Instruction Aimed at Performers, by Misti Shaw and Emily Vickers, MLA Denver 2015Script (accompanies powerpoint)

Today, I’m going to share with you three different library sessions I prepared that were aimed at the student performer, rather than the student researcher. As the music librarian at DePauw University, I conduct integrated instruction for the school of music’s undergradatues, of which there are approximately 170. I do visit music history courses several times a semester, but I’ve been striving lately to try and find opportunities to reach students about skills they can learn that will benefit them as performers.

For the first collaboration, I am joined by Emily Vickers, who got her bachelors in music from Chapman, where she studied with our very own Scott Stone. She’s now pursuing the double degree at IU. She co-taught this first session, which was a huge help. She’ll come to the podium soon to discuss her role in the session. SLIDESo, this first collaboration is indeed aimed at student performers, but the setting is an opera lit class. SLIDE I work with the professor often in delivering instruction to his music history sessions, and he really liked a session I started doing for his upper level topics courses where students got hands-on experience with reference tools, including collected editions, works lists, and thematic catalogs. He wondered if I could create an activity for his opera lit class, and this excited me--the class is full of singers, and I thought it’d be cool to have them work on an activity that might help them in the real world as performers--in particular, opera performers.

SLIDE For someone who wishes to prepare a role for an opera, I thought the following skills might be worth learning: -how to select and distinguish between quality score editions-knowing how different types of scores differ from one another-using a critical edition and its commentary to know what the “issues” are, or known errata-related: a basic understanding of how composers, librettists, and publishers worked together (for example: sometimes a composer sent the score in bits and pieces, sometimes changes were made during or after the fact--all those things that can contribute to discrepancies in scores)-using a book aimed at helping people make performance-related decisionsand finally: consulting other tools that can help, including dictionaries for musical terms

Because I wanted students to do this activity during class--and because I wanted them all to lean the same material--I thought it’d be best to make this a group-work type of activity that could be divided in half--so really, two activities that each addressed the skills I wanted them to learn. I divided the class in half--one group of 6, one group of 5. And each group would spend half the class working on one activity, then the rest of class working on the other.

But as I started thinking about students learning to use critical editions and commentary without me sitting with them--I got a little nervous. I needed another instructor, someone to sit with the other group--and that’s when I asked Emily Vickers if she could help. Emily is a first year music SLIS student at IU, and a former student of Scott Stone! SLIDEShe agreed to help, and since she agreed early on, I thought it’d be great experience for her if she could take my skills list--the things I wanted students to learn--and create her own activity. With the added request that she present this with me here today!

I’m going to explain the activity I designed, and then she’s going to come up here to discuss the activity she designed.

SLIDEFor my activity, students were going to work with the Verdi collected edition. I chose this edition for two main reasons--1, the critical commentary is in English, so it’s easy for undergraduates to use, 2)

SLIDEit’s a really beautiful edition--huge, and bright red. It’s nice when a fancy edition of a score can be visually memorable.

SLIDEI also wanted students to consult a dictionary of musical terms, and I wanted them to consult a special book that I love, called Divas and Scholars: Performing Italian Opera, by Philip Gossett--an appropriate book too because Gossett is the general editor of the Verdi edition! It’s good for students to be reminded: these editors are real people who make many useful contributions for performers!

I’ll walk you through the activity now.The students each got their prompt and their mission, and it started like this:SLIDEYou’re conducting La Traviata. You’re going to study the scores in order to prepare for the first pit rehearsal. You select two sets of scores--the Schirmer edition, and the pretty red collected works edition, which comes with an accompanying volume of critical commentary. Since the critical edition outlines potential issues with the score, you start thumbing through it, to see what you should be aware of.SLIDEIn the critical commentary volume, flip to the critical notes section for Act 2, scene 4. Find the comment that addresses measures 107-110. In your own language, what is the comment telling us?SLIDESo: what the comment tells them is that at this point in the score, the piccolo measures are present in the full score, but not in the piccolo player’s actual part. Only, piccolo isn’t spelled out. They know it’s an instrument, but not which one.

They now have to consult where this happens in the score--SLIDEIt’s blurry, but on the top left, they see Ott. And on the right, a note with an asterisk. these are singers. Are they going to know what instrument the abbreviation Ott refers to? No, probably not. SLIDESo the whole group had to head upstairs to reference, find a music dictionary, and look it up. They finally realize it’s the piccolo. The group loved this part, by the way. They raced each other up the stairs because they were in a contest--administered on their own--to see who could get the answer first.

At this point, the prompt asks them: Knowing about this, as a conductor, what actions will you will you take, and to whom will you address those actions?

And next: If you were the piccolo player here, would you consider it YOUR responsibility to know about this? Or the conductor’s? maybe the ensemble librarian? I don’t give them a correct answer, I just ask them to hash it out between them.

Then, the group moves on to another commentary example in Act 2, scene 5--the Violetta duet with Germont.SLIDE“Find the comment that concerns measures 44-48, and find the same measures in the score. Compare the score example of the commentary with what’s in the score. Does it match?Here, what they’re looking at is an example of a misprint note in a chord, and the misprint comes in the cello part. In the collected works score, the misprint was corrected--there is a D natural there rather than a dastardly d-flat.SLIDENext, they check this measure in the Schirmer score. Is the wrong note there? Why yes it is! I ask them how they think this mistake came about--copyist misprint? (yes, some sort of copying mistake).

I ask: if you’re the cellist in the pit, are you gonna play the d-flat--when it ought to be a d-natural--in your part when you see it? Everyone agrees that they would hear how terrible the note sounds, and immediately instruct their section to correct to a d natural. I happily remind them at this point that they have their theory and aural training skills classes to thank for how quickly they concluded that a d-flat should never be played, because it doesn’t fit the spelled chord.

Now, the group pivots to Rigoletto. The prompt:SLIDEYou scored a role in a small chorus on Rigoletto. You flip through the critical commentary since it went so well with La Traviata. In thumbing through, you land on extensive commentary for measures 369-373 for scene 2. What’s going on here?

The students don’t really know what’s going on--the commentary here is confusing, so I ask them to consult the score. SLIDEThey’re still confused. And they’re supposed to be. This was all part of my evil secret plan. At this point, I suggest that it sure would be helpful if someone had written about this in plain language that a performer could understand. Someone to hold your hand and gently lead you through the crazy world of opera score errata. That’s when I whip out Gossett’s book. I’d already put a post-it in the book for the relevant pages where this commentary is discussed, but if we’d had more time, I would have made them search for it in the index.

SLIDEThey gathered around the page and I made them read the explanation: SLIDEVerdi had originally written that in the revenge scene, the guys were gonna meet later that evening to revenge so hard. But later, Verdi decided there was too much action happening, and they should revenge the next night. The first time the phrase about meeting is sung, it was corrected to “tomorrow night.” But later in this song, this line is repeated, but someone forgot to change the meeting to tomorrow--they sing about meeting later that night. Gossett points out that the majority of professional companies perform this song with the mistake, unknowingly.

So at this point, the students understood what the commentary was getting at. With Gossett’s lyrics in front of them, they revisited the score: was it corrected there? Of course, yes. But then I asked them to check the Schirmer score.

SLIDEWas it corrected? Heck no, the mistake was there. They’re still set to meet that evening, instead of the next night.

They were legitimately impressed by this--that a mistake of this sort could be reprinted and performed for years, with no one the wiser. It was the perfect example for them to try and understand the value in consulting a critical edition. SLIDEWhen the first group finished this activity, the students started asking about other composers: Does Mozart have a collected works? Yes, we talked about it sophomore year. Oh yeah! well where is it can I check it now?

That question made me feel really good. This activity took approximately 20 minutes. Now, Emily is going to come up and talk about the 20 minute exercise she designed, and what it entailed, and how it went!Emily’s portion of the presentation:

[SLIDE – BELLINI TITLE]

My activity was centered on the aria, “Casta Diva”, from Bellini’s Norma. Our project was to look at transpositions of the aria in various score editions, and try to figure out which was the most “correct” score. [SLIDE – SKILLS]The main skills and concepts I wanted to focus on were· The ability to identify discrepancies between score editions· To be able to utilize a variety of resources to make informed performance-related decisions· To understand the importance of knowing performance & publication history in making these decisionsIt was also my hope that they would come away from this activity with a better understanding of their opportunity as musicians to contribute to scholarly discussion, performance tradition, and musical education of their audiences. [SLIDE – BILBO]I decided to format this activity like a choose-your-own-adventure story, with multiple-choice questions to serve as checkpoints and to guide discussion. [SLIDE – THE CONCERT]Their challenge: You are selected to perform the aria, “Casta Diva”, from Bellini’s Norma with a local orchestra. They’ve asked you to decide which edition you want to use for this performance, and to explain why you chose that version. They will print your response in the program notes, giving the audience a chance to learn about the history of opera performance. [SLIDE – QUESTION 1]Their first question:In your research, which of the following resources will you use?a) Music library, WorldCat, your music librarian, IMSLP, New Grove, Naxos….b) The research fairies that live in your bookshelfc) Nothing, because the conductor will tell you what to do [SLIDE.2 – ANSWER BOX] Much of my question and answer material is quite silly and the answers were very obvious (I hope), but I tried to create questions based on situations they would actually encounter in their own research. [SLIDE – CHAPTER 2 – SOURCES ACQUIRED]It turns out our search for sources is successful! [SLIDE – YOU FIND]

You find several fabulous sources – a few scores, a book by Philip Gossett, a thesis by Airlie Jane Kirkham on bel canto arias, and several recordings. [SLIDE – SCORES]Their first task is to examine the 5 scores and identify any major differences between the versions of “Casta Diva.” The students were really excited to go through the scores and figure out what might be wrong. They talked through variations they found in text, translation, dynamics, [SLIDE] before realizing that there are three different keys: D, F, and G. [SLIDE] This is their first major challenge – which key is the correct one? [SLIDE] They were beyond suspicious of D, and they think that F might be correct simply because 3 of the 5 scores are in F. Do they have enough information to choose a score at this point? They decide they really don’t. And of course they don’t, because that would be far too simple, and this activity would be over in about 3 minutes. [SLIDE – CHAPTER 3]And so we begin our research! [SLIDE – QUESTIONS]Our next source is Gossett’s Divas and Scholars. At this point the students are faced with three options for finding the information they need, keeping in mind the various transpositions they just observed in their scores. They can:a) Read the entire bookb) Check the index and find page #’s for relevant topicsc) Use the tried and true osmosis learning method [SLIDE.2 – ANSWER BOX]Off we go to the index! [SLIDE – PICTURE OF INDEX]For the sake of time, the prompt gives them some hints on quickly finding the information they need.They all gather around the book and read through the pages they’ve found in the index and find Gossett’s discussion of transposition issues in “Casta Diva”! [SLIDE.1 – WHAT DOES GOSSETT SAY]- The students discover that although the autograph manuscript has “Casta Diva” in the key of G major, most publications show it in F major.

- The reasons behind this transposition are unclear - Gossett explains that it’s widely believed that Bellini himself provided this transposition for the premiere, but there isn’t any evidence of this. - They also find Gossett’s harmonic analysis of the transition leading up to “Casta Diva”, in which he shows that this transition works really well for G major, but not at all for F major. Most of the students are now completely convinced that the only score they should even consider using is the one in G major, since the autograph score is also in G major. They are also completely baffled by the fact that there are so many scores printed in F, and one in D. Why would publishers do that? We decided to do some more exploring, moving onto [SLIDE] “An Aural Analysis of Bel Canto.” This thesis gives an overview of bel canto tradition in the operas of Bellini and Donizetti, and provides an analysis of two arias, one of which is “Casta Diva.” The analysis covers 6 recordings by various singers, two of which we will focus on. [SLIDE – SECTIONS AND THEIR CONTENT]For the sake of time, I chose 5 sections that we would look at, which covered- The history and characteristics of bel canto,- a brief overview of Norma,- the bel canto elements of “Casta Diva”, and- comparisons of performances by Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland. I gave each student a different section and asked them to take a minute to read through this on their own. They had an awesome discussion about how this related to what we knew already, and where else they could go with this. [SLIDE – DISCUSSING]We learn from Kirkham that Callas and Sutherland have both performed “Casta Diva” in G and F, which makes the students question their entire lives up to this point, because 2 minutes ago we were so sure that G was the best way to go. We also see that Kirkham discusses characteristics and performance practice of bel canto style One of my favorite things to come out of the discussion was the fact that Kirkham and Gossett focused on different concepts that were equally valuable in this situation. It led them to wondering - what else has been written on this aria? What else could we find? If we’d had more time, this would have segued perfectly into a couple other activities I had in mind, including a listening activity.[SLIDE – LISTENING ACTIVITY]

- In this activity, we’d listen to recordings listed in the thesis, and see if we could identify concepts discussed by Kirkham and Gossett –like bel canto characteristics, which keys they’re in, whether any jarring harmonic progressions are noticeable, etc. [SLIDE- PUBLICATION HISTORY]Since the Ditson score in D is still a mystery, we also could have delved into some publication history research.If I did this activity, I would have them- Check the preface for any clues- Since there’s no date, they would use IMSLP to find the history of Ditson and determine the date with the address provided in the score.- What they would find is that this American score was published in the mid-1800’s, following the industrial revolution, making it a possibility that this was marketed to a large audience of amateur singers to perform at home. [SLIDE – FREDDIE]Returning to the task at hand, the students are now faced with their final question: [SLIDE – QUESTION]Which score do you choose, and why? a) The score in G (Boosey)b) One of the scores in F (Ricordi, Schirmer, or Dover)c) The score in D (Ditson) [SLIDE.1][SLIDE.2] They were certain Ditson was not an option[SLIDE.3] [SLIDE.4] Regarding F and G, they were still conflicted. They narrowed the “best” F and G scores down to the Ricordi or Boosey scores, saying that ultimately:- This decision would depend on a singer’s abilities and their ideas about which was most accurate- The most important thing, they decided, was that in choosing a score they could articulate the reasons behind their decision [SLIDE – MATERIALS]By the end of this activity, the students were fascinated by the way the sources they looked at interacted, creating a sort of “conversation”, as they put it, between scholars, performers, and publishers. No single source could say everything they needed to know. There didn’t appear to be any conclusive end in sight for this conversation, or for our discussion, as we ran completely over our 20-minute time-limit and poor Misti had to come and kick everyone out. [SLIDE – EPILOGUE]Which brings us, for now, to the end of this research adventure, and to the beginning of a new one.

