Henry Purcell's Dido and Aeneas

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Music, Music Styles, Classical & Opera, Opera
Cover of the book Henry Purcell's Dido and Aeneas by Ellen T. Harris, Oxford University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Ellen T. Harris ISBN: 9780190861445
Publisher: Oxford University Press Publication: November 7, 2017
Imprint: Oxford University Press Language: English
Author: Ellen T. Harris
ISBN: 9780190861445
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication: November 7, 2017
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Language: English

Purcell's Dido and Aeneas stands as the greatest operatic achievement of seventeenth-century England, and yet, despite its global renown, it remains cloaked in mystery. The date and place of its first performance cannot be fixed with precision, and the absolute accuracy of the surviving scores, which date from almost 100 years after the work was written, cannot be assumed. In this thirtieth-anniversary new edition of her book, Ellen Harris closely examines the many theories that have been proposed for the opera's origin and chronology, considering the opera both as political allegory and as a positive exemplar for young women. Her study explores the work's historical position in the Restoration theater, revealing its roots in seventeenth-century English theatrical and musical traditions, and carefully evaluates the surviving sources for the various readings they offer-of line designations in the text (who sings what), the vocal ranges of the soloists, the use of dance and chorus, and overall layout. It goes on to provide substantive analysis of Purcell's musical declamation and use of ground bass. In tracing the performance history of Dido and Aeneas, Harris presents an in-depth examination of the adaptations made by the Academy of Ancient Music at the end of the eighteenth century based on the surviving manuscripts. She then follows the growing interest in the creation of an "authentic" version in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries through published editions and performance reviews, and considers the opera as an important factor in the so-called English Musical Renaissance. To a significant degree, the continuing fascination with Purcell's Dido and Aeneas rests on its apparent mutability, and Harris shows this has been inherent in the opera effectively from its origin.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Purcell's Dido and Aeneas stands as the greatest operatic achievement of seventeenth-century England, and yet, despite its global renown, it remains cloaked in mystery. The date and place of its first performance cannot be fixed with precision, and the absolute accuracy of the surviving scores, which date from almost 100 years after the work was written, cannot be assumed. In this thirtieth-anniversary new edition of her book, Ellen Harris closely examines the many theories that have been proposed for the opera's origin and chronology, considering the opera both as political allegory and as a positive exemplar for young women. Her study explores the work's historical position in the Restoration theater, revealing its roots in seventeenth-century English theatrical and musical traditions, and carefully evaluates the surviving sources for the various readings they offer-of line designations in the text (who sings what), the vocal ranges of the soloists, the use of dance and chorus, and overall layout. It goes on to provide substantive analysis of Purcell's musical declamation and use of ground bass. In tracing the performance history of Dido and Aeneas, Harris presents an in-depth examination of the adaptations made by the Academy of Ancient Music at the end of the eighteenth century based on the surviving manuscripts. She then follows the growing interest in the creation of an "authentic" version in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries through published editions and performance reviews, and considers the opera as an important factor in the so-called English Musical Renaissance. To a significant degree, the continuing fascination with Purcell's Dido and Aeneas rests on its apparent mutability, and Harris shows this has been inherent in the opera effectively from its origin.

More books from Oxford University Press

Cover of the book Sentiment and Celebrity by Ellen T. Harris
Cover of the book La Conquistadora by Ellen T. Harris
Cover of the book Rossini by Ellen T. Harris
Cover of the book Ignorance of Law by Ellen T. Harris
Cover of the book Pot Pourri by Ellen T. Harris
Cover of the book China In World History by Ellen T. Harris
Cover of the book Strategies of Peace by Ellen T. Harris
Cover of the book Flammable : Environmental Suffering in an Argentine Shantytown by Ellen T. Harris
Cover of the book The Creativity Reader by Ellen T. Harris
Cover of the book Growing Musicians by Ellen T. Harris
Cover of the book Southern Honor by Ellen T. Harris
Cover of the book A Case a Week: Sleep Disorders from the Cleveland Clinic by Ellen T. Harris
Cover of the book Democracy for Hire by Ellen T. Harris
Cover of the book Contemporary Metaphysics: Oxford Bibliographies Online Research Guide by Ellen T. Harris
Cover of the book Nationalism, Marxism, and Modern Central Europe by Ellen T. Harris
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy