Vicenzo Bellini Documental

University of Iowa
Iowa Research Online

Theses and Dissertations
2013
Developing proficiency in the tenor arias of

Vincenzo Bellini through the study and
performance of the composer's art song repertoire
James Loving Thompson
University of Iowa
Copyright 2013 James Thompson

This dissertation is available at Iowa Research Online: http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/2644
Recommended Citation
Thompson, James Loving. "Developing proficiency in the tenor arias of Vincenzo Bellini through the study and performance of the
composer's art song repertoire." DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) thesis, University of Iowa, 2013.
http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/2644.
Follow this and additional works at: http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd

Part of the Music Commons
DEVELOPING PROFICIENCY IN THE TENOR ARIAS OF VINCENZO BELLINI THROUGH THE

STUDY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE COMPOSERS ART SONG REPERTOIRE

by

An essay submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Musical Arts
degree in the Graduate College of The University of Iowa

May 2013

Essay Supervisor: Professor John Muriello
Copyright by

JAMES LOVING THOMPSON

2013

All Rights Reserved

Graduate College
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL

D.M.A. ESSAY

This is to certify that the D.M.A. essay of


has been approved by the Examining Committee for the essay requirement for the Doctor
of Musical Arts degree at the May 2013 graduation.

Essay Committee:

John Muriello, Essay Supervisor

Susan Sondrol-Jones

Rachel Joselson

Maurita Mead

Robert Bork
For Maria

ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to offer my most sincere gratitude to my committee: Dr. John Muriello,
Dr. Rachel Joselson, Dr. Maurita Murphy Mead, Professor Susan Sondrol-Jones, and Dr.
Robert Bork. Your commitment to this project is very much appreciated.

A special thank you goes out to Shari Rhoads, who shares my affection for Bellinis
music and with whom I shared valuable experiences both related and unrelated to this
topic. Additionally, I would like to thank Professor Arne Seim, who was integral in helping
me to translate the aria from Zaira.

To Dr. Jonathan Thull: All I can say is thank you for everything. Over a decade ago, I
started this journey as your voice student, now I am glad to call you friend.
I would not be writing these words without Dr. Simon Estes. I simply cannot
express my gratitude for all you have done for Maria and me.

To all my family, especially my mom and dad, thank you for all your support. I
would also like to thank Grandma Thompson, who was instrumental in fostering my love of
music.

The one who deserves the most thanks is my beautiful wife, Maria. You amaze me in
every way. You have been by my side for the entire journey, and this is something for
which I am truly grateful. I love you so much.

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES........................................................................................................................................................vi
LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES...........................................................................................................................vii
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................1

CHAPTER 1 A BRIEF OUTLINE OF A BRIEF LIFE.......................................................4

CHAPTER 2 INFORMATION ON USING BELLINIS SONGS AS STEPPING-STONES TO
HIS ARIAS FOR TENOR......................................11

Bel canto, defined.....................................................................................................................................11
Tenore di grazia........................................................................................................................................12
Compositional Elements of Style.......................................................................................................15

CHAPTER 3 ADELSON E SALVINI OH! QUANTE AMARE LAGRIME EVIDENCE OF
SELF-BORROWING: MAKING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN OH! QUANTE AMARE
LAGRIME AND PER TE DI VANE LAGRIME FROM IL PIRATA........................................................19

CHAPTER 4 MA, RENDI PUR CONTENTO
AND ALLUDIR DEL PADRE AFFLITTO FROM BIANCA E FERNANDO......................................26

CHAPTER 5 QUANDO VERR QUEL D TO TU VEDRAI LA SVENTURATA AND
VAGA LUNA, CHE INARGENTI TO NEL FUROR DELLE TEMPESTE FROM
IL PIRATA...................................................................................................................................................................32

Career Firsts...............................................................................................................................................32
Coloratura and its use in Bellinis music........................................................................................33
Nel furor delle tempeste....................................................................................................................37
CHAPTER 6 VANNE, O ROSA FORTUNATA AND SERBATO, A QUESTO ACCIARO
FROM I CAPULETTI E I MONTECCHI AND PER CHI MAI, PER CHI PUGNASTI FROM
ZAIRA........................................................................................................................................................................42

Zaira...............................................................................................................................................................52

CHAPTER 7 BELLA NICE, CHE DAMORE AND AH! PERCH NON POSSO ODIARTI
FROM LA SONNAMBULA...............................................................................................................................59

CHAPTER 8 SOGNO DINFANZIA AND MECO ALLALTAR DI VENERE FROM
NORMA........................................................................................64

iv

CHAPTER 9 LA RICORDANZA AND PER PIET BELLIDOL MIO
TO A TE, O CARA FROM I PURITANI....71

CHAPTER 10 THE FREQUENCY AND THE FREEDOM OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
RUBATO, SUPPORTED BY ANALYSES OF AVAILABLE RECORDINGS..79

CONCLUSION..91

BIBLIOGRAPHY.....94

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Tessitura Matrix for Ah! Perche non posso ordiarti.........................................................69
Table 2. Tessitura matrix for mm. 34-43 of Bella Nice, che damore..........................................71
Table 3. Recording analysis of Malinconia, ninfa gentile..................................................................88
Table 4. Recording analysis of Vanne, o rosa fortunata....................................................................89
Table 5. Recording analysis of Bella Nice, che damore....................................................................90
Table 6. Recording analysis of Per pieta, bel idol mio.......................................................................91
Table 7. Recording analysis of Ma, rendi pur contento.....................................................................91
Table 8. Recording analysis of Quando verra quel di.........................................................................92
Table 9. Recording analysis of Dolente immagine di Fille mia......................................................92
Table 10. Recording analysis of Vaga luna, che inargenti................................................................93
Table 11. Recording analysis of La ricordanza.....................................................................................95
Table 12. Recording analysis of Sogno dinfanzia................................................................................96

Table 13. Recording analysis of Torna, vezzosa Fillide.....................................................................96

vi

LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES

Example 1. Bellini: Oh! Quante amare lagrime (Adelson e Salvini) mm. 1-12.....29
Example 2. Bellini: Per te di vane lagrime (Il Pirata) mm. 1-12...30
Example 3. Bellini: La ricordanza mm. 67-69...31
Example 4. Bellini: Ma, rendi pur contento mm. 5-7....35
Example 5. Bellini: Alludir del padre afflitto (Bianca e Fernando) mm. 7-11.....35
Example 6. Bellini: Ma, rendi pur contento m. 21...36
Example 7. Bellini: Alludir del padre afllitto (Bianca e Fernando) m. 15....37

Example 8. Bellini: Alludir del padre afllitto (Bianca e Fernando) m. 30........37
Example 9. Bellini: Ma, rendi pur contento m. 24...39
Example 10. Bellini Alludir del padre afflitto (Bianca e Fernando) m. 14................................39

Example 11. Bellini: Quando verr quel dm. 25..................................................................................42

Example 12. Bellini: Tu vedrai la sventurata (Il Pirata) m. 19.......................................................42
Example 13. Bellini: Quando verr quel d m. 7...................................................................................45
Example 14. Bellini: Tu vedrai la sventurata (Il Pirata) mm. 78-79...........................................45

Example 15. Bellini: Nel furor delle tempeste (Il Pirata) mm. 40-41...........................................46

Example 16. Bellini: Quando verr quel d m. 22.................................................................................46
Example 17. Bellini: Vaga luna, che inargenti mm. 19-21................................................................48
Example 18. Bellini: Nel furor delle tempese (Il Pirata) mm. 43-50...........................................49
Example 19. Bellini: Vanne, o rosa fortunata mm. 1-10....................................................................51

Example 20. Bellini: serbato, a questo acciaro (I Capuleti e i Montecchi) mm. 1-4...........52

vii
Example 21. Bellini: Vanne, o rosa fortunata mm. 8-9......................................................................55

Example 22. Bellini: Vanne, o rosa fortunata mm. 47-48.................................................................56
Example 23. Bellini: serbato a questo acciaro (I Capuleti e i Montecchi) mm. 5-6...........58
Example 24. Bellini: serbato a questo acciaro (I Capuleti e i Montecchi) m. 9.....................59
Example 25. Bellini: serbato a questo acciaro (I Capuleti e i Montecchi) mm. 13-14.......59
Example 26. Bellini: Per chi mai, per chi pugnasti (Zaira) mm. 1-26...................................63-66
Example 27. Oh! Quante amare lagrime (Adelson e Salvini) mm. 20-21...................................73
Example 28. serbato, a questo acciaro (I Capuletti e i Montecchi) mm. 7-8...........................74
Example 29. A te, o cara (I Puritani) mm. 8-9........................................................................................74
Example 30. Nel furor, delle tempeste (Il Pirata) mm. 68-69........................................................74
Example 31. Ah! Perch non posso odiarti (La sonnambla) mm. 22-23....................................75

Example 32. Per chi mai, per chi pugnasti (Zaira) mm. 18-20.......................................................75

Example 33. Meco all'altar di Venere (Norma) m. 7...........................................................................76

Example 34. Sogno dinfanzia mm. 126-130..........................................................................................77
Example 35. Bellini: La ricordanza mm.1-2...........................................................................................81
Example 36. Bellini: A te, o cara (I Puritani) mm.1-2.........................................................................81

Example 37. Bellini: A te, o cara (I Puritani) mm.1-2.........................................................................82
Example 38. Bellini: A te, o cara (I Puritani) mm. 25-26..................................................................83

Example 39. Bellini: La ricordanza mm. 4-9..........................................................................................84

Example 40. Bellini: A te, o cara (I Puritani) mm. 31-32..................................................................85

Example 41. Bellini: Per piet, bell'idol mio mm. 12-15...................................................................86

Example 42. Bellini: A te, o cara (I Puritani) m. 27..............................................................................86
viii

Example 43. Bellini: Vanne, o rosa fortunata mm. 1-5......................................................................89

Example 44. Bellini: Dolente immagine, di Fille mia m. 36............................................................93
Example 45. Bellini: Vaga luna, che inargenti m. 33...........................................................................94
Example 46. Bellini: La ricordanza m. 15................................................................................................95

ix
1
INTRODUCTION

Elio Battaglia, editor of the Bellini song collection Canzoni per Voce e Pianoforte
(Ricordi, 2004), states in the preface When studied and thoroughly explored in close
collaboration with ones teacher, they [the songs] provide the student with a valid
preliminary background for understanding Bellinis operas This song collection also
features a forward from Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, in which he endorses Battaglias
statement.1 Soo Yeon Kim, in her 1992 doctoral dissertation, The Chamber Songs of Rossini,
Bellini, and Donizetti, writes, Singing and learning these songs can also be excellent
preparation for the study and performance of Bellini operatic roles.2
There is clearly agreement that Bellinis songs provide the singer an introduction to
his operatic arias. There are, however, no extensive comparisons of Bellinis songs and
arias that substantiate these claims. Outlining the elements that support these assertions
is the task of this doctoral essay.
Prefacing each song in the Canzone per Voce e Pianoforte is commentary from
Battaglia, in which he outlines aspects of each piece that warrant particular attention.
These include, but are not limited to, technically challenging melodic material, difficult
intervallic leaps, vocal ornamentation, and text declamation. This essay will use Battaglias

1 Bellini, Vincenzo. Canzoni per Voce e Pianoforte. Milano: Ricordi, 2004.

2 Kim, Soo Yeon. The Chamber Songs of Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti. (DMA thesis,
2 Kim, Soo Yeon. The Chamber Songs of Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti. (DMA thesis,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1992), p. 65.

2
art song commentary as a starting point for the study of Bellinis operatic arias for the
tenor voice.
The methodology for this essay is to pair selected Bellinian operatic tenor arias with
at least one of the composers art songs, and, using Battaglias commentary as a guide,
explore the reasons why these songs cultivate proficiency in a particular aria. Battaglias
commentary addresses text, pedagogical recommendations, and occasionally, both of these.
As such, the reader will note that throughout this essay, sometimes the best possible
pedagogical connection between song and aria is made by textual comparison. Sometimes,
pedagogical connections are made through exploration of vocal technique. Further still,
both text and vocal technique are referenced. By means of thoughtful score study and
analyses, I made these decisions based on the most direct and applicable similarities
between song and aria.
While relatively few in number, Bellinis Romaze da camera provide an insightful
glimpse to his arias for tenor. A significant reason for this is that Bellini composed many of
the art songs simultaneously with his operas, and so compositional elements of style
between the genres are shared. Additionally, Bellini was intentional in his song
composition in that the songs were often composed as sketches for his arias. Therefore,
these songs should be regarded as serious pedagogical resources.3 An added benefit of this
essay is that to date, there is no literature that specifically addresses the art songs in detail.
There are 24 Bellinian art songs that are readily available for study and
performance. Of these, only the songs that feature male text were selected for further
comparison to the arias. The rationale for this is centered in the attempt to show the

3 Bellini, Vincenzo. Canzoni per Voce e Pianoforte. (Milano: Ricordi, 2004), p. 10.

3
closest possible connections between art song and tenor aria. These remaining male
songs underwent supplemental analyses, and the songs that displayed the closest
similarities to the operatic arias were ultimately selected for use in this essay. The final
song selections and their corresponding arias were made at my discretion.
The reader should note that there are numerous methods by which the songs and
the arias can be compared, and these subsequent pages highlight a finite number of
possible methods. It is my hope that this essay facilitates additional interest in this subject,
thereby encouraging the reader to likewise draw additional pedagogical connections that
can assist in the teaching and performance of these pieces.
Moreover, the performance concepts that are outlined in this document occur in
situations in addition to the specific cited examples. As a result, the reader is encouraged
to apply the ideas and concepts of the featured material to all of Bellinis art songs and
arias.

4
CHAPTER 1:
A BRIEF OUTLINE OF A BRIEF LIFE

Vincenzo Bellini was born in Catania on the island of Sicily in 1801. He was the first
of seven children born to Rosario Bellini (17761840) and Agata Ferlito (17791842). The
Bellini family had strong musical roots, as his grandfather, Vincenzo Tobia Bellini (1744
1829) was a student at the Conservatorio di S Onofrio a Capuana in Naples and later
maintained a successful career as an accomplished organist, composer, and teacher of
music. Rosario Bellini was a maestro di cappella and music educator. It was reported,
however, that his career did not reach the level of success and popularity as that of his
father, Vincenzo Tobia.4

Much of the information available about Vincenzo Bellinis youth is found at the
Museo Belliniano in Catania. A manuscript written by an unknown source reveals that at

eighteen months old, Bellini sang an aria without having formal vocal or musical training.
The manuscript also claims that a three-year-old Bellini was able to conduct his
grandfathers church service, and that by five years old he was a masterful pianist.5

Under the tutelage of his grandfather Vincenzo Tobia, Bellini wrote his first
composition at six years old, and became a formal student of composition at age seven.
During his youth, Bellinis compositions, mostly sacred, were often performed locally.
Although Bellini was not regarded as a literary scholar or an accomplished academic, it is

4 Mary Ann Smart, Bellini, Vincenzo. Grove Music Online, www.oxfordmusiconline.com,
accessed 28 July, 2011.

5 Ibid.

5
reported that he received an intense and liberal education, which included classic and
modern languages, Italian literature, and philosophy. 6

In 1819, Bellini earned a scholarship to attend the Real Collegio di Musica in Naples.
He studied traditional curriculum for several years with Giovanni Furno and Giacomo Tritt.
In 1822, Niccol Zingarelli began teaching Bellini harmony, counterpoint, and methods of
composing solfeggi. Hundreds of these wordless exercises were completed, and may have
had an impact on his mature melodic compositional style, but sadly none of them survive
today. Bellinis keen ability for crafting melodic material was cultivated by Girolamo
Crescentini, with whom he studied the theoretical aspects of singing.7

The Real Collegio di Musica emphasized Neapolitan-style composition, which uses
straightforward texts and simple melodies. The conservatory rejected the modern
compositions of local contemporaries like Rossini, whose works were being performed in
Neapolitan theaters at the time. Bellini accepted and practiced the conservative Neapolitan
style, and impressed the faculty at the conservatory. Bellini remained interested in
Rossinis work, however, and regularly attended Neapolitan performances of Rossinis
works.8

Upon graduation in 1825, Bellini was awarded the opportunity to present an opera
for the schools teatrino. The work that emerged was Adelson e Salvini, presented by
students of the conservatory. The original, all male cast also presented the three female
roles, which include a soprano and two mezzo-sopranos. The work gained enough

6 Ibid.

7 Ibid.

8 Ibid.

6
popularity that it was performed on successive Sundays, though it is not clear how many.
Bellini himself was pleased enough with the opera that he gave it several revisions in
subsequent years, although it never received a professional performance until 1992.9

May 1826 saw the success of Bianca e Fernando at the Teatro San Carlos in Naples.
The opera had to be given under the name of Bianca e Gernando due to the death of King
Ferdinand I of Naples. Like Adelson e Salvini, Bianca e Fernando underwent revisions in
subsequent years.

The success of Bellinis first two operas led to a commission from La Scala in Milan,
the result of which was Il Pirata. This opera marked the first opera that included
collaboration with Felice Romani, the resident librettist at La Scala, and Giovanni Rubini,
one of the most acclaimed tenors of the day. The operas that featured both Romani and
Rubini were unquestionably Bellinis most popular and so they remain today.

Following on the heels of Il Pirata, Bellinis next opera, La straniera, was a success at
La Scala. He followed this success with the May 1829 failure of Zaira at the Teatro Ducale
in Parma. Zaira was the inaugural performance at the Teatro Ducale. Bellini was not the
theaters first choice of composer, and knowledge of this may have contributed to his lack
of interest in the project.10 Also contributing to his lack of interest was the fact that Bellini
had recently triumphed at the more prestigious La Scala, and so his attention was fixed
upon securing commissions from more prominent organizations.11 1829 also witnessed

9 Willier, Stephen Ace, Vincenzo Bellini: A Guide to Research(Florence, KY: Routledge, 2009),
2.

10 Maguire, Simon and Forbes, Elizabeth. Zaira. Grove Music Online,
www.oxfordmusiconline.com, accessed 3 September, 2012.

11 Ibid.

7
the publication of Sei ariette by the Milanese publisher Ricordi. Sei ariette is the largest
collected set of art songs that the composer ever produced.

Bellini rebounded from the failure of Zaira with the success of I Capuleti e i
Montecchi at La Fenice in Venice, the libretto of which had already been set to Nicolai
Vaccais 1825 opera Giulietta e Romeo.12 With the exception of Zaira, the three operas of
1829-1830 were well-received, and established Bellini as one of the premier Italian
composers of the time.

In March 1831, La sonnambula saw the return of Giovanni Rubini. The opera
achieved positive reception at the Teatro Carcano in Milan. Late December of 1831 was the
premier of Norma, which by Bellinis own admission was a Fiasco, fiasco, solenne fiasco!13
The inauspicious debut of the opera was due in part to the progressive formal structure of
the Act I finale. The act ends with a trio instead of a larger and more complex ensemble,
which was conventional of the era.14 Norma has since become one of Bellinis most beloved
operas, proving that the unpopular debut of the opera was not a true indication of the
worth of the opera as a whole. Rather, this is a testament to Bellinis innovative aesthetics,
which were recognized after his death.

March 1833 was the debut and failure of Beatrice di Tenda, performed at Venices La
Fenice opera house. The piece was behind schedule in its premier, reinforcing Bellinis
reputation of being a slow worker. Romani must shoulder some blame for the seemingly

12 Julian Budden. Vaccai, Nicolai. Grove Music Online, www.oxfordmusiconline.com,
accessed 12 March, 2012.

13 Ibid, 3.

14 Maguire, Simon and Forbes, Elizabeth. Norma. Grove Music Online,
www.oxfordmusiconline.com, accessed 3 September, 2012.

8
lethargic pace of Bellinis compositional output. Romani was late in getting the libretto to
Bellini, which was not unusual because the librettist worked through numerous drafts and
revisions of his libretti.15 Composer and librettist blamed one another for the tardy debut
and failure of Beatrice di Tenda, which ultimately ended in the splitting of their partnership.

In April 1833, Bellini left Italy and headed to London, first stopping in Paris, in
hopes of securing a commission from the Paris Opra. The ensuing meeting between
Bellini and representatives from the Opra was the first in a series of unsuccessful
negotiations that occurred between 1833 and Bellinis death in 1835. Among other factors,
Bellini demanded a fee equal to Rossinis current earnings. It seems that Bellinis demands
were cost prohibitive, as a settlement was never reached.
In August 1833, Bellini left London and returned to Paris after having conducted Il
Pirata, Norma, and I Capuleti e i Montecchi to moderate success at the Kings Theater.16 In
Paris, Bellini received a commission from the Thtre-Italien. New beginnings in Paris and
the new commission prompted Bellini to begin work on I Puritani. This time, Bellini had a
new librettist in Italian expatriate Count Carlo Pepoli, but had the faithful services of
Rubini. Work on I Puritani commenced in 1834 and the opera was heard for the first time
in January 1835, and was a sensation.17

In August of 1835 Bellini relapsed with a bout of amoebic dysentery that had
plagued him in 1830. No doubt suffering, Bellini composed his final art song, Le souvenir

15 Smart, Mary Ann. In Praise of Convention: Formula and Experiment in Bellinis Self-
Borrowings. Journal of the American Musicological Society 100/1 (Spring 2000): 25-68.

16 Willier, Stephen Ace, Vincenzo Bellini: A Guide to Research(Florence, KY: Routledge,
2009), 5.

17 Ibid, 6.

9
prsent celeste, on August 16, 1835.18 Bellini used an anonymous French text for his final
vocal composition, in an attempt to embrace the French culture and learn the language.
Alas, his skills with French reportedly left much to be desired.
The melodic and harmonic content is characteristically Italianate, and
quintessentially Bellini. Upon examination of the text setting, however, one realizes
Bellinis deficiencies of the French language. For example, words such as et (and) occur
on strong beats, when they are arguably best suited for weak beat pick-up notes. In the
final line of text, which reads aprs tous ceux qu'on a perdu (after all those we have lost),
Bellini chooses to set the top note (A4) on a relatively less significant word a (have).
Perhaps it would have been more suitable to set the word perdu (lost) on the top note, as
this word combined with the climactic moment would offer an abundance of dramatic
opportunities to enhance performance. Moreover, in singing a word with the significance
of perdu, the tenor would have the opportunity to experiment with varying vocal colors.
The final vocal composition is only 25 measures of music and four lines of text; the brevity
of his life matched by the brevity of the final piece.

Bellini died on September 23, 1835 in Puteaux, a city just outside of Paris, France.
He succumbed to dysentery, the effects of which were aggravated by an abscess liver.19 He

was given a Requiem Mass on October 2, with Rubini serving among the cantors. Among
the pallbearers was Rossini, who also negotiated the return of Bellinis personal items to
his family in Catania. Bellinis remains were interred at the Pre-Lachaise cemetery in

18 Bellini, Vincenzo. Canzoni per Voce e Pianoforte. (Milan: Ricordi, 2004), 112.

19 Willier, Stephen Ace, Vincenzo Bellini: A Guide to Research (Florence, KY: Routledge,
2009), 6.

10
Paris, where they remained for 41 years, until French and Italian officials negotiated
Bellinis return to the Cathedral in Catania. 20

Today, Bellinis childhood home is the site of a museum that is devoted to upholding
the composers legacy. Many important relics from Bellinis life are now housed there,
including keyboards and original manuscripts of his works. Also in Catania is the Teatro
Massimo Bellini, which stages Bellinian operas as well as operas from other composers and
genres.

20 Ibid, 6.

11
CHAPTER 2
INFORMATION ON USING BELLINIS SONGS AS STEPPING-STONES TO HIS ARIAS FOR
TENOR

Bel canto, defined

Bellini is regarded as a master of the Italian bel canto style, crafting long, florid,
smooth melodic material in his arias. When translated to English, the term bel canto means
beautiful singing. Throughout this document, the term bel canto will be used to explain a
vocal technique, a musical style, and a genre of music that was born out of early nineteenth-
century Italy. As bel canto relates specifically to the delivery of Bellinis vocal music, the
term is perhaps best defined by James Stark, author of Bel Canto: A History of Vocal
Pedagogy. Stark explains that bel canto vocal production is the interaction of the glottis,
the vocal tract, and the respiratory system.21 These elements combine in such a way that
the singer is able to produce evenness of register, flexibility of pitch and intensity, and
pleasing vibrato. Moreover, these interactions allow the singer to develop versatility with
various techniques and styles, including legato, portamento, dynamic variance, floridity,
vocal ornamentation, and glottal articulation.22
These attributes of vocal composition are prevalent in both the art songs and arias.
Bellini epitomizes bel canto, which requires the singer to produce perfect legato
throughout the whole of the range. In addition, bel canto singers must produce a top

21 Stark, James. Bel Canto: A History of Vocal Pedagogy (Toronto: University of Toronto
Press, 2003), section 7.

22 Ibid, section 7.

12
register that is focused and resonant. Finally, they must have a flexible and agile voice.23
Mastering the bel canto aspects of vocal performance ensures versatility in the voice and
will ensure that the singer is prepared to study vocal repertoire from not only the bel canto
period, but also repertoire from other genres, styles, and languages.24

Tenore di grazia
The components of Bellinis art songs and arias require the tenor to fuse vocal
lyricism and agility into a hybrid tenor, typically classified as the tenore di grazia. The
term tenore di grazia is used to describe a tenor whose voice is graceful, elegant, agile, and
warm, and yet is simultaneously virile and resonant.25
The term tenore di grazia (synonymous with tenore leggiero) is a specific fach most
closely associated with the bel canto genre. The term was coined retrospectively circa
1860, when vocal compositions of the day demanded increasingly dramatic voices.26
The repertoire of the tenore di grazia consists of melodic material rich in coloratura
passages and vocal ornamentations. As a result, vocal grace and flexibility are required of
him more than any other type of tenor.27 These vocal traits are a necessity for the ideal

23 Owen Jander and Ellen T. Harris, Bel Canto, in Grove Music Online,
www.oxfordmusiconline.com, accessed 12 March, 2012.

24 Franzone, Margaret Smith, The Revival of Bel Canto and its Relevance to Contemporary
Teaching and Performance, (Ph.D diss., Columbia University, 1969), 2.

25 Miller, Richard. Training Tenor Voices. (New York: Schirmer, 1993), 9; 106.

26 Ibid, 87.

27 Ibid, 9.

13
Bellinian tenor, as much of the repertoire consists of material that requires agility and
flexibility of onsets.
The lyric tenor and the tenore di grazia are related voice classifications in that both
of the fachs must produce evenness of tone and melodic line.28 There are, however, several
key differences between the two fachs:
l. The tenore di grazia possesses a lighter instrument than the lyric tenor.29
2. The passaggi points for the tenore di grazia are between E4 and A4 and the
passaggi points for the lyric tenor are D4 and G4.30 This supports the assertion that the lyric
tenor possesses a heavier voice than does the tenore di grazia.
3. The timbre of the tenore di grazia is distinguished by morbidezza (sweetness),
while the timbre of the lyric tenor is warm, exciting, and vital.31
4. Because of his increased vocal weight and dramatic qualities, the lyric tenor
performs standard operatic literature, including Tamino, (Die Zauberflte), Alfredo (La
Traviata), and Rodolfo (La Bohme), while the tenore di grazia typically sings lighter
Mozart, Donizetti, Rossini, and Bellini roles.32 As previously mentioned, the tenore di grazia
has repertoire that is rich in coloratura, while the lyric tenors repertoire has comparatively
little.

28 J.B. Steane, Lyric Tenor, in Grove Music Online, www.oxfordmusiconline.com, accessed
15 July, 2011.

29 Ibid.

30 Miller, Richard. Training Tenor Voices. (New York: Schirmer, 1993), 11.

31 Ibid, 10-11.

32 Ibid, 10-11.

14
The emergence of the tenore di grazia happened out of necessity. Mozarts
domination of late eighteenth-century Italian opera saw his tenors as either distinctly
secondary, as in the case of Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), or comic characters (Basilio; Le
nozze di Figaro).33 Bellinis tenors are the romantic leading characters, and a voice of
substantial size, resonance, and warmth is needed for these roles. In addition, operatic
orchestration became denser during the bel canto era, and the tenor needed to be able to
contend with it. Still, the tenor could not sacrifice agility and flexibility. As a result, the
tenore di grazia became a necessary voice quality for Bellinis tenors.
Bellinis favorite and most loyal tenor was Giovanni Battista Rubini. Rubini created
the tenor role in four of Bellinis ten mature operas. For this reason, we understand
Rubinis voice to embody Bellinis desired qualities of a bel canto tenor. His voice was no
doubt agile and flexible we know this to be true due to the nature of each composition.
Rubini also possessed an upper range extension unsurpassed by any tenor of the day, the
evidence of which is ascertained by the top F5 from I Puritani. His voice was described as
beautiful and romantic, but the true testament to his artistry is his reported expressivity in
phrasing.34
Bellinis operatic tenors are described as the impulsive, strong-willed characters
that we now associate with Verdi tenors.35 Apart from Bellinis tenors, the typical operatic

33 Fallows, David, et al. Tenor, in Grove Music Online, www.oxfordmusiconline.com,
accessed 9 September, 2012.

34 B. Brewer: Rubini, the King of Tenors, Opera, (1979), 3269

35 Greenspan, Charlotte Joyce, The Operas of Vincenzo Bellini, (Ph.D diss., University of
California at Berkeley, 1977), 31.

15
tenor character of the era was gentle and sensitive.36 Because of the dramatic dispositions
of Bellinis operatic tenors, the Bellinian tenor must possess the ability to heighten the
vocal intensity in order to convey the drama.37. This lyric quality of the tenore di grazia
allows the singer to convey the dramatic intensities. Additionally, the characteristic of
vocal flexibility allows for the singer to negotiate the coloratura and ornamentations that
are found in both the art songs and arias.

In order to achieve an optimal performance of a Bellini opera, the tenor must be in
command of a well-trained and advanced vocal mechanism. From a technical perspective,

a well-trained mechanism translates to the tenors ability to access at least C5. Additionally,
he must deliver articulate yet smooth coloratura, and he must have the ability to sustain a
high tessitura. In addition, elements of style such as phrasing, the use of rubato, and text
declamation must be addressed in preparation for undertaking any of Bellinis tenor roles.
Without adequate exposure to these definitively Bellinian performance elements, the
singer is at an immediate disadvantage when attempting to prepare a role.

Compositional Elements of Style

One of the most distinguishing features of Bellinian vocal music is the quality of his
melodic material. Bellini was a master at composing melodies. Richard Wagner noted this

36 Ibid, 31.

37 Ibid, 31.

16
feature of Bellinis music, and published periodical articles that commented on Bellinis
knack for crafting universally pleasing melodies.38

Bellini did not transfer his art song melodies directly to his tenor arias. There are
other similarities between the arias and art songs in addition to the melodic content. The
structures of the two vocal genres also share common bonds. Bellini composed his tenor
arias using a variety of formal structures. Among his most basic is the strophic form, as is
used in Nel furor delle tempeste from Il Pirata. Bellini employs strophic structure in both
his art songs and his arias. Perhaps the most famous example of a Bellinian strophic art
song is Vaga luna, che inargenti. In the case of other arias such as serbato, a questo
acciaro from I Capuleti e I Montecchi, Bellini uses the standard ternary form, which aligns
structurally to numerous art songs, including Ma, rendi pur contento. Moreover, Bellini
composed both art songs and arias that included multiple developmental sections, as is the
case with the art song Torna, vezzosa Fillide and the aria Meco all'altar di Venere from
Norma.

It is reasonable to conclude that Bellini used specific formal structures to satisfy the
dramatic intentions of a piece or an aria. Each form poses challenges for the singer, which
range from varying vocal timbre to convey the text of each strophe, to possessing the
ability to negotiate several layers of dramatic intent, as is the case with pieces that contain
multiple sections of development. Understanding the relationship between formal
structure and the manner of vocal delivery is an integral component of a proficient
performance.

