Sheet music
Composer(s):
Publisher(s):
Publishernumber:
G11005
Instrument(s):
Overige informatie:
edited Martin Nitz
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The first performance of Claudio Monteverdi’s opera Arianna took place in 1608. The plot of the story derives from the Greek myth of the hero Theseus who with the help of the Cretan princess Ariadne (Ital. Arianna) defeats the monster Minotaurus and wins her love. While returning to Athens nevertheless, Theseus disdainfully abandons his love on the island Naxos.
To the composer, Ariadne’s lament, the Lamento d’Arianna, represents the peak of the opera, “La più essential parte dell’ opera”, as Monteverdi expresses himself in a letter from March 20th, 1620.1)
Unfortunately only the lament is preserved from the music of the opera. At first it was distributed in handwritten copies and later on it was published by Monteverdi (together with two other works) in 1623. This print was used as the draft for the edition presented here.2)
There are only few ‘barlines’ in the score which serve as an orientation. The additions and changes of barlines made by the editor are adapted to the Italian rhythm of speech which enables a clearer survey of the work as a whole which is composed as a series of recitatives.3)
The realisation of the bass line has been kept very simple. It is intended as a harmonic support which can serve as a base for various possible continuo instruments (harpsichord, chest-organ, theorbo or lute). The bass figuration added by the editor in brackets is merely a suggestion.
It is not surprising that the harmonic ‘results’ of his five-part madrigal version that was published in 1614 – nine years before the Lamento was printed – are not included in the later print: the five-part version demanded a more marked harmonic and rhythmic profile than the original, in which the recitative performance of the solo voice could be supported merely by long sustained bass notes.
Martina Schänzle has translated the Italian text into German with the assistance of the editor. We thank Mrs. Dr. Maria Grazia Kölling, Hamburg, for extra help and advice.
Translation: J. Whybrow
Composer(s):
Publisher(s):
Publishernumber:
G11005
Instrument(s):
ISBN:
9790500840213
Number:
119648
Theme(s):
Overige informatie:
edited Martin Nitz