Misti comes back to podium for 2 other activities

Recording

The next activity I’m going to discuss is quite a bit different, and was born out of an opportunity: for years, I had been discussing with my friend, DePauw’s recording engineer, how great it would be to get the whole student orchestra in front of us so we could do a presentation on sound recordings. In fact, when I heard Andrew Justice discuss a presentation of this sort during an MLA session a couple years ago, my determination only increased. I approached our orchestra conductor, and learned that the opera production that semester was going to be Poppea--no brass, no percussion. Thus, those brass and percussion students had nothing to do for a whole week, and the conductor suggested it’d be great for them to get something out of their orchestra enrollment. Opportunity taken! This way, we could work with a smaller group, which meant we could make this more of an activity rather than a presentation.

SLIDEThe recording guy friend--his name is Matt. He and I got together and hashed out what we wanted the students to learn. Part of this list was inspired by that presentation from Andrew:

SLIDEA basic understanding of the differences between analog and digital recordings

What different formats sound like--so, sitting in a room with speakers, what does an LP sound like, vs. a CD, vs. streaming tracks

What the different compressions sound like--so, digital track at 128 bits, 64 bits, 8 bits.

The various things you can value in a sound recording--in other words, criteria you can consider when choosing a sound recording (other than the soloist), including the conductor, use of period instruments, unique tempi, but also--and Matt was really into this--decisions made by the recording engineer about the recording space, mic placement, etc.

Which leads me to the final thing we wanted them to learn: how to hear what a recording engineer hears. Or--how we put it: Learn how to listen to a recording the way Matt does. This meant we’d help them try to hear the results of those decisions the sound engineer made.

We gathered 15 students into a large room in the recording studio, and Matt set up two very nice speakers in front of the students, and made sure the students sat right in the middle--so that they had the best possible listening experience.

SLIDEMatt began by simply talking to the students about analog recordings vs. digital recordings--he gave a really brief explanation of how sounds magically travel through the air, and wires, and

devices to create grooves on discs. The students were truly riveted--. I took this picture during that part.

Next, since we’d just discussed digital sound, we pivoted to bit rates and compressed sound. Here, I wanted students to understand why some youtube recordings sound good, while others sound really terrible. Ahead of class, Matt and I prepared what we’d be listening to:SLIDEthe opening of the first movement to Beethoven’s 3rd cello sonata.

We first played the best version possible, at 320 kbps. Then we gradually moved down in quality from 256, to 128, all the way down to 16. And each time we played a track, we asked the students to tell us what they thought: could they hear a difference? of course they could--and it’s an easy activity--but by the time we got down to 16, they could really hear how terrible the recording was.

At this point, I could segue to how I thought this would be useful for students to know about. I told them that that DePauw’s subscription to Naxos--which they love--is at 64--though, I understand that it’s “upsampled” to 94--, and now they know what that generally means. I told them we could bump up to a better rate, but that it’d cost more. And then, I let a few students briefly discuss whether they thought with their lower quality earbuds, that the price difference would be worth paying for--that is, essentially, 94 instead of 128. Ultimately, they decided 94 was good enough with crappy earbuds.

SLIDENext, we moved on to another listening activity. I selected 3 pieces of music, and for each piece, we’d play the LP, the CD reissue, and a digital track Matt provided, at 128 kbps, in order to replicate the quality of a Spotify track.

It was fun searching our collection for recordings that fit the bill--so, owning the vinyl and the exact CD reissue. This is how we landed on a recording of Rostropovich playing Beethoven cello sonata 3, on the Philips label, Boulez conducting Webern’s Entflieht auf leichten on Sony, and finally--Enoch Lights’ Persuasive Percussion, the opening track “I’m in the mood for love,” which I chose because of the fantastic fun of listening in stereo sound--the “ping pong” effects, hearing a few seconds from the left speaker, and a few seconds from the right. The added bonus was that we were going to use this particular album to demonstrate just how big a deal liner notes were in the LP days, but more on that later…

I’d already spread out the LPs, the CDs, and readied up the digital tracks. We had the students close their eyes, and we asked the students if they could figure out which format was which. The LP was pretty obvious, in that the pops were a little bit louder than on the CD reissue, but the students did enjoy the simple activity of listening to an LP, and listening to Matt discuss its warm sound. No one could discern a difference between the CD and the digital track, and we didn’t intend for them to. The overall point was to engage them in thinking about how their sound was being delivered.

SLIDENext came my favorite part: In preparing the session, I’d ask Matt to think of his favorite recordings--favorite due to the utterly magnificent quality of the recording engineering and production. He named these pretty quickly--First was a recording of Satie’s Socrates on Factory classical (before purchased and re-released by LTD). Another was a recording he’d done himself, on the Centaur label with Dornenburg on viola da gamba. Finally, he mentioned Oue’s Reference Recording with the Minnesota Orchestra performing Rachmaninov.

I gathered these 3 recordings together and then located other renditions, so that Matt could play them one after another for the students, and discuss why he likes each of the 3 recordings so much. He went on to explain that for him, what he values most in a recording is space--the space a group is recorded in will affect the listening experience. He tried to help the students hear this--with the da gamba recordings, he asked students to determine whether or not they felt as though they were sharing the same space as the performers. He let us know that generally speaking, there are two approaches to recording: either a recording is made to sound like you, the listener, are invited to the performer’s space, or a recording is made to sound like the performer has come into your space as the listener.It was easier for students to hear the differences in sound recording engineer decision-making when Matt played the different renditions back-to-back. SLIDEI’ll play a little bit of what he did. We’re going to hear from two different recordings of the Satie . I’ll play the opening few seconds of the Factory version and then we’ll pause a moment to discuss.

