| 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
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