38 Wagner, Richard. Wagner on Bellini. The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular. Vol.
27, No. 516 (Feb. 1, 1886), pp. 66-68

17

A tenor who uses Bellinis art songs as a means of training his voice to undertake the
operatic repertoire will develop all of the stylistic and dramatic tools necessary for optimal
performance, but one major difference between the two vocal genres lies in the aspect of
vocal range. Bellinis arias for tenor require the singer to sustain a high tessitura and to
ascend to the extreme upper range of the voice classification. Many of the arias reach C5; A
te, o cara from I Puritani reaches C5, Nel furor delle tempeste and Per te di Vane
lagrime, both from Il Pirata, each climb to D5, and Oh! Quante amare lagrime from
Adelson e Salvini ascends to E5. Credeasi, misera from I Puritani, which is not an
extractable aria and therefore lies outside of the spectrum of this document, is nonetheless
notable as it demands the note F5.

While still vocally demanding, the art song repertory reaches a maximum upper
pitch of B4, found in the art song La ricordanza. Several other art songs ascend to A4. It
is still possible, using the art songs, to develop the technical strategy needed to reach upper
range notes of the arias, as the technique required to achieve A4 and beyond is largely the
same.

As in the case of La ricordanza, the B4 is an indicator of how a tenor is able to
access the upper range, and so there is extreme value in its study. For the tenore di grazia,
the zona di passaggio, or the midway region between the chest (voce di petto) and the head
voice (voce di testa), lies between E4 and A4.39 Therefore, the A4 is the pitch that is
responsible for the transition out of the passaggio, which puts the B4 as fully within the
spectrum of upper range vocal production. As such, the method used to access B4, found
in La ricordanza, is largely the same method of production used to access all of the notes

39 Miller, Richard, Training Tenor Voices (New York: Schirmer, 1993), 9.

18
beyond this pitch. These are pitches that the Bellinian operatic tenor will encounter with
frequency.

Security of the top register is of course a vital necessity for any tenor, but equally
necessary for the Bellinian tenor is the ability to negotiate the coloratura. Several of the art
songs include coloratura, but do not require the tenor to sustain this technique for the
duration that the arias require. Agility and flexibility of vocal production are some of the
necessary elements associated with Bellinian and other bel canto repertoire. Perfecting the
shorter coloratura passages from the art songs will allow the tenor to translate the
technique directly to the arias. This, and all previously mentioned criteria make the art
songs perfect pedagogical tools for the preparation of the arias.

19
CHAPTER 3
ADELSON E SALVINI

OH! QUANTE AMARE LAGRIME
EVIDENCE OF SELF-BORROWING: MAKING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN
OH! QUANTE AMARE LAGRIME AND PER TE DI VANE LAGRIME FROM IL PIRATA

The majority of this document will work chronologically from the earliest operatic
composition to the last, and will insert the art songs that correspond to the arias. To begin,
however, this format must be altered, as the tenor aria from the first opera that Bellini
composed shares striking similarities to one of the arias from his third opera. As a result,
the two arias must be grouped together in order to show the pedagogical connections
between the art songs and what can be considered essentially the same aria.

The aria Oh! Quante amare lagrime, a student work from Adelson e Salvini, was
relocated to the cabaletta found in the form of Per te di Vane lagrime from Il Pirata.40 It is
not certain exactly why Bellini decided to recycle the aria, however it can be presumed that
Bellini approached Romani and insisted that the melodic material and supporting
orchestration be used in Il Pirata. As a result, the libretto needed to be altered, and a new
version of the aria was composed.41

Bellini transposed the aria, setting it in C major for Adelson e Salvini and in B major
for Il Pirata. Bellini retains the contour of the melodic line in each aria, notating the
beginning (measures 1-5) of each aria as scalar passages that ascend to scale degree five ( 5

40 Smart, Mary Ann. In Praise of Convention: Formula and Experiment in Bellinis Self-
Borrowings. Journal of the American Musicological Society 100/1 (Spring 2000): 38.

41 Ibid, 38.

20
). He then adds non-diatonic passing tones that anticipate the movement to 6 . At this
moment, the progression moves back to the tonic chord. He does delay the arrival to tonic
by way of a half-step ascent from the non-chord tone 2 , found integrated within the tonic
chord. Once the tonic chord is sounded, the melody moves from 2 to 3 , solidifying the
progression to the tonic chord, thereby completing the phrase. Bellini slightly altered the
orchestration in that Adelson e Salvini uses stacked chords while Il Pirata uses a rocking
motion, oscillating through the chord tones. In spite of this, the same IV/iiiiV7I
harmonic progression is employed in order to complete the opening phrase.

21
Example 1. Bellini: Oh! Quante amare lagrime (Adelson e Salvini) mm. 1-12
22
Example 2. Bellini: Per te di vane lagrime (Il Pirata) mm. 1-12
23
In terms of range, Oh! Quante amare lagrime ascends to E5 while Per te di vane
lagrime due to its lower key, tops out at D5. For the reason of gaining access the top
register, a tenor with professional aptitude should study the art song La ricordanza,
which, as previously mentioned, contains the top note B4. For the tenore di grazia, the B4
begins the upper portion of the range, and so all notes found beyond B4 will be produced
using the same technical strategy. Bellini gave specific instructions on how to produce the
B4 in La ricordanza, calling for diminuendo from mm. 67-68 (example 3). Battaglia
expands this direction, as his edition and commentary calls for the preceding A4 to initially
be produced using smortzato, or with immediate decay of sound, then should bloom to a
full voice B4 on beat two of measure 69.42 This strategy suggests a lighter quality of
production for the B, which is free of excess weight. This same method must be used to
secure the D5 or E5, as carrying excess weight to that part of the range will result in not
achieving the note.

Example 3. Bellini: La ricordanza mm. 67-69
4
& b4
<
t'e
rain
quel - l'or

42 Bellini, Vincenzo, ed Battaglia, Elio. Canzoni per Voce e Pianoforte. (Milano: Ricordi,
6
2004), p. 95.
&b
ra
3
3
3
3
3
4
& b 4 b

? 4
#
b4
#
3
24

Managing the demanding tessitura is likewise a difficult task for La ricordanza and
both of the corresponding arias. Heading Battaglias advice in producing passaggi notes
with smortzato technique results in conserving the voice, and allows the tenor to gradually
bloom into the fully produced B4 found in measure 69 of the art song. Vocal conservation
is also needed for the arias, as the challenging tessitura is compounded by the prevalence of
high-pitched notes. Ones ability to implement smortzato, thereby conserving the voice,
will be greatly aided by his ability to exercise breath control.
Breathing technique in preparation for the arias can be practiced and perfected
using La ricordanza, as producing B4 requires solid technical breath control. In order to
achieve smortzato, one must employ the same attention to breath management as if
producing messa di voce. Battaglia equates these two terms in his La ricordanza
commentary.43
Vocologist Dr. Ingo Titze contends that messa di voce develops coordination of the
respiratory system.44 From a technical perspective, equating messa di voce and smortzato
translates to the latter technique also aiding in respiratory coordination. One result of this
respiratory coordination, as explained by Dr. Diane Pulte, is smooth register blending.45
The ability to smoothly blend the registers will allow the tenor to move out of the
passaggio and achieve the top notes of La ricoranza and its corresponding arias. In

43 Ibid, 95.

44 Titze, Ingo. More on the Messa di Voce. The Journal of Singing, Vol. 52, March 1996.

45 Pulte, Diane. The Messa di Voce and its Effectiveness as a Training Exercise for the
Young Singer. (D.M.A. diss., The Ohio State University, 2005), 13.

25
addition, smooth register transitions will aid in negotiation of the demanding tessitura.
Overall, control over the respiratory process will increase the tenors ability to manage the
range and tessitura, which will in turn increase proficiency in La ricordanza, as well as in
Oh! Quante amare lagrime and Per te di vane lagrime.

26
CHAPTER 4
MA RENDI PUR CONTENTO
TO
ALLUDIR DEL PADRE AFFLITO
FROM BIANCA E FERNANDO

43
The opera Bianca e Fernando, Bellinis second, debuted successfully in May 1826 at the
Teatro San Carlos

in Naples.
4 The tenor aria from this opera is Alludir del padre afflitto
(Upon hearing of his afflicted father).
44
44
The
that
3 and the aria share are found in the
6 the art song
most noticeable
similarities
accompaniment and are exemplified in examples 4 and 5. Both the art song and the aria
68
44 3
98
are set in triple meter, with the art song in and the aria in 4 . The aria could have just as
98
easily
b
een
c
omposed
i
n
68 to be grouped using a three
12
, as Bellini called
8for each beat
1829, and uses the text from Act I, scene VI, of Metastasios drama Impermestra (1744).46
The art song Ma, rendi pur contento (But please do make glad) was written in
eighth-note arpeggio figure, which he further elaborated by adding triplets over each
12
8
98
12
8
grouping.
This rhythmic idea is already implied
6 signature.
in the time

46 Ibid, 72.
98
12
8
27
Example 4. Bellini: Ma, rendi pur contento mm. 5-7
b b9
b
& b8
J
b
& b bb98

j
j j
? bb b98
b J J J

j j
j

Ma
ren - di pur con - ten - to
del
la mia bel - la
Example 5b. bBellini: Alludir del padre afflitto (Bianca e Fernando) mm. 7-11
&b b
bbb
b
b&
3
{{
b
& b 43
Al
l'u - dir
&b 4
? b?
3 b
b 4 b bb
b
& b n
3
J
16 flit
&
bb bb- to
bb&
?b
b
b
& b bb
? bb
bb
le
ca - te
af -
3
#
del
3
pa - dre
3
n
J
ne e la
sven - tu
ra,
28
The idea of triple or compound triple meter is significant to the bel canto style of
composition. In fact, as the bel canto style began to evolve, the art songs and arias were
often set using this rhythmic structure.47 The reason for this is due to the desired length of
the musical phrases. Employing the triplet rhythm gave the desired effect of phrasal
length, fluidity, and smoothness. To achieve this desired vocal smoothness in Bellinian
9
repertoire, the singer must first s12

tudy Ma, rendi pur contento, as it is the only art song
featuring the compound triple meter.
Elio Battaglia, editor of Ricordis Canzone per voce e pianoforte, makes specific note
of two moments in Ma, rendi pur

bb 3contento. The first is the acciaccatura
found
in m. 21
& 4
(example 6). He cautions the singer tcor

hat The acciaccatura must be rendered
found in Alludir del padre afflitto

[rhythmically] properly48 There
b are two moments
3
&b 4

? b3
b4
3
Example 6. Bellini: Ma, rendi pur contento m. 21
b
& b bb 98
vi
? b b9
bb8 J
U
n
bbbb 43
bbbb 98

J
J
bbbb 43
j
bbbb 98
bbbb 8 J J J
i - o
vi
3
bbbb 4
U

(New York:
47 Grout, Donald Jay, A History of Western Music.
3 Norton and Company,
n W.W.
b

3
& 4
1960), 288.

col - pa
de
2004), p. 72.
j U
va,
b b9
& b b 8
3
that also use the acciaccatura ornament 3(examples
37 and 8).
b
j
& b 43 n

U
? b 3 j j
b4
29

Example 7. Bellini: Alludir del padre afllitto (Bianca e Fernando) m. 15

b3 j
&b 4
{
9
sto
3
b
& b 43
? bb 43
3
12
11
(Bianca
e Fernando)
m. 30
Example 8. Bellini: Alludir
& bdel padre afllitto
{
{
b3
b
& b4
&b
j
cor
? bb 3
&bb 4
3
3 3
? b3
b4
21
3
3

b 3
b
&
{
{
b
j
bbbb 43 bbbb 98
& bb bb 98
&b
-
va,
vi
i - o
vi
?aria,
b b9
Comparing the art song and the
bbb bthe
9 notes
leading
in and out of tbhe ba3cciaccatura

b b 4 b b 8
have different rhythmical values. However, much can still be gleaned with regard to
? b b9

bbb 43 bbbb 98 J J
b
8
b
b
J
J
successfully negotiating this ornament. The acciaccatura is to be
Jproduced slightly before

&b b 8
the ensuing note, so as to not take away from its metric value. The tenor must be mindful
U
for
3 short a duration
of the rhythmic value of the acciaccatura, ab s holding it
too
or too
n long

3
& 4

col - pa
b 3 j U
j
b
& 4 n
de
30
results in altering the rhythmic significance. The tenor should perfect this rhythmic idea in
the context of the art song, and upon mastery, should move to the aria.

The second moment that Battaglia highlights is m. 24, when the melodic line makes
the leap of a minor 6th from C4A4 (example 9). He instructs the singer that [the leap]
should be sung directly on the breathand support the breath from beneath so that the
voice can press the note of arrival by imagining the note of departure to be itself rather
high.49 What Battaglia is stating is that in order to successfully make this leap, the singer
must make and maintain the downward connection into the breath while simultaneously
ascending to the A. In addition, in order to feel as though the leap is not as large as it is,
the singer will do well to feel as though the C4 is higher in pitch. Some singers may
interpret this feeling as staying on top of the pitch or as producing the pitch with the
feeling of A already in place.

This technical strategy can likewise be applied to the octave leap from C4C5 found
in Alludir del padre afflitto (example 10). The fact that both leaps begin from C4 is
significant in using Ma, rendi pur contento as a pedagogical resource for the preparation
of Alludir del padre afflitto. Admittedly, the difference between the A in the art song
and C in the aria is relatively large, yet the tenor will do well to heed the advice of Battaglia.
His advice regarding breath connection and feeling the C4 as higher will allow the singer
to make the ascent to the A. Likewise, the same technique applies when attempting to
ascend through the seconda passaggio to the C5 of the aria. Gaining confidence and control
over the technique through the study of Ma, rendi pur contento will translate seamlessly
to the aria Alludir del padre afflitto.

& 4
cor

b
3
& 4
3
3
3pur
contento m. 24
Example 9. Bellini:
Ma, rendi
?
3
2
b4
U
3
3 3
b
b
9
nnnn
&b b 8
{
{
vi
va, ch'io
b
&b bb 9bb 98 j
& b b 8 vi - va,
i - o
j
? bb bb98 b9
&bb b J8 J
31
## 12
8
U
n
## 12
8
bbnbb 43
n nn
bbbb 98
n
bnbbnbn 43
# 12 j
bbbb 98 # 8
vi
?# b b 9 b b 3
9
b12b8 RJ J J J
b b 4 bbbb 8 J J J
#
& 8
23
{
{

U
## 12
3
& b8b 3 j n

& 4

?## 12 col
J
pa
de
8 J
b3 j U
j
b

& 4 n
U
? b 3 j j

b4
Example 10. Bellini Alludir del padre afflitto (Bianca e Fernando) m. 14

ten - to, m'e piu ca - ro, m'e piu ca - ro pal -pi - tar

32
CHAPTER 5:
QUANDO VERR QUEL D TO TU VEDRAI LA SVENTURATA
AND
VAGA LUNA, CHE INARGENTI
TO
NEL FUROR DELLE TEMPESTE
FROM IL PIRATA
Career Firsts
On October 27, 1827 the audience at Teatro alla Scala in Milan was witness to three
firsts in the career of Vincenzo Bellini. The date marked the debut of Bellinis latest opera,
Il Pirata. Additionally, Il Pirata was the first Bellinian opera sung by the acclaimed Italian
tenor, Giovanni Rubini, who went on to debut several other Bellinian operas, including La
sonnambula and I Puritani (Note that Rubini debuted Bianca e Gernando in 1826. However
he did not debut the final revision which was debuted in 1828 in the form of Bianca e
Fernando). Finally, the opera was the first Bellinian opera set to a text by Felice Romani,
with whom, practically stated, Bellini shared a lifelong devotion and partnership.50
Il Pirata shows the beginnings of Bellinis mature compositional style. However, it
was with the collaboration of Romani and Rubini that Bellini began to find his mature
compositional style. This is evidenced by his more frequent use of vocal ornamentation
and coloratura, the likes of which were already seen from Rossini.

50 Simon Maguire and Elizabeth Forbes. Il Pirata, in Grove Music Online,

33
Coloratura and its use in Bellinis music
Coloratura, defined as a rapid passage, run, trill or similar virtuoso-like material,51 is
a hallmark trait of the bel canto style. As such, negotiating these difficult passages is a
central priority for bel canto tenors. In Tu vedrai la sventurata there are several
moments that the tenor must deliver clear, smooth, and articulate coloratura (examples 11
and 13).
As the examples indicate, vocal agility is manifested in a variety of ways. A rapid
melodic passage is found in m. 25 of Quando verr quel d. As such, this art song can be
used to train the tenor for the aria. The advantage of using this art song is due in part that
in this excerpt, the tenor is not required to ascend into the seconda passaggio. which would
compound the difficulty of the technique. Still, the basic concepts of breath control and
vocal agility are tested in the art song, but are done so within the context of a
comparatively easy melodic line.
Example 12 from Il Pirata shows a leap up to G4, which the tenor must hold at his
discretion, before descending through the passaggio. The challenge of this passage is to
ascend to the G4 without carrying weight in the voice, so that the subsequent sixteenth note
material can be sung with fluidity. In addition, the tenor must gauge the expenditure of air
when holding the G4 so that he retains enough air to negotiate the descending line. This
obviously requires solid breath management and skillful artistry.

51 Apel, Wili. The Harvard Dictionary of Music (Cambridge: Harvard Press, 2000), 185

b
& b bb 68 b
? b b 6 b
bb8
34
Example 11. Bellini: Quando verr quel dm. 25
U
U
b
& b bb nJ
b b bj
& b b
b b

&b b
di?
Ah,
? b b
bb J
Example 12. Bellini: Tu vedrai la sventurata (Il Pirata) m. 19
ri -
bb
& b b J
? b b J
bb
ve
der
po

Another example of Bellinis use of coloratura is found in measure seven of Quando
verr quel d. This excerpt shows the tenor ascending near (or at, depending on the
individual voice) the seconda passaggio and descending back through it, only to ascend
again. Battaglia specifically mentions the vocal technique required to deliver measure
seven. He instructs the singer to Release the breath pressure on the E immediately after
its emission so that the F that begins the run can be attacked from the glottis.52 Battaglia

2004), p. 32.

35
elaborates that the adequate release of breath pressure which begins this florid passage
will allow the remaining vocal material to glide along the palate in tempo, meaning that
each note of the rapid scalar passage is produced with rhythmic accuracy.53 Heading
Battaglias advice by efficiently releasing the breath pressure will likewise allow the tenor
to glide through the coloratura passage of example 13.
A similar passage is found in measures 78-79 of Tu vedrai la sventurata (example
14). In this passage, the tenor is required to sustain the coloratura for two measures. The
melodic line takes the tenor in and out of the seconda passaggio several times, adding to the
difficulty of the aria and mandating resolute technical control.
The art song excerpt (Example 13) may initially appear to be more difficult than the
Il Pirata excerpt because the tenor is required to sing thirty-second notes, whereas in the
aria, he must only deliver sixteenth notes. However, a closer examination will note that the
tempo marking of the art song is Andante sostenuto (at a sustained walking pace),
whereas this excerpt from the aria is marked at Allegro (fast). In actuality, then, the tenor
must deliver the aria at a faster tempo. Increasing the speed of delivery can cause
problems relating to articulation and clarity of the vocal line, therefore the art song is a
good starting point for perfection of the technique.

These excerpts call to attention the issue of tempi. It is a general rule that in the
realm of art song, a singer should deliver coloratura or florid passages at a tempo that is
manageable for them. That is to say they should take a tempo that will allow them to
articulate each note in a manner that is in line with the stylistic aspects of the piece. For bel

53 Ibid, 32.

36
canto repertoire, this means that the singer has the task of striking a balance between
lyricism and clarity.

By examining these excerpts, one sees very little supportive accompaniment.
Because of this, one ascertains that the singer has an adequate amount of liberty in
dictating the tempo, thereby ensuring that they are able to deliver the vocal line in a
manner that is stylistically appropriate. Lack of accompaniment translates to allowing the
tenor to take a tempo with which he is comfortable, so that he is able to adequately
negotiate these passages.
This is not to say that he is free to be careless with his vocalism, for with increased
rubato comes greater potential for disconnection among the singer, the orchestra (or
piano), and the conductor. Battaglia states that Quando verr quel d should be delivered
with attention to the recitation of the text. That is to say that clearly delivering and
conveying the text is the top priority in performance. Battaglia warns the singer not to
compound the challenges of the art song with preoccupation to sentimentalism. The tenor
should head this advice when performing an aria as well, as text recitation should also be
paramount for performances of arias. In summary, the technique put forth should be
applied to any text, in either art song or aria.

bbb bj
b
&
b b

&b b
? b b
bb J
37
Example 13. Bellini: Quando verr quel d m. 7

ri -
ve
bb
& b b J
? bb b J
b
der
po

Example 14. Bellini: Tu vedrai la sventurata (Il Pirata) mm. 78-79

U
n
n#
4
# # # # bn
&4
mor,
j
& 44
? 44
J
& 12
8

J
R
12
8
12
8
del
j

J
mor,
Nel furor delle tempeste
ta
il dol - cei - stan
te;
<
n dnelle
The other aria found in Il Pirata, Nel furor
tempeste,
comes from Act I. This
12
n n J

&8
aria features several of the characteristics as Tu vedrai la sventurata, including the

?
12
incorporation of fast
to articulation
of coloratura,
8 passages. For reasons relating
J
fret
12
8
perfecting measure 22 of Quando verr quel d (example 16) will translate well to the
perfection of m
10m. 40-41 of Nel furor delle tempeste (example 15). There are of course
& the passages of the art song and the aria. They include range, rhythm
differences between
&
?
38
of vocal line, and tempo. In the aria, the tenor must maintain a more consistent tempo due
to the increased involvement of the orchestra. In the art song, he may take more liberty
with the tempo, as the accompaniment is at rest through the duration of the coloratura.
Still, the contours of each vocal line are comparable. The aria ascends up to the A4
and then back down, resting on A3, which is also the art songs final note in example 16.
Not only does the art song prepare the tenor for negotiating coloratura, but it also prepares
him for maintaining resonance while singing in the mid-range, which is an area of the voice
that is also exploited in example 15.

Example 15. Bellini: Nel furor delle tempeste (Il Pirata) mm. 40-41

j
b 3 b b b
b
&b 4
b
& b 43
nul
20
?
la
io
spe -
b b
10 bb
3
b
b4
b
b
ro...
Example
9 16. Bellini: Quando verr quel d m. 22
b
&b
mi
- a, a
b b6
&b b 8
b
&b
? bb b 68 b
b
20
ni - ma
U
b
J
? bbb b6 b
&b b 8
b
&b
U
U
U

U
bb
&
&b b bb nJ
39

It is worth mentioning that Nel furor delle tempeste is set in strophic form,
featuring two sections of music with little variation between them. Each strophe features
musical phrases that feature frequent repetition of text. This calls to light the musical
decisions that must be made when a singer is operating within these parameters. The
answers to these decisions can be summarized by considering that the singer must be
connected to the text in such a way that natural musical variations will be made, as text
repetition will warrant variance of vocal colors and timbres.

Perhaps the best example of a strophic Bellini art song is Vaga luna, che inargenti.
The art song is the last of the Tre Ariette, written in London in 1833 and dedicated to
Giulietta Pezzi of Milan.54 Battaglia instructs the singer to Use different expressive
nuances when repeating text.55 For example, measure 20 uses the word palpiti
(heartbeats) twice in succession (example 17). Battaglia urges the singer to vary the
vocal color of palpiti. Presumably, Bellini had this same intention in mind, as during the
second recitation of palpiti, he notated a fermata over the first syllable [pal]. With this
fermata, the singer is free to linger on the pitch and syllable in such a way that he is able to
convey the dramatic intention of the entire line of poetry, not solely the word or syllable to
which the fermata is attached.

54 Bellini, Vincenzo, ed. Battaglia, Elio. Canzoni per voce e pianoforte. (Milano: Ricordi,
2004), 75.

55 Ibid, 75.

40
Example 17. Bellini: Vaga luna, che inargenti m. 19-21
19
mo
ra
con - ta_i pal - pi - ti i pal - pi - ti_e_i so - spir ed
a lei che m'in- na -
22

moi-nstruction
ra con - ta_i pal - clian
- ti_e_ibso
ed
ato
leiinclude
che m'in- nathe
- mor-epeated
ra con -ta_i pal
- pi - ti_e_i
so - in Nel
Battaglias
e -espir
xtended
text
found
furor, delle tempeste. Example 18 shows measures 43-50 of the aria, in which the text, Io
amo e peno (I love and I suffer), is repeated several times. Using Battaglias advice, the
tenor must vary the delivery of each repetition of text, and strive to find a new dramatic
nuance with each word. Bellini helps the tenor in this endeavor, as he calls for a
25
rallentando in both the voice and orchestration. This slowing of tempo will help the tenor
spir, te_ihe text so
- spir,
e_i the a
somorous
- spir. anguish that he must feel.
to properly declaim
and
convey
This is one of any number of examples of text repetition that are found in Nel furor
dolce
delle tempeste and other arias. Using Vaga luna, che inargenti to learn to emote the
nuances of text declamation and strophic variance will prepare the singer to do so within
the context of the arias.

41
Example 18. Bellini: Nel furor delle tempese (Il Pirata) mm. 43-50
b3
&b 4
a - mo
b b
rall. un poco a piacere
j
io
mo e
pe
b
J
J
no
io
mo, io
j
j
b3
b b
& b 4

b
rall.
col
canto
b
b
? b3 J
J
b4
b
b
&b
nb
n

b
& b bn
? b n
b n
b

n
mo e
pe
no.
b n

42
CHAPTER 6:
VANNE, O ROSA FORTUNATA
AND
SERBATO, A QUESTO ACCIARO
FROM I CAPULETTI E I MONTECCHI
AND
PER CHI MAI, PER CHI PUGNASTI
FROM ZAIRA

The libretto was penned by Felice Romani, who took his inspiration from various Italian
&
17
&
21
&
25
&
29
&
56
1830
at Venices Teatro
la Fenice. 3 The tenor aria, serbato, a questo acciaro, occurs in
43
43
44
44
68
68
the first a4ct and is sung by the character Tebaldo (Tybalt).
&
13
&
Renaissance
3 sources, rather than directly from the Shakespeare play. The opera debuted in
&
The opera I Capuleti e I Montecchi is defined as a tragedia lirica (lyric tragedy).
4
4
The art song that
most closely
4resembles serbato, a questo acciaro is Vanne, o
rosa fortunata (example 19). The rhythmic figure of the accompaniment features
4 a
68
4
6
rocking eighth-note pattern set in 8 time. The division of the rhythmic structure,
98implies a slow
8 . 3
two-beat-per-measure
pulse
rather than the indicated
& however,
4
9
Similarly,
motion that is a stylistic trademark of
9
the aria b9egins with the rocking
8
8
9
8 4
12
& Bellinis
8
12
20). The division

time (example
of the rhythmic structure implies a slow 4
8
12
12
12
than the indicated8 , but in choosing 8 , Bellini is able to add
the perception
rather
8 of length
68
98
& 56
Anonymous author. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, in Grove Music Online,
12
8
&
to each beat and measure. This trait is common in Bellinian and other bel canto repertoire,
and was without question

intended by the bel canto composers.
&
13
17

&
21
25
4
4
98
12
43
Regardless if operating within the realm of 8 or 8 , the pulse of each piece should
be felt as if a grouping of three eighth-notes creates one large beat rather than three
9
8
smaller beats. When felt in this manner, the pieces, from a rhythmic perspective, function
almost identically. Proceeding with this rhythmic pulse in mind will also facilitate the
12
singers ability to sing with legato phrasing, as the fluidity that this technique creates
adheres to the inherent fluidity of the Italian language. Battaglia references this in his
Vanne, o rosa fortunata commentary. He states that the art song must be sung in a
legato-declamatory
style, meaning that the singer should perform the piece with extreme
smoothness in the vocalism while simultaneously employing appropriate colors and
nuances that serve

of the text.
to enhance communication

Example 19. Bellini: Vanne, o rosa fortunata mm. 1-10
#6
& 8
#
& 68
j
J j j
# J n

? #6
J
n
J J j
8
J

Vanne, o
ro - sa for - tu -
j

J
&

J
J
J
J
na - ta, A
po - sar di Ni - cein pet - to
Ed o - gnun sa - ra
co - stret - to La tua
<
#
&
#
j
j
j
? # j j j
J
J
44
Example 20. Bellini: serbato, a questo acciaro (I Capuleti e i Montecchi) mm. 1-4

12
&8
{{
12
&8
& 12
8
& 128 R
? 12
8
? 128

&
&
ba - ta
e ser -ba - taa que-stoac - cia
ba - ta
e ser -ba - taa que-stoac - cia< - ro
<
ser
j
j
j
j

E
ser

j j
j
j

ro
j j

del tuo
del tuo
&

&

j
j
j
j
?
? j j j j j jj j j j j j
77
& the
style, rhythm, and texture
of accompaniment
are significant
factors
in
&
Generally,
{{
determining the mood of a particular piece. With respect to examples 19 and 20, consider
&
the vocal differences

occur
within the
naturally
if a singer operated
realm of an
& that would
feeling
the eighth notes in
groups
that combine
to form larger
eighth note pulse rather than
beats. Likely, the vocal lines would have a sense of disconnection from note to note,
impeding the pursuit and execution of delivering a legato melodic line.

In addition, diction would suffer. Feeling each eighth note as a separate beat
equalizes the rhythmic importance of each note. As a result, the nuances of the Italian
language, specifically the frequent stress put on the penultimate syllable, would be lost.
45
Vanne, o rosa fortunata is the second of the Sei Ariette. When Bellini arrived in
Milan in 1827, he befriended the composer Francesco Pollini and his wife Marianna.57 The
Pollinis became surrogate parents to the young Bellini. 58 Prompted by the affection he felt
for her, Bellini composed and dedicated the Sei Ariette to Marianna (Bellini dedicated the
opera La sonnambula to Francesco in 1831).
It is plausible that Bellini was using this arietta as a sketch for a later work. Sections
of this piece resurfaced years later in the final duet between Norma and Pollione in Bellinis
masterpiece Norma. Sections also appear in the trio that concludes the first act. 59
It is with Vanne, o rosa fortunata that the topic of canto declamato must be
addressed. Simply stated, this declamatory style of writing for which Bellini is revered
merges syllabic and florid vocal composition.60 The objective of this compositional style
was to merge syllabification and floridity in such a way that every word was set using the
ideal pitch and note value, so that through the music, the text could be adequately
conveyed.
The implementation of canto declamato was, at the time, controversial. Composing
in a style motivated by canto declamato permitted, if not facilitated, a complete

2004), 45.


2004), 52.


46
restructuring of previously held operatic forms. In short, moments that had been
structurally reserved for recitative now became open to the inclusion of arioso.61
It is with Vanne, o rosa fortunata that Bellini uses the Italian word dire (to say)
to describe the method of delivering the text. This term is interpreted not simply as
speaking the text, but as a form of vocal technique that emphasizes simplicity of vocal
production.62 The notion that Bellini supported equal, if not more emphasis for text
declamation as for melodic content is interesting, considering that the perception is that
with bel canto music, the text is predominately subservient to the melodic line and to the
voice.
With regard to Vanne, o rosa fortunata, Battaglias performance instructions are
specific and relate almost exclusively to text declamation. He calls particular attention to
the word costretto (forced), directing the singer to give adequate articulation to the
[str].63 Indeed, giving due articulation to this consonant cluster adds to the dramatic
intention of the word, and sets the singer in line with Bellinis intentions of canto declamato
(example 21). As Battaglia writes, An emphatic enunciation of the consonants will also
facilitate the diaphragms support of the voice and will bring out the sound of the word.64

61 Ibid.

2004), 52.

63 Ibid.

64 Ibid.

47

J
J
J
#6
& 8
ognun sa - ra
co - stret - to la
#6
& 8
j
?# 6
8
J
J
10
&
tua
Another moment that Battaglia highlights as critical in declaiming the text is in

measure 47 (example 22), with the w#ord tu (you).
In the micro-division
of six beats per
&
measure, the word appears on beat two and has an accent mark associated with it. This
?#
weak beat accent occurs unexpectedly. The tension of the weak beat accent is compounded
due to Bellinis notation of a co7 chord. This chord is non-diatonic to G major and
therefore unanticipated. Moreover, t#he voicing of the co7 indicates
that it has not been

20
&
prepared by the previous harmony. The bass note leap from G3 to C4 (augmented
# for this abrupt harmonic transition.

fourth/tri-tone) is primarily responsible
?#
&
Representative compositional practices of the era would incorporate smoother voice
leading to non-diatonic harmonies, typically setup by a secondary dominant that aimed to

harmonize the subsequent chord. Bellinis intention must have been to call attention to this
moment, so as to feature the poignant line of text with which it is associated:

48
Bella rosa, destinata

ad entrambi un'ugual sorte:
l trovar dobbiam la morte,
tu d'invidia ed io d'amor.
Beautiful rose, for both of us

is destined a similar lot:
there must we find death,
you from envy and I from love.
10
In delivering the final line of text, Battaglia directs the singer to stress the word tu as the
accent mark suggests. In measure
the singer to depict
instructs
# 48 (example 22), Battaglia
6
& 8
sorrow with the vocal turn, by way of a subtle forte-piano on the vowel [i] found in the
word io (I).65

ognun sa - ra
co - stret - to la
tua
#6

& 8
j
? # 6 j
8
J
J
T
# j j
&
J
mor, tu
# j
& b
#
?#
J
d'in - vi -diaed
i-o
d'a

J
J

&
The mission, then, is to practice these moments of canto declamato with the context
19
of Vanne, o rosa fortunata and translate them to similar moments in serbato, a questo
&
acciaro. Further, the ultimate mission is to recognize moments of canto declamato in all of
? # on the words and phrases

the tenor arias and place emphasis
where vocal emphases
are
warranted.

65 Ibid, 52.
49

serbato a questo acciaro is an aria that is about passion, vengeance, love, and
hatred. These adjectives permeate the score, making the task of detecting moments of
canto declamato accessible. In this aria, Tebaldo has learned that Giulietta will marry him
as a vendetta to punish Romeo for the murder of Capulets son.

Key words, with which the tenor can experiment colors and timbres that enhance
the text, include sangue (blood), vendetta (vengeance), ciel (heaven), and dolce
istante (sweet moment). The first of these moments occurs between measures five and
six (example 23), with the text del tuo sangue la vendetta (your blood vengeance).
Immediately, there is repetition of text with the word sangue. The tenor must vary
the delivery of this text in such a way that the word becomes more impassioned upon the
second declamation, due to the fact that the line progresses toward an even more powerful
word in vendetta. Upon arrival at vendetta, the tenor must decide how to vocalize the
thirty-second notes. He may choose to sing them in a manner that adds slight pulses to
each pitch, or he may choose to sing them more lyrically. In either case, he must use the
repeated consonant [t:t] [vndt:ta] to depict the connotation of the word.

50
Example 23. Bellini: serbato a questo acciaro (I Capuleti e i Montecchi) mm. 5-6
& 12
8
san -
gue, del tuo san
12
& 8
j j
? 12
&
gue la
ven - det
ta:

j j j
(example 24) with the word ciel (heaven). At this point the tenor has several options,
which are augmented by Bellinis choice of pitch, and his use of fermata. For the tenore di
The next opportunity to sufficiently declaim the text occurs at measure nine
&
grazia, the F4 is a note that occurs below the seconda passaggio66 and so it is likely that the
tenor will be comfortable to experiment with different colors and timbres that
13
communicate the text.

He may start and end this pitch all at one soft
dynamic.
He may
&
choose to start and end this pitch all on one voluminous dynamic. Further still, he may
choose to start softly and crescendo.
He
messa
may even
choose to implement
di voce.

Depending on his dramatic intentions, all of these options are acceptable. Arguably, the
&
?
best decision is to produce this with one voluminous dynamic. The rationale for this
decision lies in the dramatic intention of the text. In this aria, the tenor Tebaldo is
declaring vengeance on Romeo, and that all heaven knows his loyalty to Giulietta. It
makes sense to deliver this line with dramatic intention relative to the text.

66 Miller, Richard, Training Tenor Voices (New York: Schirmer, 1993), 9.

51
Example 24. Bellini: serbato a questo acciaro (I Capuleti e i Montecchi) m. 9
12
&8

J J
ta
lia,
il ciel,
il ciel
lo
j
& 12
8
J
n
n j
? 12
has the
opportunity
to be creative with
One additional moment

& in which the tenor
text declamation is during the phrase dolce istante (example 25). Bellini sets the word
where tenors who

possess even the lightest
dolce (sweet) in an area o&

f the voice
vocal
mnoment
[stan] of istante.
by adding

tenor to further embellish
# #over
& 44 this sweet
# a# fermata
mechanisms will be able to ?

add warmth and sweetness to their timbre. Bellini allows the
mor,vocal embellishments,
a Bellini follows this by adding
tmor,
he tempi of which del
are at the discretion
15
j These
4 &
j the cadence,
of the tenor and conductor.
prolong
but enhance
embellishments
the
text.

& 4
? 44
J&
Example 25. Bellini: s?

erbato a questo acciaro
(I Capuleti e i M
ontecchi) mm. 13-14
& 12
8

J
R
<
nn n
12
&8
n J
? 12
8
10
&
fret
ta
il dol - cei - stan
te;
12
8
12
8
12
8
52
Bellini cared deeply about the text; so much so that he pioneered this canto
declamato in an effort to unite the music and the text. Among Bellinis contemporaries,
namely Franz Schubert, the belief that the text and music should work congruently was not
new. However within the realm of bel canto it seemed to be revolutionary. This is due to
the perception that in Italian bel canto literature, the text is subservient to the music and to
the voice.
Using Bellini to learn and perfect the art of text declamation is a necessary endeavor
for all singers. The primary reason for this is that Bellinis music is more accessible than
the music of his Italian, German, and French contemporaries. This is particularly true of
Bellinis art songs. His melodies are highly accessible one might even say predictable
and the supporting harmonies and harmonic progressions share this same characteristic.
These traits are the manifestation of the conservative education he received from the Real
Collegio di Musica, in which the progressive music of composers such as Rossini was
excluded from the curriculum. His manner of setting texts is logical yet thoughtful no
doubt crafted in this manner in order to facilitate proper text declamation.
The accessible nature of Bellinis music means that the principles learned from the
study of his art songs can be applied to art songs and arias from a variety of styles, periods,
genres, and composers. For this reason, there is great value in the study of Bellini and
canto declamato.

Zaira
One must perfect the principles of canto declamato by studying any aria from
Bellinis repertory. With the aria Per chi mai, per chi pugnasti from Bellinis 1829 Zaira,
53
however, the tenor can make direct translations to the principles previously discussed with
serbato a questo acciaro.
Musically, Per chi mai, per chi pugnasti is strikingly similar to serbato a questo
acciaro rather, the latter shares striking similarities with the former, as Zaira was
actually composed before I Capuletti e i Montecchi. Despite the failure of Zaira (the operas
storyline concerns interreligious marriage, and at the time this was an unpopular topic),
Bellini undoubtedly believed that much of this work had potential. He reworked much of
Zaira, including the tenor aria, for I Capuleti e i Montecchi. Therefore, many of the same
concepts detailed with serbato a questo acciaro can be translated directly to Per chi
mai, per chi pugnasti.
Specifically relating to text declamation, there are several words that warrant
emphasis, a few of which include insulter (insult), soffrir (tolerate), and vilt (cowardice).
Just as certain text warrants attention in the aria from I Capuletti e i Montecchi, these words
must be delivered in such a way that their meanings are adequately highlighted. The tenor
must be sure to put stress on the final syllables of insulter and vilt, as this is mandated by
the accent marks. In addition, the tenor must use the double consonant [ff] in the word
soffrir to convey the meaning of this word, relative to the context of this aria. Typically the
word soffrir is translated as suffer, but in this context, it should be translated as tolerate.
In short, the double consonant should be sounded in such a way that it conveys the sense of
enduring intolerance, and not suffering. Finally, as these and other bits of text are
repeated, the tenor must find a different vocal color or nuance with each repeated
recitation of the text.
54
In Act I, Corasmino, the Grand Vizier, sings the aria. He emphatically opposes the
marriage of the Christian slave girl Zaira and the Sultan Orosmane. In this aria, Corasmino
is voicing his displeasure over the sacrilegious union.
While set with librettist Felice Romanis somewhat antiquated Italian, the
translation is as follows:
For whom, for whom did you fight,
O my leader, O Saladin!
Of the Empire that you founded
Be this the evil fate?
That a degenerate and blind child
insult your throne?
Oh! Inspire him with your example
and do not tolerate his cowardice!

The opera was never published in its entirety and so has fallen into relative
obscurity. Previously, only the duet Io trover nellAsia and the trio Cari oggetti in seno
a voi have ever been available for study.
A major reason to include the aria in this document is due to the fact that to date, it
has never been available in a piano/vocal reduction. A manuscript copy of the entire opera
is available on the International Music Score Library Project (www.imslp.org) website, via
the Biblioteca del Conservatorio di musica S. Pietro a Majella, Napoli, and it was used to
transcribe this aria.
The following pages contain the Zaira aria, transcribed in a piano/vocal reduction.
This is the first time that the aria has been made accessible, and in so doing, each tenor aria
from a completed Bellinian opera is available for study and performance.

55
Example 26. Bellini: Per chi mai, per chi pugnasti (Zaira) mm. 1-26
Per chi mai, per chi pugnasti

Corasmino's aria from the opera Zaira (1829)
q. = 47
12
& 8
Vincenzo Bellini
Transcribed and edited by James Loving Thompson
Per
q. = 47
chi
ma
i,
per chi
12
&8
? 12
8

&
gna - sti
&
&
- di
&
?
no!
mio
3
-
du - ce,
mio du - ce Sa
Dell'
im - pe
la -
ro,

dell' im - pe - ro che fon
Copyright
2012 Classical Vocal Reprints
www.classicalvocalrep.com
pu -
>
56
Example 26 continued
2
7
&

da -
&
&
sti
sti
T
-
#
J
no?
&
fia
pur que - sto,
& #
?
b
de -
glio
pur que - stoil rio
al tuo tro - noin - sul - te-
3 #
in - sul
fia

n
Tra - gli - na - toe
cie-co fi
& #
11
te - r?
Tu is - pi - raa lui con
57
13
&
&
?
15
&
&
?
U
apiacere

si - glio non sof - frir la sua vil - t,
la
w
Per
chi
ma
i,
J J
per
chi
pu
. . . . . . . . . . . .

U
J
&
gna - sti. Dell' im - pe
18
U . . . .
su - a vil - t!
&
U
?
3
#
ro
che
fon - da - sti

dell' im - pe - ro che fon
58

4
&
da - sti fia pur que - stoil rio de- stin. O!
21
&
23
& J
frir
la
so -
frir,
3 #
non

su
a, la,
U
&
sof-
w
a piacere
la
su - a vil - t!
59
CHAPTER 7:
BELLA NICE, CHE DAMORE
AND
AH! PERCH NON POSSO ODIARTI
FROM LA SONNAMBULA

Bellinis sixth professional opera La sonnambula (The Sleepwalker) debuted
March 6, 1831 at Milans Teatro Carcano.67 Bellini did not begin work on the opera until
January 2 of that year, and completed it in mid-February. The opera was a success, and
solidified Bellini as one of the most heralded Italian composers of the era.

With La sonnambula, Bellini reached his mature style of composition. An aspect of
this style, as was witnessed with I Capuleti e i Montecchi, was to experiment with
traditional aria forms. This feature is highlighted in the aria Ah! perch non posso odiarti.
Specifically, Bellini composed sections of chorus to interject within the aria. While not an
unprecedented convention, the juxtaposition of chorus within an aria underlines Bellinis
desire to constantly progress the standard principles of operatic form and structure. This
pursuit was not done randomly or casually. Rather, Bellini made these structural decisions
with the intention of creating realism and adding to the dramatic impact. Moreover, Bellini
continued to hone his canto declamato style. The recitatives assumed stylistic qualities of
arioso, which allowed them to segue seamlessly into the true aria.

The success of the opera was due in part to the star-studded cast, which again
included the acclaimed tenor Giovanni Rubini. Bellini exploited Rubinis abilities, pitching

67 Julian Budden et al, La sonnambula. Grove Music Online, www.oxfordmusiconline.com,
accessed 16 March, 2012.

60
the music at a high tessitura. In fact, Bellinis autographed score shows the tenor sections
pitched a full tone higher.
The problem for contemporary operatic tenors is that the expectation is for them to
incorporate chest voice production even into the upper extremes of the vocal range. The
method of gaining access to the upper register has been outlined in this document, and
many tenors, both professional and amateur, are able to gain entry to these notes, even
when using chest voice production. However, the major challenge as it pertains to the aria
Ah! perch non posso odiarti and the entirety of La sonnambula is sustaining the high
tessitura.
Tessitura is difficult to quantify, but every singer, regardless of fach, understands its
meaning and how it affects voice classification and repertoire choices. In order to compare
the tessituras of an art song and aria, a system of quantifying tessitura was necessary, and
so was developed for this document. The end result of this endeavor is what I call a
tessitura matrix. The tessitura matrix ultimately calculates the average pitch of an art
song or aria. Once the average pitch is calculated, it can then be hypothetically inserted to
replace the actual pitches of the piece. At this point, the singer can then evaluate the
difficulty he would have in sustaining that single pitch throughout the duration of the art
song or aria. Below is a tessitura matrix for the tenor aria Ah! perch non posso odiarti
from La Sonnambula.

61
Table 1. Tessitura Matrix for Ah! Perche non posso ordiarti
Tessitura)Matrix)
"Ah!))Perche)non)posso)odiarti"
Tenor)Aria)from)La#sonnambula
Pitch
C3
C#/D4
D4
D#/E4
E4
F4
F#/G4
G4
G#/A4
A4
A3/B4
B3
C4
C#/D3
D3
D#/E3
E3
F3
F#/G3
G3
G#/A3
A3
A3/B3
B4
C5
Numeric7Value
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Frequency
12
21
45
76
78
45
42
12
Composite7Value
72
48
210
495
988
1170
720
102
756
240
44
46
Sum)of)composite)values)=)4891
Total)number)of)melodic)notes)=)347
4891/347))14)=)D
The process of completing a tessitura matrix uses very basic mathematics and
provides and empirical method of calculating tessitura. The system begins with assigning
a numeric value to each pitch throughout the breadth of the tenor range. The tenor range
spans roughly two octaves, from C3 to C5 (25 half-steps). With each passing half-step, the
pitches increase in numeric value by an integer of one (note that if a piece goes beyond C5
as many Bellinian pieces do, the matrix can extend. In this case, each half-step should
continue to increase by an integer of one). The remainder of the process involves several
other basic components:
1. Tally the number of times that an individual pitch is used in the art song or aria.
This number is referred to as a pitchs Frequency.
2. Calculate the sum of the Frequencies to find the total number of melodic notes that
are used in the art song or aria.
3. Multiply the pitchs numeric value and its Frequency. This number is what is
referred to as a pitchs Composite Value. Repeat this step for each pitch that is used.
4. Calculate the sum of the Composite Values.
62
5. Divide the sum of the Composite Values by the total number of melodic pitches.
This number will correspond with a pitch in the matrix, and is the average pitch of
the art song or aria.

In the case of Ah! perch non posso odiarti, there are 347 melodic notes, with the
average pitch being D4. In theory, then, the tessitura matrix equates singing the actual
aria, with singing the aria after having replaced each note with the average pitch. While
there may be some discrepancy among tenors and pedagogues regarding the difficulty of
sustaining the tessitura, most would presumably agree that singing the note D4 347 times
in succession would cause at least a moderate amount of fatigue for the tenor. In short, the
aria Ah! perch non posso odiarti is situated at a relatively high tessitura.

In order to train a tenor to meet the challenging demands sustaining the tessitura of
Ah! perch non posso odiarti, an art song with a similar or identical average pitch must be
used. In this case, the art song Bella Nice, che damore is the proper option. As the
corresponding tessitura matrix indicates, the average pitch is actually one half-step higher
(D4) than the average pitch of Ah! perch non posso odiarti. In spite of this fact, there are
comparatively few (204) melodic pitches involved in Bella Nice, che damore. The logic in
pairing this art song with this aria is that the tenor will experience a higher overall tessitura
in the art song, but will sustain that tessitura for a shorter duration. This will adequately
train him to sustain a slightly lower tessitura over a longer duration, which is a trait of the
aria.

If the tenor does not wish to learn the entire art song in training for the aria, or
wishes to begin to train his stamina gradually, then he may simply isolate the most vocally
63
taxing measures of an art song. In the case of Bella Nice, che damore, measures 34-42
contain an even higher average pitch, that of E4. Below is the tessitura matrix for
measures 34-42 of Bella Nice, che damore.

Table 2. Tessitura matrix for mm. 34-43 of Bella Nice, che damore
Tessitura)Matrix)
"Bella)Nice,)che)d'amore"mm.)34:42
Song)for)voice)and)piano
Pitch
C3
C#/D3
D3
D#/E3
E3
F3
F#/G3
G3
G#/A3
A3
A/B3
B3
C4
C#/D4
D4
D#/E4
E4
F4
F#/G4
G4
G#/A4
A4
A 3/B4
B4
C5
Numeric7Value
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Frequency
Composite7
Value
44
26
120
64
108
19
100
Sum)of)composite)values)=)487
Total)number)of)melodic)notes)=)31
487/31))15.7))E4
The tessitura matrix can be used for any art song and any aria, and can be
transposed in order to be useful for low voices as well. If calculating for low voice singers,
the numeric values 1-25 will remain the same, but will correspond to the different pitches
that are used for the bass, baritone, or mezzo-soprano ranges. For example, the baritone
matrix might range from A3-A5, with A3 having a numeric value of 1 and A5 having a
numeric value of 25.

I developed this matrix with the added intention of aiding in literature selection for
beginning voice students. Using this matrix as a tool for literature selection helps to ensure
that the literature being studied is appropriate for his current ability level. Moreover, it can
be used to make pedagogical connections between art songs and arias across the spectrum
of the repertory.
64
CHAPTER 8:
SOGNO DINFANZIA
AND
MECO ALLALTAR DI VENERE
FROM NORMA

Arguably the most famous and revered opera composed by Bellini is Norma.
Admittedly, the opera receives such acclaim due in large part to the title character, whose
role is tremendously demanding for the soprano both in terms of the dramatic and vocal
requirements. With Norma, Bellini mastered the canto declamato style.
As for the principal tenor, Pollione, Bellini was again without the services of his
faithful Rubini. Instead, the role was created for Domenico Donzelli, whose voice was
described as forceful, dark, and low.68 The entirety of the role reflects the quality of
Donzellis voice, as it rarely ascends beyond G4. This trait is a departure from typical
Bellinian roles and training a tenor to meet this demand is a unique endeavor.
First and foremost, the tenor must first possess a voice that can be described in a
way that is similar or identical to what Donzellis must have been. To be forthright, the role
of Pollione requires a dramatic tenor voice.69 It is plausible that Bellini created the
dramatic vocal traits required of Pollione to pair with Normas dramatic disposition. If so,
Bellini clearly understood the differences in composing for the tenore di grazia and the
dramatic tenor.

68 Simon Maguire and Elizabeth Forbes, Norma, Grove Music Online,
www.oxfordmusiconline.com, accessed 7 May, 2012.

69 McGinnis, Pearl Yeadon, and Willis, Marith McGinnis. The Opera Singer's Career Guide:
Understanding the European Fach System. (Plymouth, UK: Scarecrow Press, 2010), 289.
65
Perhaps the most overt trait of a dramatic tenor voice is that he must possess great
power in the upper range. Apart from the timbre and tone quality of an individual voice, an
art song or arias melodic material can be used facilitate repertoire selection that is suitable
for the dramatic tenor voice. All Bellinian tenor roles, with the exception of Normas
Pollione, are considered to be ideal for the tenore di grazia. The melodic aspect that is
consistent with all of the tenore di grazia arias is how Bellini approaches the notes G4 and
beyond (examples 27-32).

Example 27. Oh! Quante amare lagrime (Adelson e Salvini) mm. 20-21

4
&4 J
tan - to,
b
a
co - si, fier, co - si
& 44 j j

?4
4
&
&
?
<
## 12

8 j
## 12
8 J

can - to tra
la gio - ja, tra la gio - jae l'es - sul - tar
#
&#
?##
## 12

8 R J
do
#
&#
11
fier
&
&
b bb 98
n nn
12
8
12
8
va, ch'io
j
bbbb 98
bbbb 8 J J
nnnn
nnnn
66
12
8
Example 28. serbato, a questo acciaro (I Capuletti e i Montecchi) mm. 7-8

12
&8
man
12
& 8
2
21
? 12
8
b b9
& b b 8
&
te
il
vi
con - sor
tea dem - pi -
U
n
n n nnnn
j
b b9
& &b 8 n n
#
? b
? b b 9 n
bb8 J
J
J
ra,
il
va,ch'io
con
nnnn
nnn n
## 12

& 8 R J
Example 29. A te, o cara (I Puritani) mm. 8-9
24
<

## 12

& 8 j
? ## 12
J
8 J

can - to tra
la gio - ja, tra la gio - jae l'es - sul - tar
Example 30. Nel furor, delle tempeste (Il Pirata) mm. 68-69
b3
&b 4
mor,
dal
b 3
&b 4
? bb 43
n b

l'a -
mor,
b
&b
b
12
& #8
j U U . . . .

&

Uj
? ## 12 j U
j 67
?
J
J
Example 31. Ah! Perch non posso odiarti (La sonnambla) mm. 22-23
15
&
b
fij
4
& b 4
w
nn

. . . bb 4. j . j. . j. . . . .
& 4
nn
nn
w
Per
chi
v - to,o
ma
i,
per
U J
&
gna - sti. Dell' im - pe
U
&
U
?
chi
pu
J
j

Example 32. Per chi mai, per chi pugnasti (Zaira) mm. 18-20

3
#
18
J
J
tra - di - tri - ce, no,
? b 4 j j j
?

b 4 J J
&
ro
che
fon - da - sti
dell' im -pe - ro che fon
The aspect that is consistent with each of these (and other) examples is the fact that the top
register is approached from a note that is within the secondo passaggio. In order to access
the top register, the tenore di grazia must deliver the passaggio notes with the same
method of production that is required for notes beyond the secondo passaggio. Another
way of stating this is that when the tenor is in the secondo passaggio, he is already in the
midst of upper register production, and so can easily make the transition out of the secondo
passaggio and into the upper register.

68

In Polliones aria from Norma, the upper register pitches are predominately
approached from pitches that are below the seconda passaggio (example 33). At these
moments, the tenor does not begin the leap while within the parameters of upper register
production, and therefore he requires more power and weight in the voice in order to make
the ascent.

Example 33. Meco all'altar di Venere (Norma) m. 7

4
&4
& 44
?4
4
<
<

J
J
3
3
j
j
J
e - raA- dal - gi
& 43
sain
Polliones ascent from D4 to G4 reoccurs

car numerous
ratimes throughout
vo the -aria Meco
-
all'altar di Venere, just as the melodic leaps

3 associated with tenore di grazia arias are
&4
prevalent as well. There can be little doubt that due

characteristics
to the melodic
and the
<
glioa - do - rar
j
j
? 3 j # # #
fach category for the role of Pollione, the 4approach
plays a significant

to the upper register
role in determining the voice type best suited for Pollione.

13
The art song that will adequately prepare

a tenor for the demands of Meco all'altar
&
di Venere is Sogno dinfanzia. The major

- ti reason why these two pieces translate so well
is the fact that each frequently ascend to G4, and do so from notes that are well below the
&
? j

69
seconda passaggio. Moreover, the ascents to the G4 are virtually identical. In the aria, the
leap from D4 to G4 is a prevalent interval. As example 34 shows, a similar melodic figure
occurs in the art song Sogno dinfanzia.

The difference between the two examples is that in the art song, the melodic line
first descends to G3 before making the octave leap to G4. An initial analysis would indicate
that the octave leap found in the art song seems to be markedly different from that of the
44 found
in the aria.
perfect fifth l&
eap
pedagogically,
J However,
the
tenor
must
retain
43 the
- raA-odal
gi -fact
sainthat he is actually descending to G3. In doing so, the tenor
feeling of D4 in espite
< f t- he
<
and clarity on the G4.

will achieve maximum
4 resonance

&4
J J
3
3
? 4 j j
4
J
43
43
Example 34. Sogno dinfanzia mm. 126-130
& 43
3
&4
car
ra
vo

<
glioa - do - rar
? 3 j j #j #j #j
4

13
is a three-strophe
art song, which allows the tenor

to practice this
Sogno
& dinfanzia
- ti
technique numerous
times with varying texts and vowels. In order to make a direct
melodic connection, the tenor may also negate the descent

that note
to the G3, and replace
&
with a D4. This method

j will be most beneficial in the early stages of study. As the tenor
70
becomes more technically stable, he should sing the melodic material as written, but should
be mindful of carrying excessive weight in the voice on the ascent from G3 to G4.
Developing confidence and reliability in this technique will ultimately allow the
tenor to make a seamless transition to all the melodic material of Meco all'altar di Venere.

71
CHAPTER 9:
LA RICORDANZA
AND
PER PIET, BEL IDOL MIO
TO
A TE, O CARA
FROM I PURITANI

In 1833, Bellini moved to Paris in hopes of securing a commission from the Paris
Opera. Two years of negotiations proved fruitless, as he died in 1835 having never secured
the commission. He did receive a commission from the Thtre Italien, which resulted in
Bellinis final opera, I Puritani. The opera debuted on January 24, 1835.70
The opera features a libretto from Carlo Pepoli, marking the first time since Bianca e
Fernando that Bellini used a librettist other than his faithful Romani. The split between
composer and librettist occurred during the composition of Beatrice di Tenda. Bellini
received the commission for Beatrice di Tenda from Venices La Fenice in May of 1832, but
in October, Bellini forced a new subject on Romani.
At this time, Romani was simultaneously working on five other opera libretti,
creating tension in the working relationship that he had developed with Bellini. Romani
finally delivered the libretto in January of 1833, but by February, Bellini acknowledged that
he had yet to begin composing the second act. Bellini predicated a failure for the March
debut, which is exactly what transpired. Each artist blamed the other for the failure, and
the collaboration ended. In the years after Bellinis death, Beatrice di Tenda was revived

70 Simon Maguire et al., I Puritani, Grove Music Online, www.oxfordmusiconline.com,
accessed 8 May, 2012.

72
and gained momentum. Presently, it is no longer considered a failure, and is occasionally
programmed.71

For I Puritani, Bellini had the services of his favorite tenor, Giovanni Rubini. The
major musical moments, h4 ighlighted by the aria/ensemble

tenor role, Arturo, has several
piece A te, o cara and the infamous Credeasi, misera, in which Arturo soars to F5.
will most adequately
4
One Bellini art song that
prepare
a tenor for A te, o cara is La
ricordanza. Interestingly, Carlo Pepoli, who was the librettist for I Puritani, also wrote the
ricordanza. This
is a significant connection, 8 as studying La ricordanza
text for La
affords the tenor the only opportunity in the Bellinian repertory to study the text setting of
of art song and opera. 8

a specific librettist
in both genres

Musically, the most obvious connection is found in the meter and in the rhythmic
12
patterns of the accompaniments. A te, o cara is set in 8with the accompaniment

43
featuring the three eighth-note groupings, implying the triplet triadic arpeggios with which
68
seem extensive, but an analysis of the rhythmic impulses reveals that the aria and the art
song are structurally almost identical.

98
12
8

71 Ibid.
had to notate them as triplets. At first comparison, this difference in orchestration may
Bellini is frequently connected (example 36). La ricordanza is set in 4 , but still features
the three eighth-note groupings (example 35). In order to group the eighth notes, Bellini
73
Example 35. Bellini: La ricordanza mm.1-2

2
18
bbbb 98
nnnn
## 12
8
## 12
8
va, ch'io
j
bbbb 98
bbbb 98 J J
nnnn
nnnn
43
44
te,o ca
ra,
j
J J
a- mor
ta
## 12
& 8

43
j
? ## 12
j

8 68
98
44
12
triads. He employs the use of 8 meter, which satisfies Bellinis desire to create a feeling of
able to achieve the long phrasal length because he notes the tempo as Largo.
12
Because of the inherent cadence of 8 , or 4 which has a feel of added length due to
the application of triplets, techniquerather, errors of techniquebecome noticeable.
68
The relatively slow rhythmic pulse of these meters causes errors and deficiencies to be
augmented. One example of this is a singers ability to produce legato. The slowness of the
98
12
8
One of the distinct characteristics

of 6A te, o cara, is Bellinis trademark oscillating
21
length to each beat,

measure, phrase,
and u98ltimately,
43 the entire piece. In addition, Bellini is
## 12
8
Example 36. Bellini: A te, o cara (I Puritani) mm.1-2
## 12
& 8
&
&
74
tempo mandates that the legato must actually be produced with the sensation of hyper-
legato. In order to achieve this, Battaglia instructs the singer to give due articulation the
consonants, but to connect them closely to each vowel in each word.72 This will allow the
singer to match the smoothness of the meter with the smoothness of vowel-to-vowel
articulation.

Another important technical aspect to consider when operating in a slow meter is
breath management. Due to the long phrasal length, the tenor must be skilled in the
command of his breathing. He must make careful decisions regarding when to take a
breath. The difficulty in these decisions is due to the fact that he may be forced to breathe
during moments that are not ideal for declamation of the text.
18
Examples
37 and 38 show the aria and the
first U
phrases
of each strophe. Notice that
nn n
bbbb 98
n
&
example 37 shows punctuation (a comma) after the word cara. As a result, Bellini
b b 9 j
b
nnnn
b 8
&
of material.
can use this rest to breathe and prepare for the next line
## 12
8
va, ch'io
## 12
8
notated a rest to enhance the separation of the first two lines of text. In addition, the tenor
bbbb 98 J J
nnnn
Example 37. Bellini: A te, o cara (I Puritani) mm.1-2
# 12
& # 8
j
J J
#
& # 12
8
j
? ## 12
j
te,o ca
ra,
a- mor
ta

2004), 95.
21
## 12
8
75
The first two lines of the second strophe begin with Al brillar di si bellora. Notice
in example 38 that there is no punctuation that separates the first two lines of texts.
Therefore, Bellini did not notate a rest or a breath mark because he wanted the text to flow
continuously and uninterrupted. The challenge with measure 25 is that the most difficult
singing is in the second strophe (includes the C 5), and not breathing here and at every
possible moment can lead to issues of stamina. The decision whether or not to breathe
becomes more complicated when a tenor considers that he was able to breathe in the first
## 12
nn
in breathing
strophe, when &
he first
R Jthis music. By this rationale, he is justified
8 encountered
## 12
8
## 12 based on his individual needs.

all breathing decisions
## 12
8
- ra, se ram - men - to il mio tor

in measure 25. Each dl'or
ecision
will have consequences, but the tenor should make this and
& 8
j
? ## 12
j
8
nn
## 12
8
nn
nn
nn
Example 38. Bellini: A te, o cara (I Puritani) mm. 25-26

## 12
& 8
nn
j
J
lar
di si
bel l'or -
ra

J
di si
bel
# 12
& #8

? ## 12
j
j
8 J
10
&
The tenor is also faced with breath decisions in the art song. Example 40 shows two
musical phrases from La ricordanza. Measure six features a comma after the word notte
& by a rest. This would indicate a moment where the performer should take
(night), followed
?
76
a breath. This measure corresponds with measure two of the aria. In measure seven of the
art song, there is no punctuation, indicating that there is no moment to breathe, as is the
case of measure 25 of A te, o cara. However, the rest in measure seven of La ricordanza
gives the tenor the possibility of breathing, in spite of the fact that this decision is not
supported by textual punctuation (example 39). This series of breath/no breath decisions
are comparable to the breathing decisions the tenor faces in the aria.

Like the aria, decisions relating to the respiratory process should be managed based
on the individual needs of the singer. Both the art song and the aria are rather lengthy
pieces, which ascend to challenging parts of the vocal range. These factors call to mind
issues of stamina, and so the performer should weigh these and all other performance
factors in deciding the placement and frequency of breaths.

