Così Fan Tutte Musical Examples

Question 1

No.5 aria Vorrei dir

Answer 1

• supposed to sound ‘rehearsed’ and is modelled on a previous aria from Paisiello’s Barber of Seville
• Also references death of Commendatore music
• Audience would recognise this and helps it sound rehearsed – as Alfonso pretends to be too emotional to tell them what has happened to their fiancés

Question 2

‘In uomini soldati’

Answer 2

• Opening lines taken from recit verse, but Mozart uses them as the start of the aria in 2/4. Short, irregular phrases as Despina scoffs at her mistress.
• Aria proper at ‘di pasta simile’, 6/4.
• Lots of melodic couplets (repeated melodies over two couplets) e.g. ‘in noi non amano…diletto’ and ‘poi ci…affeto’.
• Final couplet and ‘la-la-la’s repeated and interposed: carefree attitude. Comic character buffo style
• Little string flourishes playful
• 6/4 indicative of buffo

Question 3

No.15 non siate ritrosi

Answer 3

• Shorter replacement aria but more often performed
• G major, 2/4, playful, emphasises men’s physical attractions. More comic than suggestive
• Arpeggios, ends with laughing quavers
• Buffo style?

Question 4

No.22 ‘il core vi dono’

Answer 4

• Guglielmo and Dorabella seduction
• F major, reminiscent to audience of La ci darem
• Playful, talk about beating hearts etc
• Doesn’t take long for them to sing in parallel – easy seduction.

Question 5

No.17 Un’aura amorosa

Answer 5

A major, andante cantabile, 3/8.

• Standard Da Capo aria (repeats as follows: AABAA)
• Love aria, surprisingly beautiful after rest of music. Probably to be taken at face value, not parody.
• Says that a mere breath of love from his fair one will suffice; like di scrivermi is beautiful and genuine music.

Question 6

No.24 recit ‘barbara perchè fuggi’

Answer 6

• This recit is important to setting up genuine feelings between the two
• Fiordiligi claims to run away because she’s seen a snake (but she means him)
• She accuses him of wishing to steal her peace of mind but sings it to the tune of her recit before come scoglio when she sings ‘l’intatta fede’ (intact faith); he carries on the tune for the next line. Start of emotional link?
• Following aria is high and often cut but shows his insistence.

Question 7

‘Ah guarda sorella’

Answer 7

• Winds in thirds and airy string accompaniment tells it’s by the sea
• A major for love
• Single expressive tutti

Question 8

No.25 per pièta

Answer 8

• Apology to Guglielmo (he isn’t there)
• Less parodistic – more genuine, arpeggio phrases sighing downwards
• Reprise of main section with horn solos indicate infidelity
• Still lots of huge melodic leaps over an octave
• Biggest showpiece of the opera – lots of arpeggios, runs etc.

Question 9

Fra gli amplessi

Answer 9

• Starts as if an aria, after she has decided to dress up as a soldier to join Guglielmo. Aria starts heroic, with masculine gestures but the aria is invaded by Ferrando, unexpectedly turned into a duet.
• 5 sections – between A major and C major
• C major for ‘deh partite’ –
  o Jumpy intervals again because she is tormented
  o Alternatre singing together and separately
  o she quotes ‘una bella serenata’ which she had not heard, supposed to be together.
• A major 3/4 love song trying to convince her – is effective because Ferrando takes on ‘essence of female lyricism and beauty’ (Abbate/Parker)
  o Giusto ciel repeated over rising sequence and emphasised (not throwaway comments) building drama/sexual tension/uncertainty
  o ‘crudel’ on high A is dramatic moment but could be about him or situation
  o ‘hai vinto’ crucial moment – beautiful oboe solo suggests love at this moment
  o Final lines falls over cadence back into tonic (giving up or moment of love)
  o Rest is virtuosic and all in parallel thirds or canonic
  o ‘sospirar’ repetitions
  o Much more certain than the rest with regular phrase structure and lyrical melodies with few leaps.

Question 10

Ending

Answer 10

• ‘bella calma’ final chorus
• Not very long and people have argued it is not enough for resolution – question of who should be with whom is in air
• Frits Noske argues it is no more resolute than end of Figaro
• Alan Brown says that within confines of Buffa tradition it is brought to a satisfactory close.

Question 11

Tonal planning in Così

Answer 11

• Generally wider range of tonalities than in either other opera; because more seria (often parodistic) arias with more extended musical language
• A major as love key
• F and G rustic keys for comic numbers e.g. Guglielmo music (aria and duet)

Question 12

Act II Finale

Answer 12

• Classic example of mini comedy within finale
• Despina masquerades as a notary – disguise important to comic effect of finale
• Starts with stasis (preparations for marriage ceremony)
• Then surprise/distress as the soldiers return
• Eruption of fury when they discover wedding contract is pure show
• Remorse from women only comes properly after Alfonso explains – drooping phrasses and slow trills seem sincere.
• Final section: ‘bella calma’ C major intense chorus (all main characters)