Leitmotifs in Puccini s Gianni Schicchi as a Means of Portraying Irony

Transcription

1 The Pennsylvania State University The Graduate School School of Music Leitmotifs in Puccini s Gianni Schicchi as a Means of Portraying Irony A Master's Paper in Orchestral Conducting by Assaf Benraf 2018 Assaf Benraf Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Music April 2018

2 Table of contents: Preface: Between Wagner and Puccini Plot summary Leitmotifs in Puccini s Gianni Schicchi The sobbing motif The will motif The Lauretta motif The family affection motif The exile motif The scheme motif Conclusion Bibliography

3 Preface: Between Wagner and Puccini The innovations that Wagner introduced into musical composition in general and for the opera in particular were so radical and vast that it would be hard to imagine today how these fields would have developed if it were not for them. In fact, Wagner s influence was significantly present in the writing of most composers of the turn of the twentieth century (the fin de siècle) in various aspects, such as orchestration, tonality, breadth of musical sections, and synthesis of the arts. Among Wagner s most important contributions to the art of opera was the concept of the leitmotif, a leading motif whose purpose is to represent or symbolize a person, object, place, idea, state of mind, supernatural force or any other ingredient in a dramatic work. 1 In the years of Giacomo Puccini s musical upbringing in Italy the early nineteenth century bel canto tradition (from Rossini to Verdi) was still dominant, a tradition in which the vocal beauty carried the utmost importance. That tradition functioned according to preconceived models, consisting of well-defined forms: arias, recitatives, ensembles, and choruses. Yet, Puccini s mature attempts to write opera were made after Verdi s late innovations in breaking those traditions (in Otello and Falstaff) and after the verismo style had already risen in the world of opera. In such a musical environment, there was no more room for sparkling coloratura, cadenzas full of bravura, and number opera, which makes a clear distinction between inner thoughts and conflicts of the protagonist (aria) and the progression of the plot (recitative). Verismo composers, influenced by Wagner s innovations, unified opera's musical components by blurring the lines between aria and recitative, thus obtaining a consistent unfolding of the plot. Also, the areas of orchestration and harmony were enriched in that time, compared to bel canto 1 Arnold Whittall, "Leitmotif", in Grove Music Online, (2011), accessed March 30, Wagner did not invent the leitmotif concept, but refined it.

4 style. Puccini, whose career began after the emergence of Verismo, kept writing in that style and developing it in order to create homogenous works, where the different scenes naturally flow from one to another without a break and so result in a more effective dramatic continuity. 2 Puccini achieved this effect in large part thanks to an adaptation of the Wagnerian leitmotif concept. These leading motifs, representing characters or certain situations, charge the scenic action with additional psychological meanings and add layers of interpretation and understanding to the piece. Puccini's one-act Gianni Schicchi ( ) serves as the last, comic part of the Triptych (Il trittico), together with The Cloak (Il tabarro) and Sister Angelica (Suor Angelica). The plot of the opera, composed to a libretto by Giovacchino Forzano, was inspired by a short episode in the Inferno from Dante Alighieri s Divine Comedy. In Gianni Schicchi Puccini uses approximately ten leitmotifs, which he attaches to characters (Gianni, Lauretta), objects (the will), concepts (the exile), and emotions (the love of Rinuccio and Lauretta, the family affection, the sobbing, and others). In this paper I will examine several leitmotifs in some of their iterations in an attempt to show how their use helps clarify the ironic element in the opera. 2 Mosco Carner, "Puccini's Early Operas," Music & Letters 19, no. 3 (July 1938): 300

5 Gianni Schicchi: Synopsis In the orchestral score by Casa Ricordi 3, the plot is summarized as follows: "The wealthy Buoso Donati has just died at home in Florence and his relatives are somewhat exaggerating in their mourning of his passing away; in reality they all expect to be amply consoled by their inheritance. But Betto di Signa, the poorest of them all, has heard strange rumors according to which Buoso has left all his possessions to the Friars Minor and the charitable works of Santa Reparata. Suspicious and worried, the relatives start looking for the will and, when they finally uncover it, they find their worst fears have come true. The false grief for the loss of their dear one turns into an authentic lament for the loss of their inheritance. Also the young Rinuccio is upset, for whom the money would have meant permission to marry a girl without a dowry, Lauretta, daughter of the commoner Gianni Schicchi. In vain Buoso s relatives turn to their elder, Simone, for advice on what to do; Rinuccio, however, suggests approaching Schicchi, well known for his shrewdness. The others reject this suggestion as the Donati family is above dealing with commoners, but by now Gianni, accompanied by his daughter Lauretta, has reached the house of the deceased, followed shortly after by the doctor, a certain Spinelloccio, still unaware of the death of his patient. As soon as Gianni sees how to turn the situation to his own personal advantage, he hides in the bed of the deceased, imitates his voice and sends the doctor away, claiming that he feels better and wants to rest. Gianni Schicchi s plan is now put into practice: dressed as Buoso, he lies on his bed and summons the public notary Amantio and two witnesses, in front of whom he dictates a new will. He distributes the cash and some properties fairly among the relatives, but the most valuable assets - the house in Florence, the mills in Signa and the mule he keeps for himself, while the relatives can t do anything about it without revealing the fraud, for which the penalty is the cutting-off of a hand and exile from Florence. Once the notary and witnesses have left, Gianni chases the enraged relatives out of the house before they can plunder what has now become his property, while Rinuccio and Lauretta happily embrace." 3 Giacomo Puccini, Gianni Schicchi (Milan: G. Ricordi, 1918): xi

6 Leitmotifs in Gianni Schicchi as a Means of Portraying Irony The Sobbing Motif The sobbing motif in Gianni Schicchi is based on the traditional "sigh gesture." The sigh gesture is a well-known motif consisting of a chain of pairs of notes, with each pair descending by second. The notes of each pair are slurred in most cases, with the first note emphasized and serving as an appoggiatura and the second note unstressed. This motif appears in the literature in the context of laments, usually in double meters, slow tempo and in the minor mode. In Gianni Schicchi the sobbing motif uses the sigh gesture in a distorted manner: the mode is major, the meter is triple, and the stressed notes, which according to tradition are supposed to be written on the strong beats of the measure, are shifted to the weak beats: the second, fourth, and sixth eighth notes of the measure. The sobbing motif appears for the first time already in the eighth measure of the opera, before the curtain has risen. It is written in a fast and cheerful tempo (allegro), in 3/4 time and in the key of B flat major: Example 1 In fact, we understand the true meaning of this motif only in its second appearance; toward the rise of the curtain the tempo slows down and the motif that appeared first in a fast and vivid tempo (the score indicates tumultuoso) played by the horns, English horn, violas, and violins, and fully accompanied by the rest of the orchestra, appears now in a largo tempo, played by a single bassoon,

7 accompanied by short pizzicato notes in the double basses, timpani, and the low register of the flutes. Example 2 When the curtain rises the sighs of the mourning relatives, sitting around the deceased s bed, join the stressed notes of the motif (see Ex. 3). Thus Puccini creates, by changing the usual characteristics, an ironic gap between the sigh gesture -based convention and the way the motif appears here, and makes the listeners question in a subconscious way the Donatis sobbing even before one word has been said in the opera.

8 Example 3 The sobbing motif, dominating the entire first scene around Buoso Donati s deathbed, contributes another layer of irony when it evolves around the will: when the relatives rush to look for the will, hoping that it has not yet been given to the notary, this motif returns to its lively version (even faster than at the beginning: allegro vivo), now richly orchestrated and ornamented with arpeggios and scales in the violins and flute. After the reading of the will that disinherits the entire family, on the other hand, the motif reappears now in an extremely slow tempo (grave) in a

9 silent pizzicato in the lower strings (cellos and basses) and on top of them, in the horns and English horn, long lines of pairs of notes, between which are descending seconds (again, the sigh gesture). At this point, Simone, who earlier lit all the candles in Buoso s memory, puts them out one by one. After hinting to us at the beginning of the opera that the Donati s sobs over the death of Buoso are fake, Puccini now makes it clear that the tears shed over the lost inheritance are the real ones.

10 The Will Motif The will motif is based mostly on scalar thematic material. It appears for the first time in the scene of the reading of the will that Buoso Donati has left Example 4 and dominates most of the scene in which Gianni Schicchi dictates a new will to the notary. Between these two main appearances is the comic scene in which doctor Spinelloccio comes to visit, and Puccini uses this motif to ridicule his character. The motif comes at the end of the scene with the doctor's last response (in italics): Spinelloccio: Did he have a relief? Relatives: Oh, and what a relief!!! Spinelloccio: Science has reached such abilities! Well, let's take a look. Relatives: No! he's resting Spinelloccio: But I Relatives: He's resting! Gianni (disguised as Buoso): No, no, Maestro Spinelloccio Spinelloccio: Oh, Sir Buoso! Gianni: I want to rest so badly, could you come back again this evening? I'm almost asleep Spinelloccio: Yes, Sir Buoso, but are you feeling better? Gianni: As if I came back from the dead! See you tonight!

11 Spinelloccio: See you tonight! (to the relatives): I can even hear it in his voice: he's better! Well, I have never lost a patient! I don t have any pretensions the credit belongs entirely to the Bologna School!" 4 Another point of irony in this scene occurs when the doctor asks if the patient had a "relief" yet. Puccini inserts a slapstick-like descending pentachord (in the space of a tritone) in the bassoon, implying an intestinal kind of "relief," at least from the doctor's point of view. Buoso's relatives, replying "and what a relief!" make the audience laugh because of the double entendre: both them and the audience know that Buoso was relieved not only gastrically but actually from all earthly troubles. The irony is even more intense when Gianni replies to the doctor's "but are you feeling better?" with the answer "As if I came back from the dead!" An additional musical motif that has to do with the will is the one heard when the relatives are furious after reading the will, having realized that the entire inheritance will go to the monks. This motif uses dotted rhythms and is firm and decisive in character: Example 5 Towards the end of the opera when Gianni, disguised as Buoso, dictates a new will, he too leaves something for the monks, but it is the ridiculous amount of five lire. While the notary thinks the amount is fairly small, the relatives praise "Buoso's" generosity and shout "Bravo! One must always think of charity!" At this point appears the aforementioned motif, reminding us of their real opinion about charity. 4 Ibid. This translation is mine. All the other English translations of parts of the libretto are taken from: Giacomo Puccini, Gianni Schicchi, trans. Kenneth Chalmers, (2007), accessed March 30, 2018.

12 The Lauretta Motif The Lauretta motif, a lyrical and gushing thematic idea in 6/8 time, serves as the musical nucleus upon which the character s famous aria O mio babbino caro is based: Example 6 While only in Lauretta s aria does this motif develop into a full unit and fully realizes its lyrical potential, it appears in the opera twice before that: it announces Lauretta s arrival (along with Gianni) to the Donati's house, and it appears before that in Rinuccio s aria. In this aria Rinuccio is trying to convince his relatives, who disdain Gianni (because in their view he is a simple man that came to Florence from the village ), that Gianni is one of those distinguished intellectuals thanks to which Florence is known as a highly important cultural center. Puccini places the Lauretta motif in the aria to indicate that in Rinuccio s eyes, all the splendor of Florence, whose description he presents in the aria, is incarnate in his beloved Lauretta. Since this is the first appearance of the motif, we can understand it only in retrospect. There may also be another pun Puccini inserts in the aria: the Lauretta motif appears exactly when Rinuccio finishes praising the firm palaces and slim towers, rising to the stars amusingly direct phallic symbols.

13 The Family Affection Motif This is a musical motif whose taunting character reminds us of tunes sung by children when they stick out their tongue: Example 7 When Gianni Schicchi explains to Buoso s relatives his plan to save their inheritance, they make a circle around him and start dancing and singing, calling the names of all family members, and now including his among those. While they rejoice they sing to the tune of this motif how beautiful is family affection! (As we remember, according to his plans, Rinuccio is preparing to marry Schicchi s daughter.) Later this motif appears when the family members are singing about the different lands they wish to inherit, and when they start fighting over the three most important and luxurious assets (the mule, the house in Florence, and the mills in Signa), the motif is sung by Gianni to the text how long-lasting is family affection. The family affection that Buoso s relatives at first showered upon Gianni (soon to be part of the family) vanishes completely after Gianni, disguised as Buoso and dictating the new will to the notary, leaves all three important assets to his dear, devoted and affectionate friend, Gianni

14 Schicchi. Near the end of the opera they all sing the family affection motif calling after Gianni Thief, thief, scoundrel, traitor! (Ladro, ladro, furfante, traditore!) Example 8

15 The Exile Motif This melismatic cantilena-like motif is sung initially by Gianni after he warns the family members about the punishment they will endure if they get caught (exile from Florence, and amputation of one hand). He sings Farewell, Florence! Farewell, heavenly skies! and they repeat the melody all together in a unison. Example 9 Later on in the notary scene Gianni, dressed as Buoso Donati, is dictating a new will to the notary, leaving the three main properties (the mule, the house, and the mills) one by one to himself. The relatives are furious and try to rebel against the new distribution, but the notary asks them not to impede the wishes of a man making his will, to which Gianni responds, Master Amantio, I make my bequests to whom I please. I have decided on my will and it shall be done. If they scream I ll stay calm and sing to myself. When he utters the words and sing to myself (e canterello, see Ex. 10) the melody is taken from the exile motif, reminding the family (and mostly the audience) again that they might get caught and punished. Example 10

16 The Scheme Motif The scheme motif is a short musical element consisting mostly of triplets that appears initially in Rinuccio s aria when he praises Gianni Schicchi the joker and prankster (motteggiatore, beffeggiatore). Example 11 The motif appears later after the success of Gianni s disguise impersonating Buoso during the Doctor s visit, and also in the beginning of the notary scene. In those two spots the scheme is against the deceased s wishes and in favor of the Donatis, but in the end of the notary scene the scheme motif represents an opposite plot: in Gianni Schicchi s personal favor and to the Donatis dismay. The scheme in this opera is, therefore, one coin with two sides.

17 This motif also brings the opera to end (and actually the entire Trittico cycle, of which Gianni Schicchi is the third and last part), as Gianni, turning to the audience, asks them to commit a small plot against Dante, who included Schicchi in the circles of Hell in his Divine Comedy: Tell me, ladies and gentlemen, if Buoso s money could have had a better end than this. For this prank they sent me to hell, and so be it; but, with the permission of the great old man Dante, if you ve been entertained this evening, allow me (He claps his hands.) extenuating circumstances.

18 Conclusion In Gianni Schicchi Puccini creates a net of motifs that are in use throughout the entire opera, and every one of those motifs represents a character, an object, a situation, or a concept. These musical motifs have highly distinctive characters and are therefore easy to distinguish for the listener. Gianni Schicchi is a comic opera with many grotesque situations, and Puccini puts a spotlight on the irony in the plot with the help of the leitmotifs in various ways: First, by changing the musical parameters (orchestration, key, tempo, tessitura and so forth), Puccini changes the listener s feelings toward the situation or the character represented by the motif. In that way, a well-known musical convention such as the sigh gesture is charged with opposite meanings when it is being musically manipulated, and thus when it accompanies the family s grief it reveals its untruthful nature. Secondly, the placing of a certain motif in different scenes (with opposite characteristics, mostly) will make the listener associate the one with the other. This is how we learn the true nature of family affection, for instance, when its representing motif appears at the high point of a fight over the will. Thirdly, the placing of a certain motif near a specific point in the plot or in the text will draw the listener s attention to the gap between what is being said/done and what is being suggested by the motif. This, for example, is how we learn the true meaning of Rinuccio s words about the glory of Florence when they are uttered to the accompaniment of the Lauretta motif. In conclusion, one can see that Puccini s extensive use of leitmotifs is consistent and subtle yet effective. It helps the listener capture the ironic nuances in the plot and thus have a deeper understanding and broader enjoyment of the piece. When performing the opera, it is the conductor's responsibility to make the ironic elements in the piece clear by bringing out the

19 similarities or the differences between the different iterations of the leitmotifs or between the leitmotifs and the musical conventions they refer to.

20 Bibliography Carner, Mosco. "Puccini's Early Operas." Music & Letters 19, no. 3 (July 1938): Puccini, Giacomo. Gianni Schicchi. Full Score. Milan: G. Ricordi, Puccini, Giacomo. "Gianni Schicchi." Libretto by Giovacchino Forzano, translated by Kenneth Chalmers Accessed March 15, sh_act_2 Whittall, Arnold. "Leitmotif (Opera)." In Grove Music Online, Oxford Music Online, Accessed March 15,