Example 39. Bellini: La ricordanza mm. 4-9
& b 44
E - ra
3
3
& b 44 #n
? 4 j
b4
J
&b
&b
?b
j r

la not
te,
e pres - so di
j r
co

J
3
n
3
con quel
3 so - la,
3
3
3
3
3
3
b

#n

j
3
j
j
j
J
J

lei
che so - la cor
mi giun - see vi sta

3
77
Another art song that will prepare the tenor for A te, o cara is Per piet, bell'idol
mio. Specifically, there is one passage that is quite similar to a passage found in the aria.
Example 40 shows the aria, and a scalar ascent to A5. Example 41 from the art song shows
a very similar passage, only the top note is one-half step lower than the example from the
aria. In both cases, however, the challenge is negotiating the secondo passaggio. The tenor
must exit the secondo passaggio in such a way that he has simultaneously shifted into his
high register method of production. Although this concept has been previously outlined,
U
negotiating the secondo passaggio is a major
technical
challenge for the tenor. He can
2
b b 9
nn n
b
& b t8hrough the study of Per piet, bell'idol mn io, and transitioning
directly apply this concept

vi
b b 9 j
b
& b 8
to the aria A te, o cara.
? bb b 98
b J
J
J
va, ch'io
## 12
8
nnnn
nnnn
## 128
## 12
& 8 R J
Example 40. Bellini: A te, o cara (I Puritani) mm. 31-32

23
## 12
8
# 12

& # 8 j
?## 12
J
8 J
ten - to, m'e piu ca - ro, m'e piu ca - ro pal -pi - tar
mi
o,
Non mi dir ch'io so - no in gra -
- to; Non mi dir ch'io so
% &&%&&& %&&&%& &&

&
"
!"" % & & & % & &
&
no in
% & & & % (& &

&
78
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&
, "" & % + & % +
4
&
%+
% +
+ &piet,
% + bell'idol
% + m. 12-15
& %Per
&%+ m
& io
Example
41. Bellini:
"
&
4
&
&
&
&
&
&
&
& & & ( & & & & & & & " &/ & & & & & &
1 1 1 1
"
& + /) 0 *
& &
! " " (&
12
gra - to
In - fe - li
"
! " " % & & (& % & (& &
)
)
&
&
, ""
" &%+ &% +
ce e sve ntu - ra - to
% & & & % & (&

&
)
&
&
&%+ & % +
1
Ab - ba- - stan - - za il Ciel mi
&
% && %&&
&
)
&
&
&%+ &%+
1
%& &&% &&&

&
&%
1
JK1107.04.11 www.jk-klassik.de
)
+ & % +
&

Formally, the aria is set in two strophes with identical musical material. Separating
the strophes is a quartet and chorus that features Arturo and the soprano Elvira soaring
over the orchestra and the other voices in a major third harmonic relationship. Arturo
begins the second strophe with a repeat of the opening material, followed by a major sixth
leap from E4 to C 5 (Example 42).

Example 42. Bellini: A te, o cara (I Puritani) m. 27
## 12
nn
J
& 8 R
l'or - ra, se ram - men
#
& # 12
8
lar
j
J
di si
## 12
8
nn
nn
## 12
8
## 12
8
nn
nn
nn
to il mio tor
#
& # 12
8
j
?## 12
j
bel l'or -
ra

J
di si
bel
#
& # 12
8

?## 12
j
j
8

79
CHAPTER 10:
THE FREQUENCY AND THE FREEDOM OF MODIFICATIONS TO THE PRINTED SCORE
SUPPORTED BY ANALYSES OF AVAILABLE RECORDINGS

The driving force behind bel canto is the singers ability to deliver the art song or
aria with a universally pleasing tone quality. However, text delivery is also an important
component to bel canto. Communication of the text was equally, if not more important to
Bellini as beautiful singing. An evolving but accepted notion is that bel canto emphasizes
the beauty of the voice, followed by other performance factors, including text delivery. Bel
canto, after all, translates to beautiful singing.

What constitutes a beautiful tone quality is relative and contingent upon the
personal preferences of the individual listener. Likewise, each individual singer strives to
sing beautifully in a manner that is consistent with his personal aesthetics. Each singer
knows his voice and knows how to highlight the positive attributes while diminishing the
negatives.

As a result, singers make choices regarding technique, interpretation, style, and
tempo that help them to achieve their highest level during performance. After careful
analysis of the available recordings of the Bellinian art songs, it is apparent that some
generalizations can be made regarding the observation of the indicated rhythms and rests.
On the contrary, interpretations of tempi and the addition of vocal ornamentation seem to
be at the discretion of the individual performer.
While often different, the choices that the individual singers made during these
performances were made to accentuate their strengths while simultaneously concealing
their weaknesses. The amateur performer should be encouraged to do the same, as doing
so will increase the probability of a positive performance experience. Below are tables that

80
are labeled with criteria that constitute adjustments to the printed score. The criteria
include tempi, employing vocal ornamentation that is not indicated in the score,
observation of rests, and taking liberties with regard to rhythmic precision. As the
following tables indicate, several recordings of each piece were analyzed and are
performed by a variety of famous professional tenors. Examining the data will allow the
tenor to understand the variety of interpretations of each art song and will especially assist
the young tenor in making these critical performance decisions.

Table 3. Recording analysis of Malinconia, ninfa gentile
Malinconia,)ninfa)gentile
Singer
Marcello)Giordani
Luciano)Pavarotti
Jos)Carreras
Dennis)O'Neil
Juan)Diego)Florez
Time
1:29
1:29
2:03
1:30
2:04
Added)vocal))ornamentation
No
No
No
No
No
Observation)of)Rests
Instances)of)liberty)with)indicated)rhythm
NoCm.)15,)23,)25,)29,33
NoCm.)13,)17,)21,)25,)29
m.)26,)bt.))3
NoCm.13,)17,)25,)50,)52,)55,)59,)62
NoCm.13,)17,)21,)25,)29,)49
NoCm.13,)17,)21,)25,)33,)49,)53

In the first of the Sei Ariette, the tempo that Bellini indicates is Allegro agitato. As
the time column indicates, there is a 35 second discrepancy between the fastest
performance and the slowest. Differences in performance timing are a byproduct of
interpretation and declamation of the text. It is the interpretation of the listener as to
which of these times is most in accordance with the indicated tempo, and which tempo best
serves the text. The performance aspects that are consistent with each singer are the fact
that none of them added any vocal ornamentation, and each of them took liberty with the
observation of the rests. In the case of the rests, the singers tended not to observe the
sixteenth note rests. This is especially true when the rest followed a word that was not

81
accompanied by punctuation, such as a comma. This is a major clue in how to deliver the
text. The singer seems to be justified in negating a rest if doing so enhances text delivery
and produces a more natural recitation of the text.

Table 4. Recording analysis of Vanne, o rosa fortunata
Vanne,&o&rosa&fortunata
Singer
Nicolai&Gedda
Luciano&Pavarotti
Dennis&O'Neil
Time
2:14
2:06
2:25
Added&vocal&&ornamentation
No
m.&50
No
Observation&of&Rests
Yes
Yes
Yes
Instances&of&liberty&with&indicated&rhythm
m.&3,&bts&5H6;&
The second of the Sei Ariette is Vanne, o rosa fortunata. There are fewer available
recordings of this piece, but one can still glean much from the analysis. Largely, the tempi
of each recording are the same. Each tenor chose not to customize the score for their
individual needs, with Dennis ONeil singing the piece virtually as written. Nicolai Gedda
sang a dotted rhythm on beats five and six of measure four, however the indicated rhythm
is notated as straight eighth notes (example 43).


#6
&8
#
& 68 J
#
?#6
8
&
n
J n
J
j
j
j
J
J J
Vanne, o
ro - sa for - tu -
j
J
#
J
J
J
J
J
na - ta, A po - sar di Ni - cein pet - to Ed o - gnun sa - ra co - stret - to La tua

<
82
In Pavarottis recording, he added a vocal turn to measure 50. Bellini notated only
one such ornament, which is found in measure 48.

Table 5. Recording analysis of Bella Nice, che damore

Bella%Nice,%che%d'amore
Singer
Nicolai%Gedda
Luciano%Pavarotti
Lawrence%Brownlee
Dennis%O'Neil
Time
2:53
2:13
2:37
2:49
Added%vocal%%ornamentation
No
No
No
No
Observation%of%Rests
Yes
Yes
NoJm.%32
NoJm.%44
Instances%of%liberty%with%indicated%rhythm
Bella Nice, che damore is arguably the most difficult art song in the Bellinian
repertory to which to modify the printed score for the purpose of tailor to ones needs.
This is due to the chordal accompaniment that pulses a consistent quarter note tempo. If
the singer deviates from this rhythmic cadence, the piano and voice are no longer in line,
and the piece loses the desired integrity. Moreover, the melodic line is imbedded within
the chords. As a result, deviation from the melody, either harmonically or rhythmically,
misaligns these components of the art song. Particularly with Bella Nice, che damore,
Bellini clearly intended for the voice and piano to be a unified, cohesive unit.

Brownlee and ONeil took liberty with the rests in measures 32 and 44, respectively.
Again, these moments seem to be justified by the lack of textual punctuation, and as a
result, allow the singers to deliver the text in a speech-like manner.

83
Table 6. Recording analysis of Per pieta, bel idol mio
Per$pieta,$bel$idol$mio
Singer
Jos$Carreras
Dennis$O'Neil
Carlo$Bergonzi
Lawrence$Brownlee
Time
2:43
2:19
2:48
2:06
Added$vocal$$ornamentation
No
No
m.$32
No
Observation$of$Rests
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Instances$of$liberty$with$indicated$rhythm
m.$15
The tenors who recorded Per piet, bell'idol mio adhered closely to the indications
of Bellini. There is a sizeable difference in the tempi due in large part to Lawrence
Brownlees faster-paced interpretation. Jos Carreras negated the dotted rhythm in
measure 15 in favor of holding a quarter note on the B. Carlo Bergonzi interpolated an E
rather than a D in measure 32, but other than these two relatively minor encounters of
score modification, the tenors adhere to the wishes of Bellini.

Table 7. Recording analysis of Ma, rendi pur contento
Ma,$rendi$pur$contento
Singer
Lawrence$Brownlee
Luciano$Pavarotti
Dennis$O'Neil
Carlo$Bergonzi
Time
2:14
2:17
2:31
2:31
43
No
No
44 No
No
Yes
Yes
NoLm.5,$9,$15,$17
Yes
68
Each tenor who has recorded Ma, rendi pur contento chose to perform the piece
98
with similar tempi. The slower meter does not provide the opportunity for any
flourishing vocal ornamentation. In addition, the morose character of the piece does not
12
8
84
indicate a virtuosic display of such ornamentation. None of the tenors chose to adjust the
score in this manner. In measures five, nine, 15, and 17, tenor Dennis ONeil chose to
negate the eighth note rests. In each of these instances, the text that precedes the rest is
not accompanied by textual punctuation, which justifies ONeils decision to deliver the
prose seamlessly without pause.

Table 8. Recording analysis of Quando verra quel di
Quando'verra'quel'di
Singer
Jos'Carreras
Dennis'O'Neil
Time
2:49
2:17
Added'vocal''ornamentation
No
No
Observation'of'Rests
Yes
Yes
Instances'of'liberty'with'indicated'rhythm
The first of the Tre Ariette was performed in accordance with the indications of the
score. The tempi are significantly different, which is an important consideration for the
tenor. Due to the 32nd note passages, the tenor must choose his tempo wisely so as to
adequately articulate these passages.

Table 9. Recording analysis of Dolente immagine di Fille mia
Dolente'immagine'di'Fille'mia
Singer
Jos'Carreras
Dennis'O'Neil
Luciano'Pavarotti
Time
3:37
3:00
2:47
No
No
No
NoDm.14
m.31/36'(turn'is'sung'with'rhythmic'liberty)
Yes
m.'31/36'(no'turn)
NoDm.26
m.31'(turn'is'sung'with'rhythmic'liberty)
In Dolente immagine di Fille mia, there are two instances where indicated rests
were not observed: Carreras in measure 14 and Pavarotti in measure 26. In both cases, the
85
negation of the rests are justified due to the lack of textual punctuation and the artists
desire to reflect this in their delivery.

Measures 31 and 36 (example

44) feature vocal turns. In all three recordings, the
32
turns were either not done or were done without rhythmic precision. Carreras and
dor,
Om - bra di
Fil - li - de ri - po - sa_in pa - ce ri - po - sa_in pa - ce E_i - ne
Pavarotti took the turn out of tempo, and slowly negotiated the ornament before
continuing forward.

Example 44. Bellini: Dolente immagine, di Fille mia m. 36

36
gui - bi - le
l'an - ti - co_ar - dor,
e_i - ne - stin - gui - bi - le l'an ti - co_ar - dor,
e_i - ne

Table 10. Recording analysis of Vaga luna, che inargenti
40
Vaga$luna,$che$inargenti
gui - bi - le l'an- ti - co ar - dor.

Singer
Carlo$Bergonzi
Dennis$O'Neil
Jos$Carreras
Luciano$Pavarotti
Ramon$Vargas
Time
3:37
3:49
3:25
3:49
3:35
No
No
No
No
m.$35;$m.$38;$m.$42;$m.$46;$mm.$49T52
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
m.$7,$bt.$4;$$m.$33,$bt.$4
m.$33,$bt.$4
m.$13,$bt.$4;$m.$33,$bt.$4

Copyright by Nlendic 2009
86

There are several interesting realizations when analyzing this data. First, the tempi
are all very similar. Next, each tenor observed each of the rests that Bellini notated.
Finally, 60% of the singers took liberty with the indicated rhythm in measure 33, negating
29
the dotted rhythm found on beat four in favor of a straight eighth note rhythm (pexample
45).
Dil - le pur
che lon ta
pp
Example 45. Bellini: Vaga luna, che inargenti m. 33

33
nan
za
il
mio duol
non
puo
le - nir,
che se
36
nu - tro se nu - tro_u - na spe - ran
za
el - la_e sol si el - la_e sol nell'av - ve -
Regarding vocal ornamentation, only Ramon Vargas took liberty, and he was liberal
in his application of this type of melodic modification. Specifically, the second strophe is
highlighted by interpolated high notes, appoggiaturas, and inverted triadic arpeggios.
Vargas decision to embellish the second strophe shows one artists interpretation of the
39
liberties one enjoys when performing bel canto repertoire. If performed with care, taste,
and stylistic accuracy, however, implementing
vocal Dil
ornaments
add -variety
to an nir.
- le pur
chewill gior
no e se
otherwise straightforward strophic piece.

ra
con - to
87
Table 11. Recording analysis of La ricordanza
La#ricordanza
Singer
Lawrence#Brownlee
Jos#Carreras
Dennis#O'Neil
Time
4:50
5:51
5:27
Added#vocal##ornamentation
m.#15#(turn)
No
No
Observation#of#Rests
NoHm.#12,#36,#40
NoHm.36#
NoHm.6,#10,#36,#48
Instances#of#liberty#with#indicated#rhythm
m.#20
In La ricordanza, the common trait among the performers is that none of them
breathed in measure 36. Consistent with the theme, there is no punctuation after the word
tremante in measure 36, which occurs directly before a sixteenth note rest. In fact, all the
other instances where the singers did not observe the rests were in moments where, due to
the text, it is justified not to breathe. The exception to this is ONeils recording, in which he
does not rest in measure 6, even though a comma after the word notte and a subsequent
rest seems to indicate that a rest and breath is warranted.

Brownlee added a vocal turn in measure 15 where one is not indicated (example
46). Brownlee added this ornament to bridge beats one and two of measure 15, which
occurs in the midst of the word mercede.

Example 46. Bellini: La ricordanza m. 15

& b 44
ce
? b 44
&b
& b 44
de a'
3
mar - tir
88

Table 12. Recording analysis of Sogno dinfanzia
Sogno%d'infanzia
Singer
Carlo%Bergonzi
Dennis%O'Neil
Time
2:56
6:40
Added%vocal%%ornamentation
m.%42
No
Observation%of%Rests
Yes
NoIm.%155;
Instances%of%liberty%with%indicated%rhythm
The obvious discrepancy with the art song Sogno dinfanzia is the time/tempo.
ONeils recording is more than double the length of Carlo Bergonzis. What one must
consider when reading this table is the fact that Sogno dinfanzia is a four-strophe piece.
Bergonzi only sings the first strophe, whereas ONeil sings all four. This brings to light the
question of whether or not to perform an art song in its entirety. One answer is that it is
more desirable to include all the verses in order to adhere to the score.

Table 13. Recording analysis of Torna, vezzosa Fillide
Torna,'Vezzosa'Fillide
Singer
Lawrence'Brownlee
Marcello'Giordani
Dennis'O'Neil
Time
7:51
7:34
7:49
m.'176G177;'m.'190;'m.'221
m.'107;'m.'190;'m.'191;'m.'193;'m.'196;'m.'216;'m.'221G222
m.'190
NoGm.'180
NoGm.'91
Yes
Torna, vezzosa Fillide most closely resembles an aria in a mature Bellini style. The
art song is divided into three sections. They are labeled Andantino, Un pomeno mosso, and
Agitato. Given the varieties of the different sections and the resemblance of aria form and
structure, there are opportunities for the implementation of adjustments to the printed
score. As the above table indicates, these opportunities are exploited.

89

Marcello Giordanis recording is the most progressive, as his interpretation features
a setting of the score that is transcribed for full orchestra. While Torna, vezzosa Fillide
was probably conceived as a sketch for an operatic aria, Bellini composed the piece for
voice and piano. If he ever transcribed the piece for full orchestra, it no longer exists.

Giordani also embellishes the melody, in particular during the third Agitato section.
His embellishments are primarily interpolations of high register pitches, often singing his
notes a major third or perfect fourth higher than notated by Bellini. This is not an
uncommon occurrence in standard operatic repertoire. Often, cadenzas have become
commonplace as alternatives to the original score. Like Giordanis ornaments, operatic
cadenzas feature the interpolation of high register pitches that show the virtuosic qualities
of the leading tenors.

While not as prevalent, Brownlee and ONeil take liberty with vocal embellishments
as well. Given the frequency of vocal ornamentation as a means of performance

customization, it seems acceptable to tastefully embellish certain vocal passages. These
embellishments should be planned and done with stylistic accuracy. Moreover, if the tenor
is a student, he should consult these recordings and his teacher before making any final
decisions regarding modifications to the printed score.

The significance for compiling these tables is to discern how to add elaboration into
the arias, using the art songs as a guide for what to embellish and how frequently these
embellishments should be introduced. Based on this data, it is reasonable to conclude that
certain rests can be negated as longs as it makes textual sense to do so. In addition,
exercising liberties with regard to rhythm is less frequent and can be problematic in
operatic performance. Finally, tempi and the addition of vocal ornamentation are
90
performance aspects that should be discussed and planned with a pianist and/or
conductor.

Any decisions pertaining to score modification should be carefully planned. In
operatic performance, it is necessary to consult the conductor and communicate any

thoughts and decisions that deviate from the printed score. The greatest opportunities to
implement score modifications are within strophic arias, such as Nel furor delle tempeste
from Il Pirata and A te, o cara from I Puritani. Implementing score modifications in
strophic arias provides variety to otherwise repeated musical material. Above all, any
decisions should be made with respect to communication of the text, and should not
detract from this endeavor.

91
CONCLUSION

Literature selection is one of, if not the most important tasks associated with
pedagogy. Teachers and teachers of singing have only a short while to impact each student
before that student has decided for or against continuing to study. In studying the voice as
an instrument, it is important that the student likes what he sings, but there is more to
liking a piece than simply enjoying the melodic and harmonic interplay. If the literature is
too easy or too difficult, then the student will become disinterested. Literature should be
selected with each specific student in mind. Tailoring literature selection to each individual
student is one way to ensure that he has the best experience possible.
As such, one should not begin voice study immediately with Bellini arias, nor should
they be attempted within the first several years of voice study. Because of the difficulty
associated with the arias, attempting them in the primitive years of study will likely
discourage the student and will possibly lead to a loss of interest in vocal study. However,
if there is interest and aptitude in the study of Bellini arias, the art songs and methods that
have been outlined in this document will provide an effective means of training a tenor for
their goal of being able to study and perform the arias.
To many, Bellini is regarded as third in the line of the three most notable bel canto
composers, with the top spot a virtual toss-up between Rossini and Donizetti. Two
factors sheer volume of output and lack of fanfare virtuosic material hinder Bellinis
perception as an equal. Due to the brevity of his life and the considerable amount of time
he spent on each work, Bellini could never match the output of Donizetti, whose operatic
output is roughly 75. Likewise, he seemed not to possess the flare for the dramatic, as
92
exemplified by Rossinis famous art song La Danza. Perhaps this is due to the
conservative nature of his musical training.
One could conceive of many other factors that contributed to Bellinis compositional
output. One of these may be that he simply did not possess the inherent ability that
Donizetti had. This is evidenced by Donizettis ability to compose one of the repertorys
most famous tenor arias in Una furtiva lagrima from Lelisir damore. As the story goes,
Donizetti composed this aria in 20 minutes.
Bellini, on the other hand, spent significantly more time composing his operas,
ultimately leading to the smaller total output. This is attributed, at least in part, to librettist
Felice Romani and delays in providing Bellini texts. It is not known how much time Bellini
spent composing his art songs, but it is reasonable to conclude that he was not efficient in
this endeavor, either. Twenty-four art songs remain from Bellinis roughly 30 total art
songs, which, compared to Donizetti and Rossini, is also a diminutive number. Text must
have been important to Donizetti and Rossini, but it is hard to imagine that they placed as
much importance on text as did Bellini. This is evidenced in Bellini pioneering the canto
declamato style. Possibly then, toiling over the perfect union of text and music was a major
factor in Bellinis comparatively small output of art songs and operas.
Nonetheless, Bellini deserves to be placed alongside his contemporaries rather than
distantly behind them. His art songs, due to their harmonic and melodic accessibility, are
perfect for the beginning singer, yet they demand so much in terms of technique and
interpretation that they are worth studying even as a seasoned performer.
Part of the genesis of this project was to champion Bellinis operatic material, which
is less frequently performed than Donizettis or Rossinis. Bellinis operatic tenor arias, as
93
exemplified by this essay, require the same stability of technique and interpretation that
his art songs require. It is for this reason that the art songs and arias should be studied in
conjunction with one another, thereby ensuring that the tenor has fully prepared himself
for the rewarding experience of performing Bellinis vocal music.

94
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books
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Grout, Donald Jay, A History of Western Music. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1960.

McGinnis, Pearl Yeadon, and Willis, Marith McGinnis. The Opera Singer's Career Guide:
Understanding the European Fach System. Plymouth, UK: Scarecrow Press, 2010.

Maguire, Simon. Vincenzo Bellini and the Aesthetics of Early Nineteenth-Century Italian
Opera. New York: Garland, 1989.

Miller, Richard. Training Tenor Voices. New York: Schirmer, 1993.
Orrey, Leslie. Bellini. London, Dent; New York, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1969

Osborne, Charles. The Bel Canto Operas of Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini. Portland: 1994.

Rosselli, John. The Life of Bellini. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996.
Stark, James. Bel Canto: A History of Vocal Pedagogy. Toronto: University of Toronto Press,
2003.

Weinstock, Herbert. Vincenzo Bellini His Life and His Operas. New York, A. A. Knopf, 1971.

Willier, Stephen Ace. Vincenzo Bellini: A Guide to Research. Florence, KY: Routledge, 2009.

Musical Scores

Bellini et al. Arie, ariette, e romanze. Milano: Ricordi

Bellini, Vincenzo, ed. Battaglia, Elio. Canzoni per Voce e Pianoforte. Milano: Ricordi, 2004

Bellini, Vincenzo. Adelson e Salvini. Melville, NY: Belwin Mills, 1980

Bellini, Vincenzo. Beatrice di Tenda. New York: Garland, 1980

Bellini, Vincenzo. Bianca e Fernando. Melville, NY: Belwin Mills, 1980

95
Bellini, Vincenzo. I Capuleti e i Montecchi. Milano: Ricordi, 2003

Bellini, Vincenzo. I Puritani. Milano: Ricordi, 1944

Bellini, Vincenzo. Il Pirata. Milano: Ricordi, 1959

Bellini, Vincenzo. La sonnambula. New York: Schirmer, 1929

Bellini, Vincenzo. La straniera. Milano: Ricordi, 1954

Bellini, Vincenzo. Le Pi Belle Arie Per Tenore. Milano: Ricordi, 2007

Bellini, Vincenzo. Norma. New York: Schirmer, 19

Periodicals

Smart, Mary Ann. In Praise of Convention: Formula and Experiment in Bellinis Self-
Borrowings. Journal of the American Musicological Society 100/1, Spring 2000.

Titze, Ingo. More on the Messa di Voce. The Journal of Singing, Vol. 52, March 1996.

Wagner, Richard. Wagner on Bellini. The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular. Vol.
27, No. 516, Feb. 1, 1886.

Theses/Dissertations

Franzone, Margaret Smith, The Revival of Bel Canto and its Relevance to Contemporary
Teaching and Performance, (Ph.D diss., Columbia University, 1969)

Greenspan, Charlotte Joyce, The Operas of Vincenzo Bellini, (Ph.D diss., University of
California at Berkeley, 1977)

Kim, Soo Yeon. The Chamber Songs of Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti. (DMA thesis, University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1992)

Pulte, Diane. The Messa di Voce and its Effectiveness as a Training Exercise for the Young
Singer. (D.M.A. diss., The Ohio State University, 2005)

96
Discography
Bartoli, Cecilia. Live in Italy. New York: London, 1998.

Bellini et al. Debut Song Recital. Lawrence Brownlee, tenor; Martin Katz, piano. EMI
Classics, 2005

Bellini, et al. Notturno. London: Opera Rara, 2005.

Bellini, Vincenzo. Adelson e Salvini. Italy: Nuova Era, 1993.

Bellini, Vincenzo. Arias for Rubini. Juan Diego Flrez, tenor; Orchestra dell'Accademia
Nazionale di
Santa Cecilia; Roberto Abbado, conductor. Decca, 2007

Bellini, Vincenzo. Bianca e Fernando. Italy: Nuova Era, 1992.

Bellini, Vincenzo. I Capuleti e I Montecchi. Middlesex: EMI, 1985.

Bellini, Vincenzo. I Capuleti e I Montecchi. Milano: CGD, 1988.

Bellini, Vincenzo. I puritani. Italy: Fonit Cetra, 1986.

Bellini, Vincenzo. I puritani. Recorded live 29 May 1952. Published Como:
Istituto Discografico Italiano, 2003.

Bellini, Vincenzo. I puritani. USA: Legato Classics

Bellini, Vincenzo. La sonnambula. Middlesex: EMI, 1986.

Bellini, Vincenzo. La sonnambula. Recorded 5 March 1955.
Published Portland: Columbia River Entertainment Group, 1997.

Bellini, Vincenzo. La sonnambula. Recorded live 21 August, 1957.
Published Bromley, Kent, England: 2008.

Bellini, Vincenzo. La straniera. Recorded 7 January 1970. Published Portland: Allegro,
2000.

Bellini, Vincenzo. La straniera. Recorded October-November 2007, Henry Wood Hall,
London.
Published London: Opera Rara, 2008.

Bellini, Vincenzo. Norma. Middlesex: EMI, 1985.

97
Bellini, Vincenzo. Norma. Recorded live 29 June 1955. Published Portland: Allegro, 2001.

Bellini, Vincenzo. Songs. Dennis ONeill, tenor; Ingrid Surgenor, piano. Hong Kong: Naxos
2006.

Bellini, Vincenzo. Zaira. Italy: Nuova Era, 1991.

Bellini, Vincenzo. Zaira. Nuova Era Internazionale, 2007.

Bellini, Vincenzo. Zaira. Recorded 25-27 September 1990. Published Italy: Nuova era,
1994.

Bergonzi, Carlo. Italian Songs. Carlo Bergonzi, tenor. New York: Sony Classical, 1998.

Corelli, Franco. Heroes. Oakhurst, NJ: Musical Heritage Society, 1998.

Giordani, Marcello. Tenor arias. Marcello Giordani, tenor. Hong Kong: Naxos, 2003.

Pavarotti, Luciano. The Early Years, Volume 1. Luciano Pavarotti, tenor. New York: RCA,
1994.
Sutherland, Joan. The Voice of the Century. Joan Sutherland, soprano. London: Decca,
2006.

Grove Articles Accessed

Anonymous author. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, in Grove Music Online,
www.oxfordmusiconline.com

Fallows, David, et al. Tenor, in Grove Music Online, www.oxfordmusiconline.com

J.B. Steane, Lyric Tenor, in Grove Music Online, www.oxfordmusiconline.com

Julian Budden et al, La sonnambula. Grove Music Online, www.oxfordmusiconline.com

Julian Budden, Giovanni Batista Rubini, Grove Music Online, www.oxfordmusiconline.com

Julian Budden. Vaccai, Nicolai. Grove Music Online, www.oxfordmusiconline.com

Maguire, Simon and Forbes, Elizabeth. Norma. Grove Music Online,

98
Maguire, Simon and Forbes, Elizabeth. Zaira. Grove Music Online,

Mary Ann Smart, Bellini, Vincenzo. Grove Music Online, www.oxfordmusiconline.com

Owen Jander and Ellen T. Harris, Bel Canto, in Grove Music Online,

Simon Maguire and Elizabeth Forbes, Norma, Grove Music Online,

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Simon Maguire and Elizabeth Forbes. La straniera, in Grove Music Online,

Simon Maguire et al., I Puritani, Grove Music Online, www.oxfordmusiconline.com

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Developing proficiency in the tenor arias of

Copyright 2013 James Thompson

Follow this and additional works at: http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd

DEVELOPING PROFICIENCY IN THE TENOR ARIAS OF VINCENZO BELLINI THROUGH THE

Example 21. Bellini: Vanne, o rosa fortunata mm. 8-9......................................................................55

Museo Belliniano in Catania. A manuscript written by an unknown source reveals that at

The Real Collegio di Musica emphasized Neapolitan-style composition, which uses

He succumbed to dysentery, the effects of which were aggravated by an abscess liver.19 He

Bel canto, defined

California at Berkeley, 1977), 31.

In order to achieve an optimal performance of a Bellini opera, the tenor must be in

command of a well-trained and advanced vocal mechanism. From a technical perspective,

As in the case of La ricordanza, the B4 is an indicator of how a tenor is able to

Example 3. Bellini: La ricordanza mm. 67-69

Teatro San Carlos

(Upon hearing of his afflicted father).

ren - di pur con - ten - to

repertoire, the singer must first s12

of two moments in Ma, rendi pur

(example 6). He cautions the singer tcor

found in Alludir del padre afflitto

b are two moments

Example 6. Bellini: Ma, rendi pur contento m. 21

Example 7. Bellini: Alludir del padre afllitto (Bianca e Fernando) m. 15

Example 10. Bellini Alludir del padre afflitto (Bianca e Fernando) m. 14

Example 11. Bellini: Quando verr quel dm. 25

Example 12. Bellini: Tu vedrai la sventurata (Il Pirata) m. 19

By examining these excerpts, one sees very little supportive accompaniment.

Example 13. Bellini: Quando verr quel d m. 7

Nel furor delle tempeste

con - ta_i pal - pi - ti i pal - pi - ti_e_i so - spir ed

a lei che m'in- na -

rall. un poco a piacere

la Fenice. 3 The tenor aria, serbato, a questo acciaro, occurs in

the first a4ct and is sung by the character Tebaldo (Tybalt).

The opera I Capuleti e I Montecchi is defined as a tragedia lirica (lyric tragedy).

20). The division

Anonymous author. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, in Grove Music Online,

and was without question

www.oxfordmusiconline.com, accessed 14 March, 2012.

smoothness in the vocalism while simultaneously employing appropriate colors and

nuances that serve

the vocal differences

impeding the pursuit and execution of delivering a legato melodic line.

Another moment that Battaglia highlights as critical in declaiming the text is in

of six beats per

that it has not been

# for this abrupt harmonic transition.

Representative compositional practices of the era would incorporate smoother voice

leading to non-diatonic harmonies, typically setup by a secondary dominant that aimed to

Beautiful rose, for both of us

# 48 (example 22), Battaglia

Example 22. Bellini: Vanne, o rosa fortunata mm. 47-48

? # on the words and phrases

gue, del tuo san

communicate the text.

One additional moment

where tenors who

dolce (sweet) in an area o&

mechanisms will be able to ?

Example 25. Bellini: s?

ontecchi) mm. 13-14