Matt ended this portion by concluding that it’s not one performance that’s better than another, and it’s not even fair to suggest one recording is better than another. Rather, he’s pointing out that one of the reasons he loves the Factory recording, he’s come to realize, is the result of fabulous sound recording editing, and this is a different way to listen.SLIDEAt this point, students wanted to learn about the studio they were sitting in. Unfortunately, Matt hates the studio, and he explained why--because it’s “almost dead,” but it’s not dead enough, and he clapped in the space to demonstrate this. Students were absolutely fascinated by this, and he explained more about how useless the room was, given his preferences.

SLIDEI insisted on ending the session by discussing liner notes. i passed out older LPs--including a few from the nonesuch label--so they could see how prominently liner notes factored into the recordings as a whole. Many on the nonesuch label displayed the notes on the jacket cover--the actual cover. SLIDEOthers, such as as the Persuasive Percussion--were more intricate, and I showed them how the notes folded out, or arrived in booklets. With CDs, we still have the liner notes, but they’re hiding

inside the case, and behind a dramatically smaller cover art. SLIDEI passed around a copy of Scheherazade--the LP and the CD. the art is the same, but the LP and its size--I think the art is just magnificent. It’s arresting!

I launched into a bit of a speech about how sound recordings used to packaged as a listening experience, and that was before you even took playback equipment into account. I reminded students that many of these notes gave information about the sound recording engineering, as well as information about the composers and their works. I confess that part of my hope in discussing this was to make sure tomorrow’s sound recording consumers are a little savvier, and a little more demanding, though that’s a tall order, starting with 15 brass and percussion students.

When the session was over, no one got up to leave. They all wanted to stick around and ask us more questions. I think a session like this can be done by a librarian working solo--as in, without the recording person. But if anyone here has the opportunity to team up with their recording staff to do a presentation like this together, I think it’s even more effective for the students--because they’re getting to see a music career in action--other than performance--AND, it gives them a little taste of what it’ll be like when they want to embark on their first real, professional sound recording. All the things Matt discussed are things they’ll want to consider when they make their recording, or choosing their recording staff.

Of course, what was most important to me was that students learn about all the ways they can be choosy with a recording. They already know from their music history sessions with me that they can turn to our online catalog to find various renditions, and I think for the average student, they’re choosing the recording that features a soloist or ensemble that they’re somewhat familiar with. I don’t expect a student to develop a list of favorite recording engineers, or labels who sink money into amazing cover art, or great liner notes, SLIDEbut it’s helpful to remind them that as consumers of sound, they have so much criteria they can wield in making their choices.

I think that also, any time we can help a young budding musician understand the history of sound recordings, it makes present and future conversations about format and preservation fit into a more easily understandable context. If you’re considering a session like this, you can tailor it to any facet of sound recordings you want--a session like this can layered on top of an existing assignment, initiative, or project within your school of music. Really, I think this could pair nicely with an ensemble who might be preparing for a recital. Perhaps a jazz ensemble, a string chamber group--and you can use recordings of the repertoire they’re listening to for your examples. Again, this kind of session isn’t traditional for a librarian, but ultimately, anything librarians can do to create a better educated consumer of sound is good for our collective future!

And now, onto the third collaboration, which happens to be my favorite. Okay actually they’re all my favorites, but this is my favoritest favorite.SLIDEAt DePauw, my friend Steven teaches a class for singers focused on character development in opera and musical theatre. When he first told me he’d be teaching this class, he added that he’s often reminding students that they need to turn to literal translations rather than poetic translations when it comes to preparing their performances. We thought we’d collaborate on an activity to address this.SLIDEMany of you in here are familiar with some of the worst poetic translations--many of those Italian song anthologies have some delightfully ridiculous translations. I turned to one such anthology to choose 3 songs whose translations were different enough that they could actually affect a performance and interpretation.

SLIDEFor the three songs, I created 6 documents--the literal and poetic translations on separate sheets of paper, for all three songs. I took these to class. Here’s what the activity entailed:SLIDEThe class divided into two groups. For the first song, one group got the literal translation of Durante’s “Danza Danza, fanciulla gentile,” and the other group received the poetic translation. Then the professor asked each group to create a setting and characters inspired by their lyrics--they were to perform a skit, and at some point in the skit, characters needed to incorporate the lyrics into their dialogue.

SLIDEThe goal for the audience was to watch each group’s performance, and observe whether they thought there were major differences in the “meat” of the performance. In other words--setting aside differences of acting decisions.

We took shaky cell phone video of the two performances, which I’m hoping to show you so that you can generally see how this played out.SLIDEFor Danza Danza, song 1, here are the literal lyrics:Dance, dance, girl gentle to my singingTurn, light, slender, to the sound of the waves of the seaHear the lovely sound of the playful breezewhich speaks to the heart in a languid sound,which invites to dance without rest. (emphasis mine)SLIDEAnd the poetic lyrics:Dance, oh dance, maiden gay, to the song that I singLightly and airily fly while bounding, resounding,

the billows outring!Dost thou hear the lowest voices of breezes soft,blending appeal to thy heart with their blandishing tone?They invite to a dance never-ending, and whisper “Dance on! dance on!”SLIDETwo major differences from my perspective: in the literal translation, dance is “gentle, light, slender,” and the dancer must keep on without rest. In the poetic, the dance isn’t gentle--there is “bounding” and “resounding” and billows outringing! And the dancer is encouraged (rather than commanded indefinitely) to “dance on, dance on.”

SLIDEThe first group was assigned the literal, and their setting is a coffee shop on an open mic night poetry slam, complete with some back-up dancers. The sound is not great--I know--but I hope you’ll observe the overall tone--the gentle dancing and the command at the end to dance on without rest.

SHOW VIDEO

The corresponding group was assigned the poetic translation. Same setting: they’re at a poetry slam. But notice the difference--the bounding resounding, and the gentle urging to “dance on, dance on.” She’s hard to understand, but she opens by saying that she wrote a poem, about nature, as a woman”SHOW VIDEO

After these performances were over, the professor asked the students to discuss the differences as best as they could. The command to “dance” at the end was indeed noticed and mentioned by an audience member, while others noted that, in general, the poetic version seemed a little awkward--starting out relaxed and cool, then getting livelier, but then gentle again with the “dance on” whispering. I briefly reminded them what the translation differences were, and at that moment it finally clicked for the students exactly what was going on. It’s hard to pre-explain certain things to a class full of aspiring music theatre stars--this probably surprises none of you--so it was gratifying that at this point, it came together for the students, and they weren’t confused anymore.

I’ll show another example.SLIDE The next song was Lasciatemi morire, by Monteverdi. The literal translation: Let me die!And what consolation is there for me in such hard fate,in such great suffering?

And the poetic:No longer let me languishWhat dost thou fancy can stay one moment

so despairful a torment, such unrelenting anguish?

Major difference: Let me die. So melodramatic, but straight to the point. The literal translation sounds like the pit of bottomless despair. Let me die means something substantially different from “no longer let me languish,” and I think it shows in the presentations.SLIDEThis time, both groups had to set their skit in Las Vegas. Group one is with the literal translation. The sound can be frustrating, but what’s happening is that a very drunk couple suddenly decides they want to get a drive-through wedding. But it wasn’t meant to be.SHOW VIDEOIn the next group, two dancers learn they’re to be replaced by new young dancers, Trixie and Bambi--. After some “languishing,” they find a solution. SHOW VIDEOSLIDEAgain, it was fairly easy for the audience to point out the difference in tone. The first group is heavy on the emotion, and ends in despair: a jilted bride.The second group features some momentary anguish, but then a look on the bright side. Not nearly as melodramatic.

I thought this activity was really successful. Initially, I worried that taking up a whole class period to teach students that the type of translation you use is important? that score quality matters? was too greedy. That for a whole class period, I should be trying to cover a lot more than that. But the professor pointed out that they would have spent the whole class working together on skits, anyway--that all I did was add another layer of skills on top of an existing activity. And I realized that when it comes to instruction aimed at performers, that’s the goal: it’s to just sort of slip in, unnoticed, adding a layer of information literacy without obstruction, to enhance what they were already doing. I don’t know how often I’ll get to do this again, but the class had so much fun--and they caught on so quickly--that I do think it’d be neat to try and figure out how I can do something similar--just a layer on top--for a string class, perhaps.

(three exercises on following pages)

Verdi Activity, by Misti Shaw(For instructor: materials needed are La Traviata and Rigoletto scores, the critical editions and accompanying commentary from U. Chicago. For both pieces, also get the Schirmer editions. You need Gosset’s book, Divas and Scholars: Performing Italian Opera)

You’re conducting La Traviata. You’re going to study the scores in order to prepare for the first pit rehearsal. You select two sets of scores--the Schirmer edition, and the collected edition. The collected edition comes with a separate volume of critical commentary.

Since the critical commentary outlines potential “issues” with the score, you start thumbing through it. This is where your activity begins.

In the critical commentary volume, flip to the Critical Notes section for Act 2, scene N. 4. Find the comment that addresses measures 107-110. In your own language, what is this comment telling us? Find these measures in the accompanying (red) score, and take a look to get a better idea. You might need to consult a musical dictionary in order to figure this completely out.

Your explanation:

Knowing this, as the conductor, what actions will you take, and to whom will you address those actions?

If you were the performer here, would you consider it your responsibility to know about this? Or would it be the conductor’s responsibility? Or perhaps the orchestral librarian? Make the case:

Let’s move on a few pages to Act 2, scene N. 5 (the Violetta/Germont duet)Find the comment that concerns measures 44-48. It’s hard to interpret this comment as is.Turn to the accompanying red score--find those measures in the score (You need to use the contents page to help you do this).

