GLUCK, Christoph Willibald 1714-1787

Orphée et Euridice, Tragédie Opera en trois Actes. Dédiée A La Reine ... Les Parolles sont de M. Moline. Représentée pour la premiere fois par l'Académie Royale de Musique le Mardy 2 Aoust 1774. Prix 36 tt. ... Beaublé Script. [Full score]

Paris: Chez Des Lauriers, Md. de Papiers, Rue St. Honoré à côté de celle des Provaires, [ca. 1783].

Folio. Early full dark brown leather with double rule gilt to edges of boards, spine in compartments gilt with titling gilt, marbled endpapers. 1f. (recto title, verso blank), 1f. (recto dedication, verso "Argument"), 217 pp. Bound with an extra title, that of Hopkinson 41A(k). 1f. (recto title, verso blank), 1f. (recto blank, verso "Argument") pp.

Binding quite worn, rubbed, and bumped, with loss to spine. Occasional minor soiling to blank outer margins; paper repairs to blank inner margins of approximately fifteen leaves; small binder's holes to blank inner margin of numerous leaves; occasional staining; worming to blank inner margin of final third of volume; extra title and Argument worn and soiling, with worming to blank margins.

Second edition of the French version. Wotquenne 41. A variant issue of Hopkinson 41A(i), but with the price of 36 instead of 24 tt. Lesure p. 240. RISM G2853.

First performed in Vienna at the Burgtheater on 5 October 1762, in Italian, to a libretto by Ranieri de’ Calzabigi, and in Paris at the Opéra on 2 August 1774, in French, to a libretto by Pierre Louis Moline after Calzabigi.

"More successfully than any of his contemporaries, [Gluck] translated the widespread agitation for reform of opera and theatrical dance on the part of European intellectuals into actual works for the stage, first in pantomime ballets and Italian serious operas for Vienna and then in operas of various sorts for Paris." Bruce Alan Brown and Julian Rushton in Grove Music Online

"The classical orientation of Calzabigi, evident in Orfeo ed Euridice from the moment the curtain rose on the almost archaeologically recreated ancient funerary ritual (e.g. the threefold calling of the name of the deceased), coloured the entirety of his collaboration with Gluck. Despite the ambiguous attributions of the prefaces signed by the composer, it is clear that Gluck largely shared his librettist's classical enthusiasms. ... It is revealing that Gluck sought out subject matter from Greek tragedy, independently of Calzabigi, after the latter's departure from Vienna – most probably with his inner conviction mixing with a desire to exploit the goût grec then prevailing in France. ... Calzabigi's poetry was almost completely devoid of metaphors and similes, and placed a mere three characters in a fluid context of dances and choruses (or both simultaneously). The action was reduced to essentials: a demonstration of the persuasive powers of music, and a cautionary tale on the dangers of curiosity, with Orpheus bewailing the loss of his wife already as the curtain rose. Gluck's approach as composer was no less radical, particularly in his near-complete elimination of coloratura and of opening ritornellos in the solo numbers. Above all, the opera was remarkable in its emphasis on continuity, which was achieved chiefly through the enchaining of harmonically open-ended sections of music and through the complete avoidance of recitativo semplice in favour of orchestrally accompanied recitatives (so as to avoid sharp contrasts of texture with the set pieces). This continuity and the nearly syllabic vocal writing were calculated to prevent applause, and thus also to promote the audience's absorption in the spectacle." Bruce Alan Brown and Julian Rushton in Grove Music Online.

Item #40431

Price: $600.00  other currencies