From: roger@crux.Princeton.EDU (Roger Lustig)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: Re: *HELP*  Info on Schubert's Fierabras
Date: 15 Dec 92 08:10:17 GMT
Reply-To: roger@astro.princeton.edu (Roger Lustig)
Organization: Princeton University
Originator: news@nimaster

In article <1992Dec15.040648.8075@dartvax.dartmouth.edu> Simon.N.McRae@dartmouth.edu (Simon N McRae) writes:
>Can anyone out there provide info on Schubert's only full-scale opera? 
>My knowledge of it is extremely limited--I know there's an Abbado/DG
>recording floating around, and that's about it.  

Well, that *is* about it.  Having written a short dictionary article
on the opera, I suppose I'm qualified to cxomment.

>I'd like to hear opinions on its musical and dramatic character.  Do
>the arias sound more like his art songs (Lieder) or his theatrical
>songs? 

there are some nice ones, but they're not like the best Lieder, nor
couldthey be, as the Lied involves setting up and completing its
own dramatic or lyrical situation, whereas the operatic song requires
some relationship to the surrounding drama.  Alas, Schubert often managed
to produce the worst of both wolrds in his operatic writing.

> Is the drama stale and plodding (ie--is it anything like
>Fidelio), or does it display at least some degree of alacrity?  Answers

It's unlike Fidelio--but worse in many ways.  In Fidelio, there's good
motivation for each of the characters, though the comic-opera opening
later gets lost and seems odd in retrospect.  In fierrabras there are
some fairly unmotivated events and acts, and the proportions are all
out of whack.  The ending, especially, is very disappointing; Schubert
was under the gun to finish (alas, theatre politics caused cancellation
of the premiere) so he wrapped up all the strands of the plot in
very short order.

>to these types of concerns would be greatly appreciated.  Also, has
>anyone had a listen to the above mentioned recording?  If so, comments
>there would help, too.

Very good, all things considered.  This music *is* worth hearing.

>Speaking of Schubert, does anyone know why he never wrote anything in
>the concerto or concertante format?  My feeling is these styles didn't
>exactly find harmony with his musical language, but really I'm only
>guessing here.

Well, for one thing he wasn't really a virtuoso.  They say he couldn't 
play the Wanderer Fantasy.  In his day, concerti were usually written for 
a given instrumentalist, and that musician was generally the composer
or an acquaintance.  Schubert didn't hang out with virtuosi that much,
so there was little opportunity. 

Actually, he wrote very little for orchestra in general; the theatre
music, the church music, and a few symphonies are pretty much it.  He
hoped to make his mark with big symphonies, ergo the C major; but there
was less likelihood that a composer might make it by writing a concerto
for someone else.

As for "find harmony with his musical language," I'm sure he could have
changed his musical language to that extent.  Anyone who could compose
the G major quartet, the Moments Musicaux, Winterreise, and Du bist die Ruh'
had more than one arrow in his quiver.

Roger
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical