La Boheme: Vocal Score
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Book Summary Information
Brand: RicordiComposer: Giacomo Puccini
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1987-08-01
ISBN: 0634071335
Number of pages: 277
Publisher: Ricordi
Product features:
- Published by Ricordi 277 Pages
- Italian Only
- Composer: Giacomo Puccini
Book Reviews of La Boheme: Vocal Score
Book Review: excellent subject for music theory and composition
Summary: 5 Stars
In the first act of La Boheme, the first abrupt mood change takes
place on page 33, when the landlord knocks on the door.
Until this point, we are in the key of F major. At this point, there is a French sixth, using F, B, and D#. The F is sustained. This is probably because B is the tone most unrelated to F. After Benoit answers the question "chi e la?" we hear an E major chord with a dissonant F thrown in for maximum pain.
On pages 44-45, our allegedly womanizing friend tells us the facts of life, but finally leaks out the secret that he is married. Puccini is in a double bind here: he has to make things easy for our inebriated visitor's wagging tongue, but he also has to help our rent-delinquent principals feign surprise on Benoit's last word.
Puccini, master that he is, finds a way out of this pickle. He marks this mood change with a key change between flats and sharps. As we shall see, this is a frequent custom of his.
However, he does not make a quantum leap from one key to the other, as he will at other points in the score. At the bottom of page 44, we are clearly in the key of Db major. For three measures, we are in No Man's Land, and Puccini stakes these three measures with an empty key signature. I mark those three chords as: half-diminished seventh on B, dominant seventh on E, half-diminished seventh on C#.
At the top of page 45, where "vostra signori" utters the fatal word, the bass instruments hit F# to end the cadence, whereupon the treble instruments play a half-diminished seventh on G, which then slurs to a fully diminished seventh.
Note the semitone descent starting at the all-natural key signature--A, G#, G-natural, F#, F-natural, E. Betcha Puccini intended the semitone descent as a symbol for the poor fellow's slipping tongue.
In Mimi's aria, there is a contrast in mood and in subject matter on the words "ma quando vien lo sgelo" (pp. 72-73). This is marked with a tempo change and a time signature change. The previous section ends on the dominant and this section begin on the subdominant. As we shall see, Puccini is a frequent user of deceptive cadences.
For the parade at the end of Act II (pp. 145-146), Puccini does not make a smooth transition from one key to another, but rather jumps. Such a change is sometimes called a "direct" or "abrupt modulation." At the time the band approaches, we are on an A major chord. That is the subdominant chord for Musetta's aria. We promptly forget about Musetta's aria and immediately jump to the key of Bb major for the march.
For this portion of the opera, Puccini probably worked backwards. He likely chose Bb major for the march because that is the easiest key for band instruments. Then for maximum contrast, he likely chose E major for Musetta's aria because that is the key least related to Bb major.
On page 231, staves 2-3, the Rodolfo-Marcello duet ends. There can be no doubt that this is a cadence in the key of C major. But then some visitors come in, so our personal conversation must come to a stop. At the top of page 232, we are in the key of A major. On the second measure of the second stave, we are in the key of F major. Remember this melody? We first heard it on page 20, the first time we had a house full of company. This seems to be the Schaunard motif.
At the bottom of page 232 and the top of page 233, the unaccompanied melody brings us to the key of E major, where the Schaunard motif reappears. (I don't know any name for a modulation using unaccompanied melody notes. If you know a name for it, please write back.)
On page 247, we find our principals in a mock sword fight. Puccini ends this revelry with another wild tonal leap. The instrumental passage is in the key of Ab major, but stops on a secondary dominant when Musetta appears. We jump to e minor while Musetta announces the unhappy news.
After hearing Colline's aria, we turn to page 260. In the third and fourth staves, Puccini deceives us with a dominant seventh on B followed by a key change to G major. Schaunard is quietly leaving, so we hear the Schaunard motif again, but not as jubilantly as before.
On page 261, while we are still in the key of G major, we are
reminded of Rodolfo's comment on Mimi's "occhi belli," which we heard on page 67. This quotation ends on a dominant chord, so we expect a tonic resolution. Nevertheless, Puccini again deceives us.
Puccini probably restates this earlier passage because of its
relevance with eyes. On the key change, Mimi opens her eyes. And why does Puccini choose the key of C major? Probably because C major is not clouded with sharps or flats, and therefore could be used as a symbol of clarity.
On page 269, there is a sudden mood change when Mimi coughs. Rodolfo is in a quandary, because he has to show concern without startling Mimi. This, in turn, puts Puccini in a quandary. Puccini's headache is compounded with the task of
incorporating the following Schaunard and mi-chiamano-Mimi motifs.
Puccini again makes a deceptive cadence and another flat-to-sharp key change. This time, however, he resolves the problem by avoiding excessive harmony and extreme dynamic markings.
Compared to his wild and unconventional ways of depicting mood
swings, Puccini is more conventional in announcing the highlight
numbers. All of the highlight numbers start either with a related chord or a related single pitch.
For Rodolfo's aria (pp. 63-64), the A-flat sounded by the horn is
preceded by a D-flat chord. That's the wrong direction on the circle of fifths, but at least we're in a related key.
Admittedly, there is a wide difference in tonality between Rodolfo's aria and Mimi's aria, which immediately follows (pages 69-70).
Rodolfo's aria ends in A-flat major. The violins sounds Mimi's
starting pitch on E, and we proceed on the sharp half of the circle.
For Musetta's aria (pp. 129-130), the harp plays B, preparing us for the aria, which is in the key of E major.
The preparation for the Rodolfo-Marcello duet (pp. 227-228), is
skillful, but conventional. The last phrase of the instrumental
passage consists of a d minor chord, an inverted C major chord, an inverted half-diminished seventh on F#, and a dominant seventh on G with a 4-3 suspension. This prepares us for the highlight number, which is in the key of C major.
Thanks to enharmonic spelling, an authentic half-cadence on A-flat prepares us for Colline's aria in c# minor (pp. 257-258).
Puccini probably intended the melody on page 262, sometimes
called "La Morte di Mimi," to be considered as a highlight.
At the bottom of page 261, a nice and neat half cadence prepares us for "La Morte di Mimi." At the end of the opera, we hear the melody again, followed by the instrumental codetta for Colline's aria.
Puccini obviously put a great deal of thought into composing La
Boheme. It is no accident that La Boheme found its way to the top of the chart.
Summary of La Boheme: Vocal Score
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