one <strong>of</strong> four liriche composed for voice and orchestra. Quattro liriche per canto e<br />
orchestra (Perché il giorno è finito – Cento e cento – Tu camminavi – Luce) was composed in<br />
Rome and premiered at <strong>the</strong> Teatro Argentina in 1947. Zerboni, G. Ricordi’s biggest publishing<br />
47
ival in Milan, published <strong>the</strong> lirica in 1948 and extended <strong>the</strong> rights to include Sweden, Norway<br />
and Denmark. The orchestral score was made available through Boosey and Hawkes. The<br />
following year. in August <strong>of</strong> 1949, <strong>the</strong> piano/vocal score reduction <strong>of</strong> Luce was performed in<br />
Torino with Alfano at <strong>the</strong> piano. It is unclear as to whe<strong>the</strong>r or not <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r three pieces from this<br />
group <strong>of</strong> liriche are available.<br />
Luce<br />
(Rabindranath Tagore)<br />
Luce ...luce mia...luce che illumini il mondo...luce<br />
che rischiari gli occhi...luce che addolcisci il cuore...<br />
Amore mio, la luce palpita e danza nel cuor della<br />
mia vita. La luce tocca le corde della mia vita,<br />
amore mio!<br />
Il Ciel si schiude...I venti folleggiano...Il riso<br />
risuona sulla Terra!...<br />
Le farfalle aprono le loro ali in un mare di luce...<br />
E gigli, gelsomini, schiudono le lor corolle in una<br />
gloria di luce...<br />
Ad ogni nube la luce si frange in polvere d’oro e<br />
di gemme...<br />
Amore mio...Amore mio...<br />
La letizia si stende di foglia in foglia in una gioia<br />
sconfinata. Il fiume del Cielo ha inondato i suoi<br />
argini, e un immenso giubilo invade il mondo.<br />
Light<br />
(translation by Luvada Harrison)<br />
Light ...my light...light that illuminates <strong>the</strong> world...<br />
Light that lights up <strong>the</strong> eyes ...light that soo<strong>the</strong>s <strong>the</strong> heart...<br />
My Love, <strong>the</strong> light pulses and dances in <strong>the</strong> heart <strong>of</strong> my life.<br />
The light touches <strong>the</strong> strings <strong>of</strong> my life, my Love!<br />
The heavens are open... <strong>the</strong> winds exclaim...<strong>the</strong> laughter<br />
resounding upon <strong>the</strong> earth!<br />
The butterflies open <strong>the</strong>ir wings in a sea <strong>of</strong> light...<br />
and lilies, jasmines open <strong>the</strong>ir petals to <strong>the</strong> glory <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> light…<br />
on <strong>the</strong> fringe <strong>of</strong> every cloud <strong>the</strong> light places dust <strong>of</strong> gold and jewels…<br />
My Love…My Love…<br />
Spreading happiness leaf upon leaf in boundless joy.<br />
The stream <strong>of</strong> heaven has flooded our embankment and boundless shouts <strong>of</strong> joy flood <strong>the</strong> world.<br />
48
EXAMPLE 6.1 measures 1-4<br />
Luce begins on an anacrusis with an ascending chromatic scale leading to a tremelo. This<br />
opening motive is repeated three times with each repetition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> scale <strong>the</strong> tremelo rises in<br />
increments <strong>of</strong> a half-step. Both <strong>the</strong> left and right hand <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> accompaniment are written in <strong>the</strong><br />
treble clef (Example 6.1.) The dynamic marking is forte – fortissimo- sforzando for each <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
three scale patterns.<br />
EXAMPLE 6.2 measure 5-6<br />
The dynamic is suddenly reduced to pianissimo (example 6.2) as <strong>the</strong> voice enters on<br />
“Luce...luce mia” (“light...my light.”) The accompaniment is rhythmically active with harp-like<br />
arpeggiated chords heard above an E-flat pedal point. The dynamic marking for <strong>the</strong> voice<br />
entrance is piano and <strong>the</strong> performer should maintain a good legato line, in contrast to <strong>the</strong> active<br />
49
hythmic accompaniment. The rhythmic pattern <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> accompaniment changes with each new<br />
description <strong>of</strong> how <strong>the</strong> light illuminates <strong>the</strong> world. The vocal line is doubled in <strong>the</strong> inner voice <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> accompaniment. The final phrase <strong>of</strong> section A, “luce che addolcisci il cuore...” (“light that<br />
soo<strong>the</strong>s <strong>the</strong> heart...”) is accompanined by cascading chromatic arpeggios.<br />
EXAMPLE 6.3 measures 14-15<br />
The rhythmic texture <strong>of</strong> “Amore mio, la luce palpita e danza nel cuor della mia vita”<br />
(“My love <strong>the</strong> light pulses and dances in heart <strong>of</strong> my life”), composed <strong>of</strong> triplet subdivisions in<br />
<strong>the</strong> vocal line and blocked chords in <strong>the</strong> accompaniment, assists <strong>the</strong> performer in establishing <strong>the</strong><br />
feeling <strong>of</strong> anelante (yearning) needed to deliver this phrase (expample 6.3). As <strong>the</strong> voice finishes<br />
<strong>the</strong> phrases that conclude in measures 20 and 23 respectively, <strong>the</strong>re is a fermata with <strong>the</strong> word<br />
corta (short) written above it. Both performer and accompanist should acknowledge this short<br />
pause, which allows <strong>the</strong> previous chord to dissapate before a new harmonic color is introduced<br />
with <strong>the</strong> text “Il Ciel si schiude... I venti follegiano...Il riso risuona sulla Terra!...” (“The<br />
Heavens are open... <strong>the</strong> winds exclaim <strong>the</strong> laughter resounding upon <strong>the</strong> earth!...”) The<br />
resounding laughter is illustrated rhythmically in <strong>the</strong> accompaniment with a flourishing arpeggio<br />
that is immediately followed by a whole tone <strong>the</strong>n half tone turn played in <strong>the</strong> left hand.<br />
50
EXAMPLE 6.4 measures 24-25<br />
The accompaniment is more rhythmically active in Section C (example 6.3) as <strong>the</strong><br />
harmonic texture becomes more dense as it describes <strong>the</strong> flutter <strong>of</strong> butterfly wings “Le farfalle<br />
aprono le loro ali” (“<strong>the</strong> butterflies open <strong>the</strong>ir wings in a sea <strong>of</strong> light.”) The accompaniment is<br />
raised into <strong>the</strong> upper half <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> piano’s range with both <strong>the</strong> left and right hands written in <strong>the</strong><br />
treble clef, signifying <strong>the</strong> mid-air flight <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> butterflies. The accompaniment returns to its<br />
regular division <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> left hand in <strong>the</strong> bass clef and <strong>the</strong> right hand in <strong>the</strong> treble clef on <strong>the</strong> words<br />
“in una gloria di luce” (“to <strong>the</strong> glory <strong>of</strong> light.”) This last phrase is <strong>the</strong>n echoed in <strong>the</strong><br />
accompaniment as one imagines <strong>the</strong> butterflies spreading <strong>the</strong>ir wings as lilies and jasmine open<br />
in full bloom to greet and absorb <strong>the</strong> warm energy <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> light.<br />
EXAMPLE 6.5 measures 32-33<br />
Section D (example 6.5) returns our attention towards heaven with <strong>the</strong> words “Ad ogni<br />
nube la luce si frange in polvere d’oro di gemma” (“On <strong>the</strong> fringe <strong>of</strong> every cloud <strong>the</strong> light places<br />
dust <strong>of</strong> gold and jewels…”) The vocal line is doubled in <strong>the</strong> right hand <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> accompaniment. In<br />
51
measure 34 <strong>the</strong> vocal direction <strong>of</strong> appassionato (passionately) is written above “Amore<br />
mio…Amore mio…” (“My love…My love…”) accompanied by <strong>the</strong> ascending four-note<br />
chromatic motive from <strong>the</strong> opening, now rhythmically broaden to dotted quarter notes. In<br />
measure 36, <strong>the</strong> voice begins, “la letizia stende di foglia in foglia in una gioia sconfinata”<br />
(“Spreading happiness leaf upon leaf in boundless joy”), in <strong>the</strong> middle range<br />
EXAMPLE 6.6 measures 42-43<br />
The vocal line ascends steadily by half steps, prior to an ecstatic leap <strong>of</strong> a fourth “e un<br />
immenso” (“and boundless”) to <strong>the</strong> first climax on high B-flat in measure 43 (example 6.6.)<br />
Immediately <strong>the</strong> performer must prepare for <strong>the</strong> second climatic phrase “giubilo invade il<br />
mondo” (“shouts <strong>of</strong> joy flood <strong>the</strong> earth”) that ends on a sustained high A natural that descends to<br />
G on <strong>the</strong> word “mondo” (world.) The lirica concludes as it began, in <strong>the</strong> key <strong>of</strong> E-flat major. The<br />
accompaniment incorporates <strong>the</strong> highest and lowest ranges <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> piano to signify <strong>the</strong> numerous<br />
qualities <strong>of</strong> light described in <strong>the</strong> poem. The depths <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> earth which are warmed by light are<br />
represented by an open octave pedal point on E-flat heard in <strong>the</strong> lowest range <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> piano. The<br />
light that illuminates <strong>the</strong> surface <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> world is represented by <strong>the</strong> tonic chord played in <strong>the</strong><br />
middle-range <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> piano. And finally, a shimmering trill played in <strong>the</strong> upper <strong>most</strong> range <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
piano represents <strong>the</strong> brightest illumination <strong>of</strong> all that <strong>of</strong> heaven and a heart filled with love.<br />
52
CONCLUSION<br />
As one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>most</strong> important composers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Generazione dell’ottanta, Franco Alfano<br />
has been credited as <strong>the</strong> regenerator <strong>of</strong> Italian Vocal Chamber Music. The five songs presented in<br />
this treatise are evidence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> vocally expressive and impressionistic compositional quality <strong>of</strong><br />
his liriche that for too long has been neglected in English language research. The author hopes<br />
that this treatise will generate greater interest in programming, as well as fur<strong>the</strong>r research into <strong>the</strong><br />
liriche <strong>of</strong> Alfano.<br />
i Alfano’s birth certificate lists his first name as Frank, <strong>the</strong> Americanized version <strong>of</strong> Franco. Alfano would legally<br />
Italianize <strong>the</strong> spelling <strong>of</strong> his first name in 1910.<br />
ii Tosti served as <strong>the</strong> singing-master to Queen Margherita <strong>of</strong> Italy before moving to London in 1880 to become <strong>the</strong><br />
singing-master <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> royal family; a position for which he was knighted for in 1908. He composed a vast number<br />
<strong>of</strong> songs to Italian, English and French texts, many <strong>of</strong> which were quite popular during <strong>the</strong> Victorian era.<br />
iii Famous advertising slogan: “When E.F. Hutton speaks, people listen”<br />
iv Elgar began his career as a violinist and dominated <strong>the</strong> British music scene for <strong>the</strong> first three decades <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 20 th<br />
century.<br />
v The English translation for <strong>the</strong> French term Les Apaches is <strong>the</strong> Hooligans. The group consists <strong>of</strong> French musicians,<br />
writers, poets and artists and was formed aroung 1900. The group caused some controversy when <strong>the</strong>y rallied behind<br />
and supported Debussy following <strong>the</strong> premiere <strong>of</strong> his opera Pelléas et Mélisande.<br />
vi The veristic composers Cilea and Giordano were alumni <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Conservatorio di San Pietro a Majella.<br />
vii Cilea’s <strong>most</strong> successful opera Adriana Lecouvreur remains in <strong>the</strong> repertoire <strong>of</strong> many opera houses today. The<br />
famous aria “Io sono l’umile ancella” from Adriana Lecouvreur is a standard encore presentation for many operatic<br />
sopranos. Enrico Caruso is credited with helping to establish Cilea as a prominent Italian operatic composer <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Giovane Scuola (‘young school’) with his rendition <strong>of</strong> ‘È la solita storia’ (Federico’s “Lament”) from his opera<br />
L’arlesiana<br />
viii Giordano’s <strong>most</strong> famous operas are Andrea Chénier and Fedora.<br />
ix Leoncavallo worked as a librettist with Puccini for his opera Manon Lescaut. As a composer his only operatic<br />
success was <strong>the</strong> one act opera Pagliacci.<br />
x Martucci a composer <strong>of</strong> chamber music; 2 symphonies; songs and an oratorio began his career as a concert pianist.<br />
He taught at <strong>the</strong> Naples Conservatory from 1880-86, when he left to become director <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Bologna Conservatory<br />
from 1886-1902. While in Bologna he conducted <strong>the</strong> premiere <strong>of</strong> Wagner’s Tristan. His life came full circle when<br />
he left Bologna to become director <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Naples Conservatory, a post he held until 1909.<br />
xi The Mannheim School was a group <strong>of</strong> composers that served at <strong>the</strong> court <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Elector Palatine Carl Theodor at<br />
Mannheim, who contributed to <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> pre-Classical symphony. They formed what was at <strong>the</strong> time<br />
<strong>the</strong> largest orchestra in Europe.<br />
xii The Italian title <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> opera is La fonte di Enschir. When G. Ricordi & Co. refused to publish <strong>the</strong> score, <strong>the</strong> opera<br />
received is premiere in Breslau under <strong>the</strong> An den Quellen Enschir. The opera <strong>most</strong> have achieved some success in<br />
Germany because G. Ricordi & Co eventually published an Italian <strong>edition</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> work.<br />
xiii Alfano was introduced to Luigu Illica by Dr. Samarelli, a friend and fellow Neapolitan. It was Illica who<br />
introduced Alfano to Giulio Ricordi.<br />
xiv Gian Carlo Menotti based his opera, The Consul, on an article published in <strong>the</strong> New York Times on 12 February<br />
1947, entitled Immigrant: A Suicide.<br />
xv Mary Garden was responsible for introducing <strong>the</strong> music <strong>of</strong> Alfano to <strong>the</strong> American public when she convinced <strong>the</strong><br />
Chicago Opera Company to premiere Resurrection on 31 December 1925. Magda Olivero, Olivia Stapp and<br />
Virginia Zeani have also performed <strong>the</strong> role <strong>of</strong> Katiusha. These ladies were all known for singing with vocal<br />
abandonment. Each possessed a voice <strong>of</strong> unique quality and was willing to sacrifice beauty <strong>of</strong> tone for <strong>the</strong> ultimate<br />
emotionally communicative vocalism. The aria has been commercially recorded by Garden, Olivero and Mirella<br />
Freni.<br />
xvi Verismo literally means realism. A literary movement that affected Italian opera composed at <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 19 th<br />
century and <strong>the</strong> beginning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 20 th century. The story lines usually portray rural and impoverished characters that<br />
53
are true-to-life and <strong>of</strong>ten have a strong regional character. Although Italy is credited with creating versimo opera,<br />
<strong>the</strong>re are those who believe that <strong>the</strong> first veristic opera was Bizet’s Carmen (1875) and not Mascagni’s Cavalleria<br />
rusticana (1890).<br />
xvii Bataille wanted 10,000 francs and a percentage <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> box <strong>of</strong>fice, should <strong>the</strong> opera be successful.<br />
xviii Hanau also provided <strong>the</strong> libretto for Il grillo del focolare by Riccardo Zandonai (1883-1944), after Charles<br />
Dickens’ The Cricket in <strong>the</strong> Hearth.<br />
xix Puccini’s Madama Butterfly premiered at Teatro alla Scala on 17 February 1904, nine months prior to <strong>the</strong><br />
premiere <strong>of</strong> Risurrezione.<br />
xx The music examples that are inserted here were taken from a reproduction published by Classical Vocal Reprints.<br />
That publication was <strong>the</strong>n compared to <strong>the</strong> 1944 reprinted <strong>edition</strong> <strong>of</strong> Carlo Carignani’s piano vocal score reduction<br />
<strong>of</strong> Risurrezione published by Ricordi.<br />
xxi An additional instruction con la massima calma (with maximum stillness) is given in paren<strong>the</strong>sis in <strong>the</strong> piano<br />
vocal score reduction so that <strong>the</strong> focus shifts from <strong>the</strong> noisy activity <strong>of</strong> patrons in <strong>the</strong> train station to <strong>the</strong> solitary<br />
figure <strong>of</strong> Katiusha.<br />
xxii Il principe Zilah, is a lyric drama consisting <strong>of</strong> a prologue, two acts and an epilogue. The opera based on Le<br />
prince Zilah, a romance novel written by <strong>the</strong> French literary figure, Jules Clarétie (1840-1913). The libretto was<br />
written by Luigi Illica. The opera was premiered at <strong>the</strong> Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa on 3 February 1909.<br />
xxiii Irving Schwerke (1893-1975), was a pianist and music critic who wrote for <strong>the</strong> New York Times. The above<br />
quote was taken from an article that was published in Musical Digest. The date<strong>of</strong> publication is unknown.<br />
xxiv Sanremo is <strong>the</strong> capital <strong>of</strong> Riviera dei Fiori, on <strong>the</strong> Italian Riviera. Originally named Matuzia (gift <strong>of</strong> Matuta,<br />
goddess <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sea), Sanremo is bordered on <strong>the</strong> east by Capo Verde and on <strong>the</strong> west by Capo Nero. The vacation<br />
capital was made famous in <strong>the</strong> 1800’s by Russian princesses and English barons. Noted scientist and creator <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Nobel prize, Alfred Nobel resided in a Sanremo from 1890 to his death on 10 December 1896.<br />
xxv The Partito Popolare Italiano (PPI- Italian Popular Party) was organized in 1919 by a Sicilian priest. The<br />
political party marks <strong>the</strong> entrance <strong>of</strong> Roman Catholics into <strong>the</strong> political life <strong>of</strong> Italy after being alienated following<br />
<strong>the</strong> seizure <strong>of</strong> papal lands during <strong>the</strong> Risorgimento. The party was inspired by Christian Socialist principles.<br />
xxvi The Partito Socialista Italiano (PSI) was founded in 1892 in Genoa as <strong>the</strong> Italian Workers’ Party. It formally<br />
adapted <strong>the</strong> name Italian Socialist Party in 1893.<br />
xxvii In a 1983 article that appeared in <strong>the</strong> New York Times famed German Soprano Elizabeth Schwarzkopf (1915-<br />
2006) made <strong>the</strong> following statement in response to her affiliation to <strong>the</strong> Nazi Party during World War II: “We<br />
thought nothing <strong>of</strong> it. We just did it. It was akin to joining a union, and exactly for <strong>the</strong> same reason: to have a job.”<br />
xxviii Dr. Sciannameo is <strong>the</strong> Distinguished Scholar in Multidisciplinary Studies and Interim Director <strong>of</strong> Bachelor <strong>of</strong><br />
Humanities & Art and Bachelor <strong>of</strong> Science & Art programs at Carnegie Mellon School <strong>of</strong> Music.<br />
xxix Cyrano de Bergerac is based on <strong>the</strong> Edmondo Rostand play <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> same name. The libretto was written by<br />
Enrico Cain with <strong>the</strong> Italian translation by Cesare Meano (whose poetry Alfano has set) and Filippo Brusa. Cyrano<br />
de Bergerac premiered at <strong>the</strong> Teatro Reale dell’Opera in Rome on 22 January 1936. Most recently <strong>the</strong> opera<br />
received its U.S. premiere at <strong>the</strong> Metropolitan Opera in New York City with Placido Domingo in <strong>the</strong> title role.<br />
xxx The term was coined by Massimo Mila, a music historian and critic. It denotes <strong>the</strong> group <strong>of</strong> Italian composers<br />
that were born between 1875 and 1885. The group included Casella, Malipiero, Respighi, Zandonai and Pizzetti.<br />
Each in <strong>the</strong>ir individual way, some more radically than o<strong>the</strong>rs, broaden <strong>the</strong> musical consciousness <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Italian<br />
people by creating a new Nationalistic style <strong>of</strong> Italian music that incorporated vocal, instrumental, and symphonic<br />
compositions.<br />
xxxi When Alfano uses <strong>the</strong> word “lyric” it is with reference to <strong>the</strong> words he set to music, as in song lyrics in popular<br />
music.<br />
xxxii Doubling <strong>the</strong> vocal line in open octaves in <strong>the</strong> lower voices <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> accompaniment is a stylistic trait attributed to<br />
Giacomo Puccini.<br />
xxxiii Les Six was a group <strong>of</strong> six French composers working in <strong>the</strong> Montparnasse district <strong>of</strong> Paris in <strong>the</strong> 1920’s. Their<br />
music was primarily a reaction against Wagnerism and Impressionism. The group was given <strong>the</strong>ir name by Cocteau.<br />
xxxiv Wien also published a number <strong>of</strong> Alfano’s instrumental and chamber works, including his Quartetto in re per<br />
due violini, viola e violoncello composed in 1918.<br />
54
APPENDIX<br />
ART SONG CATALOGUE<br />
The following numbered list <strong>of</strong> art songs is arranged chronologically. Sets <strong>of</strong> songs are<br />
listed in <strong>the</strong> order indicated by <strong>the</strong> composer or publisher. The individual song <strong>of</strong> a set<br />
has a letter to indicate that it is a subdivision <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> main entry.<br />
Unfortunately, none <strong>of</strong> Alfano’s songs are currently available in printed publication.<br />
During <strong>the</strong> process <strong>of</strong> researching materials for this treatise, <strong>the</strong> author acquired <strong>the</strong> last<br />
printed publication <strong>of</strong> <strong>most</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> songs. O<strong>the</strong>rs were acquired from libraries or private<br />
sources. If available this appendix will list <strong>the</strong> libraries where specific songs can be found<br />
or state that <strong>the</strong> location is unknown.<br />
The annotations consist <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> following information:<br />
TITLE<br />
POET, when more <strong>the</strong>n one poet is used within a set <strong>of</strong> songs, <strong>the</strong> poet is<br />
listed after <strong>the</strong> title <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> individual song<br />
PUBLISHER and EDITION (when given)<br />
PUBLICATION DATE (publisher and copyright date, or collection<br />
number (#))<br />
DATE OF COMPOSITION, if differs from Publication Date<br />
DEDICATION, if to a specific individual (patron, singer or friend)<br />
KEY (tonality or lack <strong>of</strong> tonality)<br />
RANGE <strong>of</strong> vocal line<br />
METER SIGNATURE<br />
TEMPO INDICATION (as indicated by <strong>the</strong> composer)<br />
LENGTH in pages<br />
DIFFICULTY LEVELS for<br />
(1) Vocal line<br />
(2) Piano score<br />
VOICE TYPE(s)<br />
MOOD (and/or subject) <strong>of</strong> song<br />
VOCAL LINE (description and character)<br />
SPECIAL DIFFICULTIES, if any<br />
LOCATION, gives <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> library or libraries where one may obtain <strong>the</strong><br />
music<br />
RECORDING, if commercially recorded<br />
Any in<strong>complete</strong> annotations are due to <strong>the</strong> fact that <strong>the</strong> author was unable to acquire a copy <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> song through libraries or commercial music publication sources.<br />
54
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS<br />
accomp. = accompani(ment)(ed)<br />
anon. = anonymous<br />
© = copyright<br />
cmp. = composed<br />
comp. = compliled<br />
Diff = difficulty<br />
V = voice (V/d)<br />
P = piano (P/d)<br />
ed. = <strong>edition</strong>/editor<br />
m = minor<br />
M = Major<br />
maj = major key<br />
meas. = measure<br />
min = minor key<br />
orig. = original/originally<br />
pub. = published/publisher<br />
recit. = recitative<br />
Tess. = tessitura<br />
trans. = translated/translator<br />
Difficulty Level Indication:<br />
m<br />
md<br />
d<br />
dd<br />
= medium<br />
= moderately difficult<br />
= difficult<br />
= very difficult<br />
Octave Placement Indication:<br />
C-B = (great octave, bass clef)<br />
c-b = (small octave, bass clef)<br />
c'-b' = (first octave, treble clef)<br />
c"-b" = (second octave, treble clef)<br />
c"'-b"' = (third octave, treble clef)<br />
NOTE: c' is middle c<br />
Tessitura & Key Indication:<br />
HH = very high<br />
H = high<br />
mH = moderately high<br />
M = medium<br />
mL = moderately low<br />
L = low<br />
LL = very low<br />
1. Cinq Mélodies, op. 1. Ed. Hug,<br />
Zürich 1896.<br />
a. Sonnet – Quand par un jour de<br />
pluie (Alfred de Musset)<br />
b. Pourquoi! – Pourquoi réveille-tu<br />
(Lamartine)<br />
c. Rondeau – Fut-il jamais douceur<br />
(Alfred de Musset)<br />
d. Envoi à *** - Roses et papillons<br />
(Victor Hugo)<br />
e. Sonnet – Je vous ai vue enfant<br />
(Alfred de Musset)<br />
Location: unknown<br />
2. Deux mélodies; Ed. Quizard 1900<br />
Location: unknown<br />
3. Felicità *(Francesco Pastonchi).<br />
cmp1914 G. Ricordi & Co., Milano<br />
123621 © 1936, reprinted in 1953,<br />
copyright renewed 1963, reissued in<br />
1979 as no. 1 <strong>of</strong> Tre liriche. Bmaj; c-<br />
sharp'-f-sharp"; Tess-M; 6/8;<br />
Largamente, ma molto elastico; 4pp;<br />
Diff-V/m, P/d<br />
For: soprano, mezzo soprano, tenor<br />
Mood: tranquil, wistful<br />
Voice: conjunct, wide leaps, speech rhythms<br />
Piano: arpeggiated chords, blocked chords,<br />
impressionistic<br />
Diff: ability to color <strong>the</strong> voice, balanced<br />
coordination between voice and<br />
piano<br />
55
Location: University <strong>of</strong> Alberta, Canada<br />
4. Tre Poemi di Rabindranath<br />
Tagore da “Il Giardiniere.” (Three<br />
Poems <strong>of</strong> Rabindranath Tagore from<br />
“The Gardner”.) cmp1921. “Alla<br />
memoria di Maria Pedrazzi.” (“In<br />
memory <strong>of</strong> Maria Pedrazzi.”) G.<br />
Ricordi & Co., ©1919, 117480-(A).<br />
Version for voice and orchestra<br />
1930. “Il Giardiniere” with<br />
authorization <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> editor/translator<br />