When you find those measures in the score, compare them to the remark’s score example: do they match? yes or no

It seems that the editors have chosen to let *this* score reflect what they’d found in a “previous version.” But check these same measures in the Schirmer score. Are the measures the same in the Schirmer score? yes or no

(if there is time) Find a nearby piano to play these measures that differ. After you hear both versions, what do you think? Is that probably a mistaken note due to copyist error in the Schirmer? Or do you think Verdi wrote it one way, then changed his mind?

If you’re the cellist in the pit, will you be expecting to play the D? or the D-flat?

You had so much fun conducting that now you’ve decided to do Rigoletto. The critical edition of La Traviata was so useful that you’re going to use the critical edition to prep Rigoletto. You’re flipping through the critical commentary and in the Nr. 2 Introduction, you come across a pretty extensive comment for measures 369-373. That comment suggests looking at the one for measures 389-393. This is somewhat confusing. What exactly is going on here?

We might look to the Introduction in the red score itself for clarification. (Do that now.) It’s still a little confusing, what’s going on here. Luckily, you remembered that you have another source to help you--the author of this critical edition himself, Philip Gossett. He wrote the book Divas and Scholars: Performing Italian Opera. You use the book’s index to see if it mentions Rigoletto anywhere. (Let’s do that now). Locate the passage that explains what the issue is here. What’s happening?

Go to the appropriate measures in the red score. Did they change the lyrics or not?

Now, go to the appropriate measures in the Schirmer score. What did these editors do?

From now on, when you go to hear performances of Rigoletto, you can listen closely to the chorus to see if they make the mistake!

Bellini activity, by Emily VickersFor Instructors

Literature: Divas and Scholars: Performing Italian Opera (2006)– Philip Gossett

“An aural analysis of bel canto: traditions and interpretations as preserved through selected sound recordings” (2010)– Airlie Jane Kirkham

Scores:Norma in G – Boosey & Co. (London), edited by Arthur Sullivan and J. Pittman.

Norma in D – Oliver Ditson & Co. (277 Washington St., Boston): [1858-1872].

Norma in F– G. Schirmer (New York). – Ricordi (Milan): 1988. – Dover Publications (New York): 1994.

Sound RecordingsCecilia Bartoli (F)Bellini, Vincenzo, Felice Romani, Sumi Jo, Cecilia Bartoli, Liliana Nikiteanu, John Osborn, Reinaldo Macias, et al. 2013. Norma. London, England: Decca.

Maria Callas (F)Bellini, Vincenzo, Felice Romani, Maria Callas, Christa Ludwig, Franco Corelli, Nicola Zaccaria, Tullio Serafin, and Alexandre Soumet. 1989. Norma. Hayes, Middlesex, England: EMI.

Joan Sutherland (G)Sutherland, Joan, and Francesco Molinari-Pradelli. 1960. The art of the prima donna, vol. 1. London: Decca.

CHAPTER 1:ADVENTURES IN OPERA PERFORMANCE

You are selected to perform “Casta Diva” from Norma for a concert featuring significant opera works. They’ve asked you to tell them which edition you want to use for this performance, and to provide a brief statement regarding why you chose that version. They will print your response in the program notes, with the intention of giving the audience a chance to learn about performance history in opera. They will surely fall in love with all of the music and decide to support the arts forever – hurray!

As a talented and savvy musician, you know how important it is to research the history of works you will perform, and you waste no time in searching for scores, scholarly writings, and recordings to inform your decision. Which of the following resources might you use?

a) Music library, WorldCat, your music librarian, IMSLP, New Grove, Naxos….b) The research fairies that live in your bookshelfc) Nothing, because the conductor will tell you what to do

CHAPTER 2:SOURCES ACQUIRED

You find several fabulous sources, including:- Scores- A thesis on bel canto opera, comparing various performances of Casta Diva- Divas and Scholars, a book on 19th century Italian opera- Recordings, some of which are by the performers discussed in the thesis!

You quickly flip through each of the scores, and notice they are not the same! You have 4 minutes before you have to leave to catch the bus for a lesson, jot down as many major differences below (or circle in the score) as you can - GO!

On the bus ride, you try to decide if you are ready to make an informed and final decision: a) Yes, I now know everything everb) No, I’m not quite sure yet

CHAPTER 3:LET THE RESEARCH BEGIN!

1) First up – Divas and Scholars, by Philip Gossett! To find the information you need in this book, do you:

a) Read the entire bookb) Check the index and find page #’s for relevant topicsc) Press it against your face to begin the osmosis learning process

You remember that your scores are in 3 different keys, and quickly find relevant page numbers.- Index of Principal Operas Discussed “Casta Diva” Transpositions of Arias

Skim these pages and write down a couple of the author’s major points. - What issues does Gossett bring up regarding these transpositions? - Does Gossett make it clear which key is correct”?

