glass and verdi essay
TRANSCRIPT
Katherine Hubbard
0421624
The composition of Opera is a highly dramatic work where the drama is sung. Due
to the nature of these compositions, it is considered a work great artistic
achievement, stylistic and forever changing. Composers for centuries have favoured
this type of art form, thus the popularity of this style developed it to new heights,
especially during the 19th and 20th centuries. Discuss and analyse the aesthetics how
opera is written when comparing Shakespeare’s Otello to Philip Glass’s twentieth
century opera Einstein on the Beach.
Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Otello is considered by many critics to be his best work. It is a
complex work taken from the play Othello written by William Shakespeare and given a
strong setting by the composer Verdi. Verdi's dramma lirico is a drama in four acts, with
a libretto by Arrigo Boito. The process of turning spoken drama into opera involves
cutting, condensing and simplifying. Philip Glass’s opera Einstein on the Beach however
takes on a different revenue of composition in comparison to Otello. His opera is not in
the style of Romantic but a style of minimalism that Glass helped to develop. Glass’s late
20th century composition is not only musically brilliant but the imagery that is used was
fresh, unique and clearly engaged the audience. An intense and dramatic libretto is not
found this opera, quite the contrary. It consists of a no plot story by librettist Robert
Wilson and his intension was to let the audience supply the imagination of the action.
Throughout this essay, it will explore the two operas of Einstein of the Beach and Otello
and how writing styles have progressed within centuries.
An opera is a work where all the arts unite to charm the spectator and, although in this
beautiful alliance it is music which is predominant. The composer, however original he
may be, is nevertheless restricted somewhat by the poet, who indicates the points where
his inspiration should be focused.1 Composition of opera is that the libretto or poem
serves as a base for the music. The main precondition for any theatrical work is life,
movement, and a variety of feelings and desires.2 Opera’s like Verdi’s Otello, developed
during the 19th century from the Western origins of classical music and in structure it
consisted of a variety of recitatives, arias, duets, ensembles, dance and sometimes spoken
text. However modern operas during the 20th century made major stylistic revenues. From
the blissful opera like Otello, came the brilliance of Einstein on the Beach by Philip
Glass. An opera complete with atonal character.3 The first indication of opera’s changing
tonality was by composer Richard Wagner. His operas influenced and dared composers
to compose outside the norm, thus influencing composers like Glass to composer his
atonal opera Einstein on the Beach.4
The skill of converting libretto to music is incredibly arduous and it is evident that an
opera is of longer duration than words in a spoken libretto. An opera that is based on a
play can rarely compete with its source because it is from a derived work of art and it
1 , S, “Russians on Russian Music 1830 – 1880: an anthology/selected, translated and annotated by Stuart Campbell.” (page 95)2 Campbell, S, “Russians on Russian Music 1830 – 1880: an anthology/selected, translated and annotated by Stuart Campbell.” (page 95)3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opera Contemporary, recent, and Modernist trends
4 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opera Contemporary, recent, and Modernist trends
must depend on the quality of its music and singing for its attractions. Thus the librettist
skill is the most important factor when transforming the libretto into a music drama.
Einstein on the Beach was a composition where both the librettist and the composer had
equal compositional attributes. Generally composers and librettists do not compose the
plot equally unless significant changes are required; instead composers choose a libretto
and write their work accordingly upon a decision. However both in Einstein on the Beach
and Otello, both composer and librettist worked together. Philip Glass and Robert Wilson
created a sizable work together and structured their opera whilst meeting for luncheons
on a regular basis, eventually making way for one of the most interesting operas of the
late 20th century. Einstein on the Beach has a running time of four hours and forty five
minutes with four acts where as Verdi’s Otello approximately takes three hours and also
consists of four acts. Glass had always been extremely taken with Einstein; in fact, he
was one of Glass’s hero’s.5 There’s no denying that he was an incredible man but in this
type of artistic genre, the subject of writing about Einstein had been the subject of ‘book,
photographs, gossip and rumours’ to mention a few.6 No matter the subject, the pair
agreed on the title Einstein on the Beach.
The opera consisted of visual themes of a the Train, the Trail and Field-with-Spaceship7
which was divided into four act with the intermissions named ‘knee plays’ referring to
the ‘joining function of humans’ anatomical knee perform’. These intermissions weren’t
proper breaks; instead Philip Glass featured repeated numbers accompanied by an electric
organ. Theses ‘Knee Plays’ had durations of twenty minutes.8 5 Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass” (page 30)6 Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass” (page 28 and 29)7 Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass” (page 30)8 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einstein_on_the_Beach
Knee Play I
ACT ONEa. (Train I)b. (Trail I)
Knee Play 2
ACT TWOc. (Field/Spaceship I)
a. (Train 2)
Knee Play 3
ACT THREEb. (Trial 2)
c. (Field/Spaceship 2)
Knee Play 4
ACT FOURa. (building from Train)
b. (bed from Trial)c. (spaceship-interior of earlier Spaceship)
Knee Play 59
This contradicts the intermissions that occur in Otello because there isn’t any music
played in the intermissions like there is in Einstein on the Beach. One of the most
interesting features of this opera compared to Otello is the libretto. Glass’s libretto
consists of the use solfege syllables, numbers, and short sections of poetry. Einstein made
phenomenal scientific breakthroughs and the imitation of numerical and solfege syllables
symbolised he scientific discoveries.10 The musical input into the opera had just as much
importance as the visual effects of the opera. Wilson visioned the themes of the opera in
three specific points (1) a landscape seen at distance (the Field/Spaceship scenes) (2) still
life seen at a middle distance (the Trial scenes) (3) portraits seen as in a close-up (the
9Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass” (page 31) 10 Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass” (page 31)
Knee Plays) where as Glass saw his opera more as portrait opera where Einstein would
be ‘constructing the idea of the plot, narrative, development, and all the paraphernalia of
conventional theatre’.11 All these different types of ideas seemed nearly impossible to
create but because these two had of the contemporary aesthetics of theatre they were able
to produce this substantial work. Wilson was highly influenced by George Balanchine
and Merce Cunningham where as Glass’s exposure to European theatre, his inspirations
subscribed through the works of Brecht and Beckett.12
Although these two different opera’s vary in compositional techniques, both composers
and librettists serve the music and poetry satisfactory. Verdi’s opera Otello has many
strong moments, which critics noted as showing a new style and a new development in
Verdi’s work. Verdi’s opera is play about the devastating effects of jealousy. Gullible
Otello has promoted the fast-rising Cassio over himself; Iago plots to destroy both Bassio
and Otello. Iago’s menacing character convinces the jealous Otello that his wife
Desdemona is being unfaithful and lies to him that Cassio is her lover. Otello is overcome
by jealousy and in consequence he kills his wife and himself. From the transition from
Shakespeare’s play to libretto, Verdi and Boito made some changes to suit and heighten
the music and dramatic intent. The libretto in Otello achieves equal dramatic justice to
the story just like the Shakespeare’s play Othello. Throughout the play and the opera, the
audience is entertained with the spontaneous drama.
11 Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass” (page 32 and 33) 12 Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass” (page 34)
Act IV has the most dramatic tension in the opera. It begins with a mournful English horn
solo with fragmentary phrases that set the tone for what is to come. In these final scenes
Verdi captures Otello’s fury by the careful use of the orchestration. His use of descending
staccato passages followed the combination of the pulsing drum beats enhancing his
frightening entrance. The story entails that Desdemona is preparing to retire for bed,
assisted by Emilia. She tells Emilia of an old song she sued to hear in her childhood, a
song that keeps coming back to her mind this evening. The words tell of a girl who, like
herself, loved too well, and she sings this pathetic little song for Emilia called the
‘Willow Song’. This song is so moving because of its childlike simplicity. When Emilia
has bid her good night, Desdemona kneels before the image of the Madonna, which
stands over a faldstool. Here Desdemona sings her prayer, the noble, “Ave Maria”, at first
in a whispered monotone, accompanied by gently strings, and then soaring aloft in a
melody which is probably the loveliest in the entire opera.
The song ends with the quiet and peace of the “Amen”. This then flourishes into `Prega
per chi adorando'. Scarcely has she finished and the sinister figure of Otello is seen
appearing through a secret door into Desdemona’s bedchambers. He makes his way to
her bed, contemplates her for time as a mysterious double bass solo; miming to an
instrumental recitative punctuated by motive fragments. Immediately this harmonic
context of the double bass solo serves as a pivot between the A flat major of
Desdemona’s Ave Maria to the A flat minor that becomes asserted in the ensuing bars.13
14
Clutching his sword, Otello kisses Desdemona three times while the orchestra plays the
passionate theme that ended the love duet in the first act. Otello asks her if she has said
her prayers, for, he explains, he would not kill her soul. Again he accuses her of being a
paramour of Cassio’s. Denials are useless. He repeats charge after charge, his jealous
rage mounting, and the horrified Desdemona cries for help, as he takes her by the throat,
and an orchestral surge does not restore any sense of order until the deed is done. Emilia
knocks frenziedly on the door, and when Otello finally admits her into the room, she is
stunned by the tragedy facing her and shrieks for aid. In answer others rush into the
bedroom, and Otello says that he has killed his wife because of her faithlessness. Emilia
explains about the handkerchief, and Montano tell Otello that Rogerigo, dying, has
exposed Iago’s wiles.
That villain makes a hurried exit, and Otello sings a lamentation, as he gazes at the
lifeless for of Desdemona. Otello prepares for his own death, in is his "Niun mi tema,"
13 Parker, R & Brown, M, “Ancora un Bacio: Three Scene from Verdi’s “Otello” 19th century music, Vol 9. no. 1 (Summer, 1985) (page 11)14 Parker, R & Brown, M. “Ancora un Bacio: Three Scene from Verdi’s “Otello” 19th century Music, Vol. 9, No. 1. (Summer, 1985). Pp. 50-62.
which is full of rapid mood shifts. He unsheathes his dagger and sings an accompanying
passage of true lyricism. He then ends with one of the most poignant death scenes in all
opera by stabbing himself and, drawing himself close to Desdemona with his remaining
strength, kisses her, as the orchestra takes up again the “Kiss” motif. In this last action it
unfolds with maximum freedom, which is embarks of new material, not typical to the
traditional romantic style. Einstein on the Beach flourishes with new materials and
relishes with new freedom. Although Glass’s and Wilson’ libretto is uncomplicated,
Glass’s music creation of the opera is complex. Because there is no functional libretto
taking place in the opera, Glass has used his minimal approach to construct his motifs and
ideas of his opera to keep it interesting and unique.
Throughout Einstein on the Beach we can hear a simple fragment that is heard on
numerous occasions, reinventions of themes and develops them further. As Glass
explains in his his book ‘Music by Philip Glass’,
“A musical grouping of, say, five notes is repeated several ties, then is followed by a measure
of six notes (also repeated), then seven, the eight, and so on. A simple figure can expand and
then contract in many different ways, maintaining the same general melodic configuration
but, because of the addition (or subtraction of one notes, it takes on a very different rhythmic
shape.”15
In these three examples, we can see how Glass has developed a particular motif, a
rhythmic cycle and inverted it.
15 Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass” (page 1,2 and 3)
Trial Scene
16
First train scene
17
Closing section train one
18
The structures of the Knee Plays are particularly creative. Compositions of atonal and
twentieth-century operas are usually scored for smaller ensembles as opposed to full
orchestra like Otello. Einstein on the Beach is an opera that achieves that small unity.
Because the opera is of such a vast duration, it is not expected for singers and musicians
to perform for nearly five hours. In return, the larger instrumental and vocal ensembles 16 Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass” The Music (page 2)17 Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass” The Music (page 2)18 Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass” The Music (page 3)
only unit in the major scenes like the Train or Dance, thus the dominant ensembles are of
smaller numbers.19 Knee Plays contain the two major themes of the work. The first is the
‘cadential theme’ whilst the second theme takes advantage of the methods that Glass used
created. This was the combination of rhythmic and harmonic structure in a solid
integration followed by the two examples below.20
21
22
Philip Glass intended for this for this harmonic language to be predominant in Einstein on
the Beach and through this style he has allowed his talents to take on new horizons. His
transition to compose this large scale opera has made way for a new expressive language
not only for himself at the time but also for a new beginning to revolutionise new music
he creates.23
19 Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass” The Music (page 2 & 3)20 Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass” The Music (page 3,4 & 5)21 Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass” The Music (page 3)22 Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass” The Music (page 3)23 Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass” The Music (page 6)
The compositions of Einstein on the Beach and Otello are two works of extremely high
calibre and were incredibly influential during its periods. Although they contrast greatly
in style and compositional techniques they are works that which serve justice to their
fashions. Verdi’s adaptation of Otello was ground breaking because it pushed the
composition on operatic writings into a new generation. It had been sixteen years after
Aida had seemed to be the crowning glory of Verdi’s long musical career; the great
composer astonished the musical world with Otello. Needless to say that his opera was
warmly received and his writing skills flourished, furthering his future compositions. Just
like Verdi, Philip Glass’s only opera Einstein on the Beach heightened his compositions
to new lengths mastering the art of creating music by combining harmonic progressions
with rhythmic structures.24 Considered ‘radical’ in Western traditions, this criticism did
not stop Glass composing his masterpiece, in fact it was his intension and goal to produce
a work of this sound.
Noticeable comparisons allured these operas to have motivic elements throughout, Glass
with the apparent musical groupings and Verdi with his uncanny depictions of the
coming action. Although each composer views and attempts of their structures are
different, they are both plausibly effective. At the age of seventy-four Verdi showed past
all doubt, that the fierce creative spirit which burned within him was not only alive, but
still flowing brightly and Glass’s attempt of his first opera made way for the major shift
to a large scale work, engulfing a yearning sensation for a more expressive language to
come.25 With the collaboration of Verdi and Boito, this operatic genre could possibly be
24 Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass” The Music (page 5)25 Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass” The Music (page 6)
one of the greatest opera’s ever written based on Shakespeare play Othello and the
collaboration of Robert Wilson and Philip Glass’s libretto Einstein on the Beach will be
forever known as one of the most interesting and creative minimalist operas of the
twentieth-century.
Bibliography
Textual Materials
Glass, P. “Music by Philip Glass”; edited and with supplementary material by Robert T.
Jones. New York: Da Capo, 1995.
Glass, p. “Opera on the Beach: Philip Glass on his new world of music theatre” London:
Faber, 1988, c1987
Haskins, R M.M. “The music of Philip Glass, 1965-1975 [microform]: an analysis of two
selected early works and Einstein on the Beach” Ann Arbor, MI: U.M.I., [19--]
Sound Recordings
Glass, P. “Einstein on the Beach” Holland: CBS Records Masterworks, p1979.
JSTOR Articles
Parker, R & Brown, M. “Ancora un Bacio: Three Scene from Verdi’s “Otello” 19th
century Music, Vol. 9, No. 1. (Summer, 1985). Pp. 50-62.