G. Carabra di Lanciano (Abruzzi).<br />
Reprint: Classical Vocal Reprints,<br />
Catalog No. CVR 3255. Italian Text.<br />
Original Keys; d'-g"; Tess-m-mH;<br />
4/4, 6/8; varied tempos; 20pp; Diff-<br />
V/d, P/d.<br />
For: soprano or mezzo soprano<br />
Mood: various facets <strong>of</strong> love<br />
Voice: conjunct, some skips and leaps,<br />
chromaticism; some mono-syllabic;<br />
recit.-like; syllabic with some two<br />
note slurs; triplets and sextuplets;<br />
varying dynamic levels; some<br />
dramatic outbursts<br />
Piano: various accomp styles, rhythmic,<br />
incl. after beat, rolled chords, some<br />
blocked chords, pianistic, solid<br />
technique in solo literature<br />
demanded<br />
Diff: requires dramatic and descriptive<br />
skill, some enharmonics, rhythm,<br />
ensemble, for advanced musician<br />
and mature singer<br />
Location: Piano/vocal score: University <strong>of</strong><br />
North Carolina, Greensboro<br />
Orchestral score: Newberry<br />
Library; Cornell University<br />
Rec: Liriche da Tagore: Songs <strong>of</strong><br />
Rabindranath, Nuova Era<br />
a. Mamma, il giovane Principe.<br />
(128167); Emaj; d'-g"; 4/4, 6/4;<br />
Mosso (ma flexible); 11pp.<br />
b. Egli mormorò: “Amor mio,<br />
alza tuoi occhi (128168); Emaj;<br />
d'-g"; 4/4, 2/4, 6/4; Calmo; 4 pp.<br />
c. Parlami amor mio. 1 (128169);<br />
French trans. Louis de Morsier.<br />
Gmaj; d'-e"; 6/8, 3/8; Lento e con<br />
dolce languore; 5 pp.<br />
5. Sei lirche di autori diversi. G.<br />
Ricordi & Co., Milano 1925<br />
For: soprano, tenor<br />
Mood: sensual abandonment<br />
Voice: conjunct, leaps, needs legato,<br />
sustainability, varying dynamic<br />
Piano: pianistic, tremolos, wide finger<br />
spread, rolled chords, extreme<br />
tessitura, rhythmic 16 th note patterns<br />
Diff: chromaticism, strong ensemble, for<br />
advanced musician and mature<br />
singer<br />
Location: unknown<br />
a. Dormiveglia (Guiseppe<br />
Lipparini) (119716); “Alla<br />
Signors Agostini-Bitelli e alla<br />
Signorina D’Ajùtolo” (1921)<br />
(“To Mrs. Agostini-Bitelli and<br />
Miss. D’Ajùtolo”)<br />
b. I tuoi occhi…(F. De Lupis)<br />
(119717); “Alla Signorina<br />
Myriam Zago” (1919) (To Miss.<br />
Myriam Zago)<br />
c. Al chiarore della mattina *(F.<br />
De Lupis.) cmp.1919. G. Ricordi<br />
& Co. © 1925, 119718-22. “Al<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>. Mario Vivarelli.” (To Pr<strong>of</strong>.<br />
Mario Vivarelli) B-flat<br />
maj/Gmin; c'-a"; Tess-mH; 4/4;<br />
Molto animato (luminoso); 10pp;<br />
Diff-V/d, P/d<br />
d. Perché piangi? (F. De Lupis)<br />
(119719). “Al Gr. Uff. Tomaso<br />
Bencibenga” (1919)<br />
e. Malinconia (Lilla Lipparini)<br />
(119720); “Alla Signorina<br />
Margherita Cicognari” (1920)<br />
(To Miss Margherita Cicognari)<br />
1 This piece is available through San Francisco State<br />
University and <strong>the</strong> Milwaukee County Federated<br />
Library Systems<br />
56
f. Non partire, amor mio<br />
(Rabindranath Tagore) (119721)<br />
“Alla Signorina Mafalda Favero”<br />
(1922) (To Miss Mafalda Favero)<br />
6. Vocalise-Études pour voix élevées<br />
(Neapolis) Alphonse Leduc, Paris<br />
1928/Hettich<br />
Location: unknown<br />
7. Tre liriche/Drei Gesänge di<br />
Tagore. “Alla gentile Signora Lia<br />
Jolco” (“To <strong>the</strong> kind Mrs. Lia<br />
Jolco”) Universal Edition, WEIN<br />
©1929 (U.E. 9683) (Drei Gesänge,<br />
Deutsch von R. S. H<strong>of</strong>fman. Carisch,<br />
Milano, for voice 1937 and orchestra<br />
1941. Assia lento; Italian and<br />
German text; original keys; c'-g#";<br />
Tess-m-mH; 4/4, 2/4; Lento,<br />
Allegretto; 15pp; Diff-V/md, P/m<br />
For: soprano, mezzo soprano<br />
Mood: mysterious, sad, melancholy,<br />
questioning<br />
Voice: conjunct, some skips and leaps,<br />
repeated notes; mono-syllabic, recit.-<br />
like, 16 th -note triplet figure; some<br />
dramatic outbursts; dynamics<br />
Piano: repeated eighth-note pattern in left<br />
hand; blocked chords; some doubling<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> vocal line; five-note chords<br />
Diff:<br />
communication <strong>of</strong> text; middle voice<br />
singing; slow tempo; some<br />
compound rhythms<br />
Location: University <strong>of</strong> Arizona; University<br />
<strong>of</strong> Colorado at Boulder;<br />
Northwestern University; SUNY<br />
at Buffalo; Kunitachi College <strong>of</strong><br />
Music (Tokyo, Japan.) Wien,<br />
Universal-Edition: University <strong>of</strong><br />
North Carolina, Greensboro,<br />
Carnegie Library <strong>of</strong> Pittsburgh;<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Wisconsin,<br />
Madison; University <strong>of</strong> Auckland<br />
(New Zealand.) Orchestral Score<br />
is housed at <strong>the</strong> Eastman School<br />
<strong>of</strong> Music<br />
a. Perchè, allo spuntar del<br />
giorno/Warum kam in des<br />
Abends Dämmern.... (Alla<br />
gentile Signora Lia Jolco (Torino<br />
1928)” (“To <strong>the</strong> kind Mrs. Lia<br />
Jolco”) Cmin; c'-g"; 4/4, 2/4;<br />
Assai lento; 5pp.<br />
b. Finisci L’ultimo canto/ Dein<br />
letztes Lied.... “A Graziella<br />
Valle” (“To Graziella Valle”)<br />
Cmaj/Emin; c'-g#"; 4/4, 6/4;<br />
Lento e grave; 4pp.<br />
c. Giorno per giorno/Tag für Tag.<br />
“A Nenné Vivarelli” (cmp1928<br />
at Bordighera); this piece was<br />
also arranged as an arietta for<br />
violoncello and piano. Carisch<br />
S.A., Milano 1941 (C. 19827)<br />
Amaj; e'-g"; 2/4; allegretto<br />
semplice; 6pp.<br />
8. Messaggio (<strong>Domenico</strong> de Paoli,<br />
from <strong>the</strong> Greek <strong>of</strong> Nossi). cmp1932.<br />
G. Ricordi & C., Milano (© 1936,<br />
reprinted 1953, © renewed 1963,<br />
reprinted 1993 as no. 2 <strong>of</strong> Tre<br />
liriche: h 123622) Emin.; e'-g"; Tessm;<br />
4/4, 2/4, Lento, non troppo; 3pp;<br />
Diff-V/m, P/m.<br />
For: all voice types<br />
Mood: love song<br />
Voice: melody disjunct, vocal line<br />
sometimes double in inner voice <strong>of</strong><br />
piano accompaniment, monosyllabic.<br />
Piano: block chords, some fingering<br />
indications, extreme range<br />
Diff: triplet figure, changing meters, use<br />
<strong>of</strong> sotto voce.<br />
Location: University <strong>of</strong> Alberta, Canada<br />
9. Vecchia ninna-nanna partenopea<br />
or Antica ninna-nanna Partenopea<br />
(anonymous) (harmonized by Alfano<br />
cmp1935). G. Ricordi & Co., Milano<br />
1936 (no.3 <strong>of</strong> Tre liriche; n. ed.<br />
57
123623). Gmin (modal quality); g'-<br />
d"; Tess-m; 2/4; 3pp; Diff-V/m,<br />
P/md<br />
For: all voice types<br />
Mood: threatening lullaby<br />
Voice: conjunct, some skips, some<br />
disonance, identical melody line for<br />
each two-line verse<br />
Piano: accompaniment changes thorughout,<br />
block chords, extreme reach and<br />
range, arpeggiated chord, some<br />
dissonance<br />
Diff: text written in old Neapolitan dialect,<br />
phrasing between singing and<br />
accompaniment are not always<br />
insinct<br />
Location: Oberlin College; Kuntitachi<br />
College <strong>of</strong> Music<br />
10. Nuove liriche Tagoriane 2<br />
(Rabindranath Tagore Il giardiniere)<br />
“Alla Signora Graziella Gazzera<br />
Valle” (To Mrs. Graziella Gazzera<br />
Valle) G. Ricordi & C., Milano<br />
1936; orchestral version 1938<br />
For: medium voice<br />
Mood: anticipation; calm, inquisitive;<br />
frustration, longing.<br />
Voice: conjunct; some skips and leaps;<br />
parlando singing; long tones on c",<br />
e b ", and a".<br />
Piano: eighth-note motion dominates l.h.,<br />
two-note rolled chords in r.h., threenote<br />
chords in r.h., blocked chords,<br />
sustained note with eighth-note<br />
motion above it<br />
Diff: ensemble; strict adherence to<br />
dynamic markings; speech rhythms,<br />
interpretation; strong middle voice;<br />
repeated leap <strong>of</strong> maj 7th that is<br />
sustained longer with each repetition.<br />
Location: University <strong>of</strong> Colorado at<br />
Boulder; University <strong>of</strong> Kansas;<br />
Oberlin College; University <strong>of</strong><br />
2 The orchestral score is held at <strong>the</strong> Newberry Library<br />
in Chicago.<br />
Alberta (Canada); University <strong>of</strong><br />
British Columbia (Canada);<br />
Ferris University (Michigan);<br />
Kuntachi College <strong>of</strong> Music<br />
(Tokyo, Japan) 3<br />
a. Perché siedi là (123618). Emin;<br />
b # '-e"; Tess-mL; 4/4, Moderato<br />
(in 4), quarter-note =116-120;<br />
Diff-V/m, P/m.<br />
b. Non nascondere il secreto del<br />
tuo cuore 4 (123619) .<br />
Cmin; c'-g"; Tess-mL; 9/8, 12/8,<br />
Lentamente (in 9), eighth-note =<br />
63; Diff-V/m, P/m.<br />
c. Corro come il cervo muschiato<br />
(123620). Dmaj; e'-b b "; TessmH;<br />
¾, Molto allegro (in1)<br />
dotted half-note=66; Diff-V/md,<br />
P/md.<br />
11. Giorno per giorno, arietta for<br />
violoncello and piano. Carisch S.A.,<br />
Milano 1941 (C. 19827)<br />
12. É giunto il nostro ultimo autumno<br />
(Miranda Bona) “A Giorgio<br />
Faravetto (recte: Favaretto)”. G.<br />
Ricordi & C., Milano 1943 (n. ed.<br />
125532). Gmin; d' -a"; Tess-mH;<br />
6/8, Lentamente; ancòra più calmo;<br />
fervidamente; dolce e molto<br />
espressivo; 9pp; Duration: approx. 6<br />
min; Diff-V/d, P/d<br />
For: soprano or tenor<br />
Mood: melancholy, reminiscent, optimistic<br />
Voice: parlando singing, sustained notes,<br />
skips and leaps, chromaticism,<br />
repeated notes, rarely conjunct,<br />
dramatic places<br />
Piano: eighth-note motion dominates; threenote<br />
chords in r.h. with tremolo in<br />
l.h., extension <strong>of</strong> finger position,<br />
3 Only <strong>the</strong> third song <strong>of</strong> this group Corro come il<br />
cervo muschiato is available at <strong>the</strong> above listed<br />
locations.<br />
4 This piece is available through <strong>the</strong> Milwaukee<br />
County Federated Library System<br />
58
locked chords, three staves writing,<br />
altered chords, arpeggiated chords,<br />
tremolo<br />
Diff: maintaining ensemble; tempo<br />
marking vary throughout;<br />
maintaining consistent pulse against<br />
rhythmic fluctuations <strong>of</strong><br />
accompaniment; mood fluctuates<br />
Location: University <strong>of</strong> Alberta, Canada;<br />
Kunitachi College <strong>of</strong> Music,<br />
Tokyo, Japan<br />
13. Tre Nuovi Poemi 1939. G. Ricordi<br />
& C., Milano 1943, reprinted 1949<br />
For: soprano<br />
Mood: various moods,<br />
Voice: repeated notes, chromatic, leaps,<br />
disjunct, triplets, chromatic, dramatic<br />
outbursts<br />
Piano: some blocked chords, rhythmic<br />
Diff: rhythm, chromaticism, intervallic<br />
skips<br />
Location: Melodia only: San Francisco<br />
State University; Oberlin<br />
College; Aichi Arts Center;<br />
Kunitachi College <strong>of</strong> Music;<br />
Mityazaki Educational<br />
Institution, Japan; Ferris<br />
University<br />
a. Ninna-nanna di mezzanotte (C.<br />
Meano) (125747). “Alla Signora<br />
Mlada Meano Lipovetzka.”<br />
Bmaj; d # '-b b "; 3/4; Lento;<br />
5 pp.<br />
b. Melodía * 1936, (C. Meano)<br />
(125748); “Alla Contesta Aida<br />
Bragadin.” Emaj; e'-g # "; 6/8;<br />
Largo, alquanto elastico; 4pp<br />
c. Preghiera alla Madonna * (L.<br />
Orsini) (125749). Fmaj; c'-a";<br />
4/4, 2/4, 6/8; animato; 11pp<br />
14. Due canti napoletani for voice and<br />
orchestra (Alberto Colantuoni) 1944<br />
© Suvini Zerboni, Milano, 1946 (s.z.<br />
4131); 7pp.<br />
For: soprano, tenor<br />
Mood: light<br />
Voice: rhythmic, some leaps<br />
Piano: blocked chords, syncopation, some<br />
arpeggiated chords, rhythmic<br />
Diff: easy<br />
Location: University <strong>of</strong> Central Florida;<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Colorado at<br />
Boulder; Texas A&M<br />
University; University <strong>of</strong> Iowa;<br />
Harvard University. Piano Vocal<br />
Score: Grinnell College;<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Maryland at<br />
College Park; SUNY at Buffalo;<br />
University <strong>of</strong> North Texas;<br />
University <strong>of</strong> British Columbia<br />
a. Nennella 1946, (Alberto<br />
Colantuoni) (S. 4178 Z.) D-flat<br />
maj; d b '-a b "; Tess-mH; 6/8;<br />
moderato; strophic; 2pp<br />
b. Assunta 1946, (Alberto<br />
Colantuoni). Amin; a'- g"; TessmH;<br />
2/4; Allegro con spirito;<br />
strophic; 4pp<br />
15. Tre liriche. cmp1943. (Mirando<br />
Bona) Suvini Zerboni, Milano 1946<br />
(s. 4262 z.); for mezzo soprano and<br />
orchestra; Milano 1948 (s. 4410 z.);<br />
D-flat maj/B-flat min tonal abiquity;<br />
many altered chords; Tess-mL, mH;<br />
compound meters; slow tempo for all<br />
three; 11.5min; Diff-V/d,P/d; 16pp.<br />
For: mezzo-soprano<br />
Mood: new love; weariness; suplication<br />
Voice: conjunct, use <strong>of</strong> repeated notes, some<br />
skips, chromaticism, mono-syllabic,<br />
take care to read text away from<br />
music score due to some odd<br />
accentuations<br />
Piano: triple staves at times, block chords,<br />
sustained pedal at times, rhythmic,<br />
repeated note in l.h. in section b,<br />
extreme arpeggiation, extreme use a<br />
range <strong>of</strong> piano<br />
59
Diff: fluctuation <strong>of</strong> tempo markings,<br />
varying dynamic levels,<br />
chromaticism<br />
Location: Orchestral score: Grinnell<br />
College; University <strong>of</strong> Iowa;<br />
Sou<strong>the</strong>rn Illinois University;<br />
Harvard University; Piano/Vocal<br />
Score: University <strong>of</strong> Kansas<br />
a. Lungo la via del mare “Alla<br />
Contessa Adele Moroso Della<br />
Rocca” (“To <strong>the</strong> Contessa Adele<br />
Moroso Della Rocco”). b'-g";<br />
6/4, Largo (in 2), half-note = 40 e<br />
meno (40 or less); 3+min; 5pp.<br />
b. I miei piedi son stachi.. “Alla<br />
Signora Bianco Magnani” (“To<br />
Mrs. Bianco Magnani”). d b '-f";<br />
¾, Largo (quarter-note=46);<br />
3min; 4pp.<br />
c. Scrivimi, amor mio... (“Alla<br />
Signora Mariuccia Pigorini”)<br />
(“To Mrs. Mariuccia Pigorini).<br />
c'-g"; 6/4, 9/4, ,3/4, Larghetto<br />
(quarter-note = 80-84); 5min;<br />
5pp.<br />
16. Sette liriche. (Rabindranath Tagore<br />
except for <strong>the</strong> last song, <strong>the</strong> poet is<br />
Rilke-Errante). cmp1945 Rome.<br />
Curci Edition, Milano © 1947;<br />
renewed 1975 (e. 4422 C.)<br />
For: soprano or tenor<br />
Mood: varying degrees <strong>of</strong> love<br />
Voice: disjunct; independent <strong>of</strong><br />
accompaniment;<br />
Piano: blocked chords, rhythmic eighthnote<br />
motion mainly in l.h.; repeated<br />
sixteenth-note pattern, harp-like<br />
motion, triplet pattern in l.h.;<br />
crossover action; tremolos; six-note<br />
chord progressions<br />
Diff: compound meters, rhythms;<br />
phrasing; breath control, ensemble<br />
Location: SUNY at Buffalo; Kunitachi<br />
College <strong>of</strong> Music<br />
a. Si addensano le nubi…(R.<br />
Tagore) (E. 4422 C.) b b '-a b ";<br />
4/4,6/4, Grave (quarter-note =<br />
56-58); 4pp.<br />
b. Venne e mi sedette accanto…<br />
(R. Tagore) (E. 4423 C.) e b '-g";<br />
4/4, Mosso (quarter-note =132);<br />
6pp.<br />
c. Scendesti dal tuo trono… (R.<br />
Tagore) (E. 4424 C.) d'-f#"; ¾,<br />
4/4, Lento (quarter-note = 92),<br />
when voice enters: Più Lento<br />
(quarter-note = 88); 4pp.<br />
d. Se taci… (R. Tagore) ( E. 4425<br />
C.) c'-g#"; 6/4, 9/4, Lentamente<br />
(quarter-note=84); 4pp.<br />
e. Non so… (R. Tagore) (E. 4426<br />
C.) d'-a b "; 4/4, Tranquillo; 6pp.<br />
f. Non hai udito i suoi passi…<br />
((R. Tagore) (E. 4427 C. ) d#'-<br />
a b "; 4/4,6/4, Lento; 6pp.<br />
g. La notte e l’anima (Rilke- trans.<br />
Errante) (E. 4428 C.) d b '-a b ";<br />
Lento, non troppo (quarternote=50<br />
circa); 2/4; 4pp.<br />
Location: SUNY at Buffalo; Kunitachi<br />
College <strong>of</strong> Music Library<br />
(Tokyo, Japan)<br />
17. Cinque Nuove Liriche Tagoriane<br />
(Rabindranath Tagore da Gitaniali<br />
(Songs <strong>of</strong> Offerings))”Alla gentile<br />
signora ANNA BACCHELLI” (To<br />
<strong>the</strong> gentle Mrs. Anna Bacchelli.)<br />
cmp1947. Ed. G. Ricordi & Co.,<br />
Milano © 1948 (n.ed. 127653)<br />
For: mezzo soprano<br />
Mood: various degrees <strong>of</strong> love<br />
Voice: disjunct, leaps and skips; meter<br />
changes, triplet figures; fluctuating<br />
tempo markings, difficult rhythms;<br />
dynamics; ability to color <strong>the</strong> voice<br />
Piano: fingering indication, rhythmic,<br />
independent <strong>of</strong> vocal line, triplet<br />
figures, syncopation, some two-note<br />
harmonies, some blocked chords, use<br />
<strong>of</strong> extreme ranges <strong>of</strong> piano, broken<br />
chords, arpeggiated chords; degree<br />
<strong>of</strong> skill needed<br />
60
Diff: compound meters, rhythms; phrasing<br />
Location: San Francisco State University;<br />
Eastern New Mexico University;<br />
Cornell University; SUNY at<br />
Buffalo; Aichi Arts Center Public<br />
Library (Higashi-Ku, Japan)<br />
a. Sì, lo so…d'-g"; 2/4, 4/4, 6/4,<br />
Calmo (quarter-note = 69-72);<br />
4pp.<br />
b. Cogli, prendi questo fiorellino.<br />
c'-e"; 4/4, Larghetto, (quarternote<br />
=63-66); 3pp.<br />
c. Tu sei in cielo. b b '-g b "; 3/4,<br />
Lento non troppo, quarternote=80,<br />
voice enters Largo,<br />
quarter-note=58; 4pp.<br />
d. Colsi il tuo fiore, o mondo! b b '-<br />
e b "; 3/4, 5/4, Lento e triste,<br />
quarter-note=58-60; 2pp.<br />
e. Il mio cuore, uccel del<br />
deserto… d'-a b "; 3/4 Allegretto<br />
moderato (elastico) quarternote=144-152;<br />
4pp.<br />
18. Luce (Rabindranath Tagore) for<br />
voice and orchestra (soprano or<br />
tenor) Suvini Zerboni, Milano 1948<br />
(S. 4424 Z.). “Sole Selling Agent” in<br />
<strong>the</strong> United States was Boosey &<br />
Hawkes, Inc. for <strong>the</strong> orchestral<br />
score.Piano and Vocal reduction (S.<br />
4425 Z). Tonality fluctuates between<br />
E-flat major and Cmin tonality; e b '-<br />
b b "; Tess-H; 4/4, 2/4, 12/8, Mosso<br />
(quarter-note = 104 and more); 6pp;<br />
duration <strong>of</strong> approx. 3 minutes; V/dd,<br />
P/dd.<br />
For: soprano or tenor<br />
Mood: e<strong>the</strong>real<br />
Voice: disjunct, many skips and leaps;<br />
irregular changing meters, triplet<br />
figures, duple figures; long phrases<br />
Piano: rapid scales, doubling <strong>of</strong> vocal line<br />
rare, broken chords, arpeggiated<br />
chords, and four-voiced chordal<br />
texture, tremelos, cross-hands, very<br />
rhythmic, thirty second-note patterns<br />
mainly in r.h., some blocked chords,<br />
sixteenth-note patterns mainly in l.h.,<br />
extreme use <strong>of</strong> range, syncopation;<br />
great skill and sensitivity are needed<br />
Diff: pitch, rhythm, use <strong>of</strong> sotto voce,<br />
ensemble; requires dramatic skill,<br />
interpretation; for an advanced<br />
musician and mature singer<br />
Location: Orchestral score: Harvard<br />
University, University <strong>of</strong> British<br />
Columbia; Piano/Vocal score:<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Texas at Austin<br />
19. Due liriche for voice, cello and<br />
piano Suvini Zerboni, Milano 1949<br />
(S. 4513 Z.)<br />
a. Preludio primaverile (Luisa<br />
Cevidalli-Cavalieri)<br />
b. Il giorno non è più… (Tagore)<br />
Location: unknown<br />
61
Articles<br />
BIBLIOGRAPHY<br />
Gattti, Guido M.; Theodore Baker, translation. “Franco Alfano,” Musical Quarterly, Vol. 9, No.<br />
4 (October, 1923): 556-577.<br />
Gatti, Guido M. “Some Italian Composers <strong>of</strong> Today. II. Franco Alfano (Continued),” Musical<br />
Times, Vol. 62, No. 937 (March 1921): 158-161.<br />
Gervais, Terrence White, “An Italian Musical Renascence,” Music & Letters, Vol. 27, No. 2<br />
(April 1946):108-114.<br />
Hall, Raymond, “Rome ‘Cyrano’ Premiere,” New York Times, February 23, 1936.<br />
Sciannameo, Franco. “Aspects <strong>of</strong> Alfano,” Musical Times, Winter 2002.<br />
Schwerke, Irving. “A Puccini Aide,” Musical Digest.<br />
Sen, Nabaneeta, “The “Foreign Reincarnation” <strong>of</strong> Rabindranath Tagore,” Journal <strong>of</strong> Asian<br />
Studies, Vol. 25, No. 2 (February 1966), 275-286<br />
Viagora, G. “Franco Alfano: An Interview,” Musical Courier, August 25, 1927.<br />
“An Opera and Mary Garden,” Boston Evening Transcript, February 6, 1926.<br />
Books<br />
Berrong, Richard. Grammar and Translation for <strong>the</strong> Italian Libretto. New York: Excalibur<br />
Publishing, 1996.<br />
Dryden, Konrad Claude. “Franco Alfano and Risurrezione.” Master’s Thesis, California State<br />
University, 1996.<br />
Dutta, Krishna and Andrew Robinson, editors. Selected Letters <strong>of</strong> Rabindranath Tagore.<br />
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997.<br />
Ghose, Sisrkumar. The Later Poems <strong>of</strong> Tagore. London: Asia Publishing House, 1961.<br />
Hamilton, David, ed. The Metropolitan Opera Encyclopedia. New York: Simon & Schuster,<br />
1987.<br />
Harrison, Donna Esselstyn. Poetry in Song Literature: A Handbook for Students <strong>of</strong> Singing.<br />
Sister Bay: W M Caxton Ltd. 1989.<br />
Hogan, Patrick Colm and Lalita Pandit, editors. Rabindranath Tagore: Universality and<br />
Tradition. Madison: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 2003.<br />
Holden, Amanda, Nicolas Kenyon and Stephen Walsh. The Viking Opera Guide. London:<br />
Penguin Group, 1993<br />
Kripalani, Krishna. Rabindranath Tagore: A Biography. London: Oxford University Press, 1962.<br />
Lakeway, Ruth C. and Robert C. White, Jr. Italian Art Song. Bloomington and Indianapolis:<br />
Indiana University Press, 1989.<br />
Maione, Rino. Di Musica Franco Alfano: Presagio di tempi nuovi con finale controcorrente.<br />
Milan: Rugginenti Editore, 1999.<br />
62
Naravane, Vishwanath S. An Introduction to Rabindranath Tagore. Missouri: South Asia Books,<br />
1978<br />
Rebay, Luciano, ed. Introduction <strong>of</strong> Italian Poetry: A Dual-Language Book. New York: Dover<br />
Publications, Inc., 1969.<br />
Streicher, Johannes. Ultimi Speldori: Cilea, Giordano, Alfano. Roma: Istituto Nazionale per lo<br />
Sviluppo Musicale nel Mezzogiorno, 1999.<br />
Stevens, Denis, ed. A History <strong>of</strong> Song. New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 1960.<br />
Phillips-Matz, Mary Jane. Puccini A Biography. Boston: Nor<strong>the</strong>astern University Press, 2002<br />
Slonimsky, Nicolas. Baker’s Biographical Dictionary: 20 th Century Classical Musicians. New<br />
York: Schirmer Books, 1997<br />
Scores<br />
Alfano, Franco.<br />
Tre Poemi di Rabindranath Tagore da “Il Giardiniere.” Milan: G. Ricordi & Co., 1919.<br />
La Leggenda di Sankuntala, piano vocal store reduction by Raffaele Delle Ponti. Milan:<br />
G. Ricordi & Co., 1921.<br />
Sei liriche di autori diversi. Milan: G. Ricordi & Co., 1925<br />
3. “Al chiarore della mattina…”<br />
Tre Liriche di Tagore. Wien: Universal Edition, 1929 (Drei Gesänge, Deutsch von R.S.<br />
H<strong>of</strong>fman)<br />
Tre Liriche. Milan: G. Ricordi & Co., 1936.<br />
Nuove Liriche Tagoriane. Milan: G. Ricordi & Co., 1936.<br />
Tre Nuovi Poeme. Milan: G. Ricordi & Co., 1943; reprinted 1949, 1953.<br />
È giunto il nostro ultimo autunno. G. Ricordi & Co., 1943<br />
Risurrezione, piano vocal score reduction by Carlo Carignani. Milan: G. Ricordi & Co., 1944.<br />
Due Canti Napoletani, piano vocal score. Milan: Zerboni, 1946.<br />
Tre Liriche. Milan: Zerboni, 1946<br />
Sette Liriche. Milan: Curci, 1947; renewed 1975.<br />
Cinque Nuove Liriche Tagoriane (da “Gitaniali„). Milan: G. Ricordi & Co., 1948<br />
Luce, piano vocal score reduction. Milan: Zerboni, 1948<br />
63
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH<br />
A native <strong>of</strong> Baltimore, Maryland, Luvada A. Harrison’s academic and performance background<br />
is both distinguished and varied. Undergraduate matriculation occurred at Towson State<br />
University where she received a Bachelor <strong>of</strong> Science in Vocal Music Education. After some time<br />
establishing early performing credentials, she returned to achieve a Master <strong>of</strong> Music in Vocal<br />
Performance from <strong>the</strong> well regarded opera program at Binghamton University. Most recently,<br />
she has <strong>complete</strong>d <strong>the</strong> course work and treatise requirements for a Doctorate <strong>of</strong> Music degree in<br />
Opera Performance from <strong>the</strong> College <strong>of</strong> Music at Florida State University in Tallahassee.<br />
Advanced pr<strong>of</strong>essional performance study has included <strong>the</strong> Verdiana Concorsa in<br />
Busetto, Italy sponsored by <strong>the</strong> Bel Canto Foundation <strong>of</strong> Chicago, where she studied with worldrenowned<br />
tenor, Carlo Bergonzi. As recently as summer 2004 she was a scholarship participant<br />
and performer on <strong>the</strong> Italian Art Song Program at <strong>the</strong> Barga Institute in Barga, Italy. O<strong>the</strong>r Arts<br />
in Education performances include work for <strong>the</strong> New York City Opera Company, <strong>the</strong><br />
Metropolitan Opera Guild and <strong>the</strong> “Meet <strong>the</strong> Artist” series at Lincoln Center.<br />
Top honors in Vocal Competitions sponsored by <strong>the</strong> Bel Canto Foundation <strong>of</strong> Chicago,<br />
<strong>the</strong> Mary O’Hare Vocal Competition <strong>of</strong> Washington, D.C., Opera Renaissance Guild <strong>of</strong><br />
Brooklyn, N.Y., and Baltimore Symphony Young Artists Competition are evidence <strong>of</strong> her craft<br />
and vocal prowess. Particularly noteworthy was a semi-finalist ranking in <strong>the</strong> prestigious<br />
Luciano Pavarotti/Opera Company <strong>of</strong> Philadelphia Competition.<br />
In New York City she has performed as soloist at both Carnegie Hall and Lincoln<br />
Center’s Alice Tully Hall. Her orchestral and oratorio performances encompass <strong>the</strong> ranges and<br />
styles typified by a repertory which includes: Handel’s Messiah; Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony<br />
and Missa Solemnis; Mendelssohn’s Elijah; Rossini’s Stabat Mater; Honegger’s Le Roi David;<br />
and <strong>the</strong> Requiems <strong>of</strong> Brahms, Dvorak, Mozart and Verdi. She has delighted operatic audiences<br />
with roles such as First and Second Lady in Mozart’s Magic Flute; Fiordiligi in Mozart’s Cosi<br />
fan Tutte; Lady Billows in Britten’s Albert Herring and Magda in Menotti’s The Consul. O<strong>the</strong>r<br />
roles in her repertory that highlight her vocal and <strong>the</strong>atrical gifts include Rosalinda in Strauss’s<br />
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Die Fledermaus, Verdi’s Leonora in Il Trovatore, and Aida in Aida, Maddelena in Giordano’s<br />
Andrea Chenier, Suor Agelica in Suor Angelica, and Mimi in La boheme <strong>of</strong> Puccini. She has<br />
also been heard in modern opera with performances as Mrs. Johnson in Dorothy Rudd Moore’s<br />
Frederick Douglas, and as <strong>the</strong> Mo<strong>the</strong>r in Scourge <strong>of</strong> Hyacinths by Tania Leon. Extensive<br />
national and international exposure was achieved in performances as both Serena and Clara in<br />
Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess.<br />
To fur<strong>the</strong>r highlight <strong>the</strong> breadth <strong>of</strong> Luvada Harrison’s talents, <strong>of</strong>f–Broadway patrons<br />
enjoyed her performances in Prelude and Liebstod by Tony Award winner Terrence McNally<br />
and she enjoyed broad career exposure when television audiences saw her performance as Aida<br />
in <strong>the</strong> episode entitled ‘Drama Queens’ on HBO’s unqualified smash hit Sex and <strong>the</strong> City.<br />
Ms. Harrison currently holds <strong>the</strong> position <strong>of</strong> Visiting Assistant Pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong> Voice at<br />
Florida A&M University where she taught as an adjunct pr<strong>of</strong>essor during her matriculation at<br />
Florida State University.<br />
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