tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133180.post3645089441255193587..comments2024-02-25T18:27:48.018-05:00Comments on Words and Music: All in the MindB. A. Nilssonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04932818130398280413noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133180.post-13961201800800576552020-09-25T02:34:52.003-04:002020-09-25T02:34:52.003-04:00As nice as it is to find one reviewer who mentione...As nice as it is to find one reviewer who mentioned the music, all fail to note the "petit overture", the tunes that Toniette clucks as she "spruces up" between scenes, and the "petit requiem" sung at Argan's passing, which I suppose must mean that, as settings of the modern text especially, the wink-and-smile allusions to the formalism of the day and to Charpentier's particular musical tics must have seemed so part of the texture and package that they warranted no mention. For any of these other musical moments, the cast, singly or in ensemble, availed themselves superbly, and made splendid and creditable adaption of what I'd written when it was needful to alter them. It is true that this "opera improviseé" for which this reviewer is solely crediting my skill was performed in the best Monty Python-esque screech-stimme, which I can only suggest is meant to convey, comedically, Angélique's terror and Cléante's unpreparedness in impersonating a music teacher to actually be required to make music; the scene is not one of romance as Cléante had intended, it was a scene of near-discovery mid-woo by Angélique's father. And indeed, as much as I love Charpentier's original music, I find his "opera improviseé" lovely but rather improbable dramaturgically: it is clear in the dialogue that Cléante has no voice for singing, and when the lovers are surprised by Argan and challenged to demonstrate what has been learned in the putative music lesson, it seems a bit of a stretch that they would suddenly set aside their shock at being caught to revert unaccountably back into Charpantier's wooing-song accompanied by a full consort of viols, and then finally revert similarly unaccountably back to distress as soon as they finish. None of what happened happened because the performers found themselves pressganged into an outlandish interpretation; quite the contrary, this was the moment when simultaneously the lovers have the opportunity to express their affection for each other while not arousing her father's suspicions and must also make it clear to the audience their terror at possibly being caught with severe consequences to follow while still maintaining the comedic tone of the play. This approach was quite deliberate and intended.<br /><br />I write this not to discount this reviewer's distress at hearing my duet performed in a Monty-Python-housewife screech-stimme; Angélique's first utterance of the tune is a shocker. I will say that in the two evenings I was able to attend, this scene resulted in tear-inducing rolling-in-the-aisles laughter throughout. I can claim no credit for that, though-- In determining how best to contribute the music to this scene, I asked whether I should provide the comedy, and the director and I agreed that the core of the scene should still be a legitimate tune, a straight-forward and heartfelt setting of the English text, so that underneath the comedy one could still sense the underpinned lovers. That is what I hoped to have provided, and I have the manuscripts to show for it. The comedic genius that brought that scene to life on so many more levels than mere music is entirely credited to the director and the actors on stage.<br /><br />With all respect to the reviewer whose review I gratefully appreciate was otherwise glowing, and merely hoping this provides a second perspective on one small part of the evening--<br /><br />Jack Parton, composer.Jack Partonhttps://www.facebook.com/JackPartonComposer/noreply@blogger.com