2) Next: “An Aural Analysis of Bel Canto”, by Airlie Jane KirkhamTable of Contents Highlight sections containing the following information:- Historical use of bel canto, and its characteristics- “Norma” as a case study - “Norma, Casta Diva Act I, 4”- 2 sections discussing artists from your recordings

Skim these sections and mark sections that look interesting. Think about: - How will this source help you in performing “Casta Diva”? What does it tell you?- Do any issues Gossett discussed come up? What did Kirkham say?

CHAPTER 4: IT’S GO TIME

Tomorrow is the deadline to submit your choice of score and program notes detailing the reasons behind your decision. Based on your new knowledge, physical abilities, personal opinions, etc., choose the score you will use:

a) The score in G (Boosey)b) One of the scores in F (Ricordi, Schirmer, or Dover)c) The score in D (Ditson)

EPILOGUE

Some final thoughts…

As a musician, you have a tremendous gift to share with others. You have put yourself through hours upon hours of practice to become proficient in this beautiful form of expression, and should you choose to continue to develop your art, you will put in countless more. You have such a wonderful and important role to play in keeping this tradition alive and sharing it with others. One of the most basic responsibilities in your role is having the skills to effectively communicate to your audience the emotions, ideas, characters, concepts, etc. that are

entrenched in your music. Part of this is honing your technique. Another part is knowing that music does not live in a vacuum – it is more than the notes on the page. You will have to make interpretive decisions with every piece of music you encounter, and having an in-depth understanding of the piece in terms of publication, the composer’s intentions, performance history, analysis, and anything else you can find, will help you bring the music to life.

Literal vs. Poetic Translations activity, by Misti Shaw

Activity is designed for a character development/acting class. The goal is to convey to students that the song translation type they choose (literal vs. poetic) will be important, and will possibly influence many aspects of the performance.

Most students in the class are vocalists. The class instructor divides the class into small acting groups. Each group is given the lyrics to either the poetic or literal translation to a song. The instructor asks each group to create a skit using a setting and accents that he assigns. For example: “Your skit must take place in Las Vegas, and you must use a southern accent.” The lyrics must be incorporated into the skit as dialogue.

The skits are performed by the groups back to back. So, one group performs one translation of the song, and the other group performs the remaining translation. After both groups perform their skits, the rest of the class (audience) notes any differences they perceived in the skits that may have derived from the differences in translations. Both the professor and librarian can direct these questions and discussions in the way that works best for the students.

The sample song selections below come from Twenty-Four Italian Songs and Arias, published by Schirmer.

“Alma del core,” by Caldara

PoeticFairest adored, spirit of beautyThy faithful lover I’ll ever be This boon I ask thee that thou wilt grant meThy lips adored once more to kiss

literalSoul of my heart, spirit of my soulalways constant, I will adore youI shall be happy in my tormentif I could be able to kiss those beautiful lips.

“Danza, danza, fanciulla gentile,” by Durante

PoeticDance, oh dance, maiden gay, to the song that I singLightly and airily fly while bounding, resounding, the billows outring!Dost thou hear the lowest voices of breezes soft,blending appeal to thy heart with their blandishing tone?They invite to a dance never-ending, and whisper “Dance on! dance on!”

LiteralDance, dance, girl gentle to my singingTurn, light, slender, to the sound of the waves of the seaHear the lovely sound of the playful breezewhich speaks to the heart in a languid sound,which invites to dance without rest.

“Lasciatemi morire!” by Monteverdi

PoeticNo longer let me languishWhat dost thou fancy can stay one momentso despairful a torment, such unrelenting anguish?

LiteralLet me die!And what consolation is there for me in such hard fate,in such great suffering?

“Se tu m’ami, se sospiri,” by Pergolesi

PoeticIf thou lov’st me, and sighest ever but for me, o gentle swain,Sweet I find thy loving favor, pitiful I feel thy pain.Should’st thou think though, that demurely I on thee alone may smile, simple shepherd,thou art surely prone thy senses to beguile.As a fair red rose, a lover fain might Sylvia choose today--haply if he thorns discover-- ‘tis tomorrow thrown awayAll men say of maiden: “folly finds no favor in mine eyes,” nor because I love the lily shall I other flowers despise.

LiteralIf you love me, if you sigh only for me, kind shepherd,I have sorrow for your suffering.I have pleasure in your loveBut if you think that I must love only you, little shepherd,you are subject easily to being deceived.Beautiful red rose today Silvia will choose,with the excuse of the thorn (that pricked her),tomorrow she will then despise the roseBut of the men’s advice, I myself will not follow.Just because i like the lily does not mean I have to despise other flowers.

“Gia il sole dal Gange,” by Scarlatti

PoeticOver Ganges now launches the sun god, his splendorWith touch warm and tender morn’s teardrops he staunches,His rays golden beaming, dethrone nightly shadowswhile gemming the meadows with stars brightly gleaming

LiteralAlready, the sun from over the Ganges more brightly sparklesand dries every drop of the dawn, which weeps.With the gilded ray it adorns with gems every blade of grassand the stars of the sky it paints in the field.