To: "'VOCALIST'" <vocalist>
Subject: RE: Elvino's aria, problems of tonality
Date sent: Tue, 25 Jan 2000 17:04:30 +0100
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

Db is the original key. It was written for Rubini, who had unlimited high
notes (also a robust tenor - go figure). Bellini himself authorised the
transposition to Bb for tenors who don't get paid enough to sing Db. Most
tenors sing it in Bb.

Interestingly enough, Rubini himself was in the habit of transposing this
aria. To Eb, i.e. a tone higher! This feat has on occasion been repeated,
but not, so far as I know, on a recording.

Regards / vriendelijke groeten

Laurie Kubiak
Commercial Analyst - Europe & Africa SMMS
Sales and Contract Support, Shell Services International
Shell Centre, London SE1 7NA
Telephone: +44 171 934 3853; Fax: +44 171 934 6674
Mobile: 07771 971 921: E.mail: Laurence.l.Kubiak-at-is.shell.com
Office: LON-SC 631



-----Original Message-----
From: Toomas Kaldaru [mailto:tom.kaldaru-at-mail.ee]
Sent: 25 January 2000 15:09
To: vocalist
Subject: Elvino's aria, problems of tonality



Hello,

I was going to sing Elvino's aria: Ah perche' non posso odiarti (Bellini -
La sonnambula) and I took the score, where the aria is in D flat majeur,
with very many high b flats and even d flats. But there is also one
recording of this aria in my collection - Pavarotti sings it in B flat
majeur...
Maybe somebody knows anything about tradition, is this aria always sung in
B flat majur, or in original tonality?


Toomas Kaldaru,
tenor

Tallinn, Estonia