Everything music from a perspective of a public
school music teacher with subject integration
(especially art, history, and literature) as a focus
to help teach the Common Core Curriculum.
QUOTE: "No artist is pleased...there is no satisfaction whatever at any time.
There is only a strange, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that
keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others."
AUTHOR:Martha Graham
MEANING OF THE QUOTE: "An artist is never satisfied with his/her art. The pleasure the artists gets is in the act of striving for the perfection that will never be realized."
Balakirev, Cui, Borodin, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky Korsakov
(a group of 19th century Russian composers including, in addition to Balakirev, Alexander Borodin, César Cui, Modest Mussorgsky and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, all of whom were united in their aim to create a distinctive nationalist school of music.) It was Balakirev who suggested the idea to Tchaikovsky for the Fantasy- Overture as well as its general outline. It is of interest that at a later date Tchaikovsky contemplated writing an opera on the Romeo and Juliet theme; a duet was sketched but left unfinished.
The Fantasy Overture consists of an
introduction followed by a single movement
in sonata-allegro form.The introduction begins
with the stately and structured "Friar Lawrence" theme.
Friar Lawrence is the peacekeeper and voice of
reason in this play. His theme begins calm and
uplifting, but soon becomes more agitated through
the use of altering instrumentation and pitch.
The Friar Lawrence Theme is first heard in the clarinet and bassoon.These instruments have a very warm and comforting timbre, reflecting Friar Lawrence's character. The section is in F# minor, and starts with a homophonic texture and a hymn like choral quality, further intensifying the similarity to Friar Lawrence’s character. Later in the development and recapitulation sections it combines with the "Feud" theme to show how Friar Lawrence attempted to resolve the conflict, but ultimately failed (Lynch, 2011).
The Feud theme is presented next, and is the theme of the
conflict at the heart of Shakespeare's play. Ultimately,
this conflict puts an end to Romeo and Juliet's lives.
This startling four bar theme first appears at the start
of what is called the exposition in sonata form (bars
112-115). It is in B minor, homophonic in texture,
and generally remains unchanged throughout the
piece, showing a similarity to the immovable nature
of the two families (Lynch, 2011). It is played first by
the flutes and violins, which when played in this style
have a sharp timbre and can be likened to the clanging
of metal on metal, like swords. These two instruments
are then joined by the remaining wind, horns, timpani,
and strings. The frantic theme is characterised by
sharp articulation such as staccato, and using
syncopated rhythms to create tension in the
listener and not allowing them to become
comfortable in the piece (Lynch, 2011). It
is repetitious and quite harsh, making
it very difficult to listen to.
Finally, the feud theme quiets and fades into the Love theme. This is probably one of the most well known themes in Tchaikovsky's works, and is the main theme for Romeo and Juliet's fleeting, passionate relationship. It is a long, expansive theme, filled with emotion, and altered constantly throughout the theme to show how quickly Romeo and Juliet’s relationship grows against all odds. It is first presented in D flat major, played by the viola
and the English horn. These instruments are joined by
the strings to quieten their sound and make them less
harsh to further intensify the stark contrast with both the
Feud and Friar Lawrence themes (Lynch, 2011). The low
strings provide a pizzicato accompaniment, creating a full
and rounded texture and warm timbre that finally grows to
a rising harp arpeggio at the end of the theme. This creates a
complete sound in the listener’s mind and sets them at ease,
ready to be barraged by the coda and ending.
Friar Lawrence with Romeo And Juliet
The reflective love music is suddenly interrupted by a return
of the principal theme, which is highly developed and
ingeniously combined with the Friar Lawrence motive of
the introduction. In the recapitulation section which follows,
the second theme (love motive) appears in D major. All the
themes of the piece are mixed together in a frantic finale,
and to conclude the work, the principal B minor theme is
combined in the full orchestra with the Friar Lawrence theme
and, as the music subsides, there are motives from the second
theme section. The work concludes in the key of B major.
References
Favourite Classical Composers, (2010). Romeo and Juliet Overture –
MEANING OF THE QUOTE:
