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Ornamentation in Opera arias

 * a) What is ornamentation?:

According to the Harvard Dictionary of Music, ornamentation is the "modification of music, usually but not always through the addition of notes, to make it more beautiful or effective, or to demonstrate the abilities of the interpreter."


 * b) Why is ornamentation used in opera arias?:

There are many reasons why singers use ornamentation. In the 18th century, ornamentation was prevalent in vocal music, particularly opera. It was expected that singers would ornament. The form of the da capo aria asks for ornamentation with the repeat of the A section (also known as A' or A "prime").

An example of the da capo aria's request for ornamentation is Antonio Vivaldi's "Agitata da due venti" from his opera Griselda. The following clip features Cecilia Bartoli singing with Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca: Video

From 0:35-1:14 is the first part of the A section of this da capo aria. The notes sung here are exactly what is written in the score. In the time of bel canto, the da capo aria, with it's ABA' structure, was the most popular aria form. It was expected that the A and B sections be lightly ornamented with a trill here, a turn there. The returning A section was what contained more virtuosic ornamentation. If you listen to the returning A section, rather A', from 4:14-4:52 you will hear Cecilia Bartoli's ornamentation: Video

Though Cecilia Bartoli adds quite a bit of ornamentation, she still maintains the structure of Vivaldi's original melody (which you can hear from 0:35-1:14).

During the 18th century, ornamentation was seen as a way to make melodies "more pleasing to the ear." But what began as a way to add a "little something" to a melody soon began to take over entire arias turning what was supposed to be a character's emotional statement into an extravaganza where singers showcased their virtuosic abilities. These showcases caused major disruption to an opera's story and the flow of the music. Composers were none too pleased with a lot of the tasteless ornamentation that was going on. By the mid-19th century, composers began to lose their patience with the showy antics of opera singers. In response, composers began to write ornaments into the score rather than allowing singers to create their own embellishments. Gioachino Rossini was one of the first composers to begin writing ornaments into his music. He once heard a soprano sing a version of Una voce poco fa, from his opera The Barber of Seville, that was so heavily ornamented that he did not recognize the music as his own, replying to the soprano: "That was lovely dear.  Who wrote it?" After one too many run-ins with overly embellished forms of his works, Rossini vowed to write in all his ornamentation so that his music would not be "disfigured and upstaged by the vain display of singers."

Though composers began to reign in the singers significantly by writing in ornaments, it was still acceptable and expected for singers to take their time and create elaborate embellishments for cadenzas, particularly the final cadenza of an aria. Eventually, the cadenza became the only place where singers had the freedom to extend and embellish. If a composer's written-in embellishment was not suitable for a particular singer, it was acceptable for said singer to substitute the original ornamentation for their own ornaments as long as they fit the aria's text and emotion.


 * c) Where is it used?:

By the mid-19th century, the only place where a singer could embellish within an opera was the final cadenza at the end of an aria. Ornamentation in today's opera world is significantly smaller than even the 19th century. The only places we hear ornamentation are in music from the Baroque and Classical period as well as in jazz (as much of jazz is built on improvisation).
 * d) How does one decide what kind of ornamentation to use?:

Today, there are a number of cadenzas that have become "standard" and are often utilized by singers in either similar or identical forms. In Verdi's time, standardized structures were also around, but singers were expected to improvise or at least incorporate their own ideas. If they did not, they were often considered unoriginal and ridiculed for their supposed lack of creativity.

There were two ways for a singer to approach ornamentation during Verdi's time: 1. On the spot improvisation. Like many of today's jazz musicians, some singers varied their ornaments constantly by choosing to improvise each time. 2. Worked out their ornaments ahead of time. A few singers even wrote down their embellishments in detailed notebooks.

Ornamentation in the aria "Caro nome" from Rigoletto., specifically the final cadenza.
Giuseppe Verdi, an Italian composer who wrote 27 operas, also began to write in his own ornamentation starting around the 1840's. His biggest concern was maintaining the dramatic and musical flow of the opera which, as we discussed earlier, a showcasing singer would disrupt.

Cadenzas: The last place where singers are able to ornament in opera arias.

According to Will Crutchfield's article "Vocal Ornamentation in Verdi: The Phonographic Evidence," specifically pages 7 and 8, Verdi's cadenzas consist of three sections:

1) A section: The notes appearing directly over the V7 chord.   a.  Defines the dominant 7th of the cadenza.   b.  Often includes a flat 9th.   c.  Sung after the chord is sounded.

2) B section: a florid melismatic (elaborate) or declamatory (lofty) sequence.   a.  Florid      i.  Almost always given to sopranos.      ii.  To be sung in one breath.      iii.  Sometimes scalar, but often more intricate and "attractive."    b.  Declamatory      i.  Set to the final lines of a cantabile's text.      ii.  [|Syllabic]:  one or two pitches per syllable.      iii.  Singers that could not or would not attempt the melismas of the florid B section could simply leave it out, but may have to repeat the text.

3) C section:  A conclusion that resolves to the final tonic.   a.  Brief and functional.   b.  Usually three or so notes.   c.  Usually syllabic.   d.  Resolves to the tonic.


 * Examples of ornamentation in "Caro nome:"

The following clips contain a few of the "standard" cadenzas that are used today with slight variations:

1. [| Gianna D'Angelo], 1958. The final cadenza can be found between 4:20-5:15.

2. [| Lucia Popp], 1968. The final cadenza can be found between 3:50-4:20.

3. [| Diana Damrau], 2010. The final cadenza can be found between 4:25-5:20.

Here are a couple of examples of slightly more elaborate cadenzas:

1. [| Iride Martinez], 2004. The final cadenza can be found between 4:25-5:15

2. [| Mado Robin], 1956. The final cadenza can be found between 2:42-3:20.


 * List articles:

Opera

Verdi

Rigoletto

Ornamentation

Aria

Composer

Singer

Da capo aria

Verdi

The Barber of Seville

Una voce poco fa

Rossini


 * References: