University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1958 Analysis of ten operas in terms of music education relevant to the aesthetic and laryngeal development of early adolescence Margaret Egine L'Eveque The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation L'Eveque, Margaret Egine, "Analysis of ten operas in terms of music education relevant to the aesthetic and laryngeal development of early adolescence" (1958). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 1542. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/1542 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. AN ANALYSIS OP TEN OPERAS IN TERMS OF MUSIC EDUCATION RELEVANT TO THE AESTHETIC AND LARYNGEAL DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY ADOLESCENCE by MARGARET EGINE L ' EVEQ.UE B.M. _Huron College, 1952 Presented In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Musio Education MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY 1958 Approved by: Chairman, Board of Examin Dean, Graduate Sohool AUG 2 1 1958 Date UMI Number; EP35327 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMT UMI EP35327 Published by ProQuest LLC (2012). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest* ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 ACKNOWLEDGMENT Sincere appreciation is extended toward those whose guidance and assistance made the completion of this thesis possible. Special acknowledgment goes to Professor Gerald Doty, and gratitude is also extended to Professor Justin Gray, Professor Rudolph Wendt, Dr. Lloyd Oakland, and Dr. Luther Richman. ii TABLE OP CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OP TERNS USED , . , 1 The problem . 1 Statement of the problem « ............ 1 Importance of the study .*.««».«•« 2 Definition of terras used 2 Laryngeal problems of junior high choral work ........ ». 3 Aesthetic problems of junior high choral w o r k .......... , » ....... 4 II. AIDA--BACKGROUND, COMPOSER, AND STORY OF THE O P E R A .......... », 7 Background of the opera .»,.»» ........ 7 The man Who Wrote the opera 8 The story of the o p e r a .......... , , 11 III. CARMEN--BACKGROUND, COMPOSER, AND STORY OP THE O P E R A ............ 26 Background of the opera 26 The man who wrote the opera 27 The story of the ep@r& , , , , , , , , , , , 2? IV, HANSEL AND GRETEL,.BACKGROUND, COMPOSER, AND STORY OP THE OPERA , , .............. 42 BaokgrouoA of the opera , , , , , , , , , , , 42 iv CHAPTER PAGE The man who wrote the o p e r a .............. ^3 The story of the o p e r a .................. ^5 V. LOHENGEIN--BACKGROUND, COMPOSEE, AND STOEY OF THE O P E E A ............................ 33 Background of the o p e r a .................. 53 The man who wrote the o p e r a .............. 35 The story of the o p e r a .................. 38 VI. MADAME BUTTEEPLY--BACKGEOUND, COMPOSEE, AND STOEY OF THE O P E E A .................. 76 Background of the opera ................ ?6 The man who wrote the o p e r a .............. 77 The story of the o p e r a .................. 79 VII. ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE--BACKGEOUND, COMPOSER, AND STOEY OF THE O P E E A .................. 96 Background of the o p e r a .................. 96 The man who wrote the o p e r a .............. 96 The story of the o p e r a .................. 98 VIII. PAGLIACCI--BACKGEOUND, COMPOSER, AND STORY OF THE O P E R A .............................. 109 Background of the opera 109 The man who wrote the opera 109 The story of the o p e r a ................ 110 IX. POROY AND BBSS--BAGKGaOUND, COMPOSER, AND STORY OF THE O P E R A .................... 119 V CHAPTER PAGE Background of the o p e r a .................. 119 The man who wrote the o p e r a .............. 120 The story of the o p e r a .................. 123 X. ROMEO AND JULIET--BACKGROUND, COMPOSER, AND STORY OP THE O P E R A .................. 137 Background of the op e r a .................. 137 The man who wrote the opera ........ 137 The story of the o p e r a .................. 139 XI. WILLIAM TELL--BACKOROUND, COMPOSER, AND STORY OP THE O P E R A .................. 14? Background of the opera .......... 147 The man who wrote the o p e r a .............. 148 The story of the opera ............ 150 XII. CONCLUSION ................................ 160 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................... 162 APPENDIX (Bound separately) OPERATIC SONGS FOR JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AIDA— Giuseppe Verdi Guard the N i l e ................................ 1 Heavenly A i d a ................................ 2 CARMEN— Georges Bizet Habanera ...................................... 4 Toreador Song ...................... ..... 7 HANSEL AND GRETEL--Engelbert Humperdinck Vi CHAPTER PAGE Dance S o n g ...................................... 9 L u l l a b y ........................................ 11 LOHENGRIN— Richard Wagner Here Is a K n i g h t .................. 13 Wedding M a r c h .............. 15 MADAME BUTTERPLY--Glacomo Puccini One Fine Day .................................. 19 Suzuki'8 Prayer ................................ 22 ORPHEUS AND EUR%DICE--ChriBtoph W. Gluck She Is Gone and Gone Forever.................... 24 The God of Love Has P r e v a i l e d .............. 26 PAGLIACCI--Ruggiero Leoncavallo Bird S o n g ...................................... 28 On with Your Costume .......... 31 PORGY AND BESS— George Gershwin I Got Plenty O' N u t t i n .......................... 33 Summertime .................................... 36 ROMEO AND JULIET— Charles Gounod A r i e t t a ................ 38 The Capulet's B a l l .............................. 4o WILLIAM TELL— Gioacchino Rossini Children of Hardy Nature ........................ 42 William Tell O v e r t u r e .......................... 44 CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OF TEEMS USED The great struggle to conquer acontinent has taken place, and now Americans at last have the time to create a native culture. One of the tremendous seed beds of this potential power is the vast system of music education in the public schools of the nation. In the process of general education, educating the child for earning his living, contributing to his society, and making profitable use of his leisure time, music has long held an integral place; and if the musical advancement in American culture is to grow ever and ever mightier, the aesthetic powers of the young must be cultivated, I, THE PROBLEM Statement of the problem. It is the purpose of this study to deal with the educational factor that may best pro­ mote the growth of a native culture, worthy use of leisure time for all people through the arts. The other objectives of human growth are inevitably touched upon as all patterns of human life are interwoven in the over-all fabric of existence. One cannot deviate from a grasp of general prin­ ciples when dealing with specifics, or the specific becomes 1 2 a prison of esoteric terror, and. finally a vacuum. This is a principle that will and must permeate this study in its dealing with the field of music, and in music, opera. The stage has been set for the project, the stage of philosophical generalization, now specifics of the study: (1) To choose ten operas for their beauty, power, and appeal to the junior high level, and prepare presen­ tation of them in a manner calculated to promote interest and appreciation in the students. (2) To choose excerpts from these operas that are of appealing calibre and possible for junior high performance, bearing in mind the laryngeal variables of early adolescent pupils, with particular concern for the cambiata range in junior high school boys. Importance of the study. The importance of raising the cultural level of all the people is obvious if the fruition of the democratic way of life is to take place for the cultural edification of mankind, not only for the gifted few, but ultimately for the average man. This study makes an attempt to present the stories of the operas and preparation of the music in a manner which perceives first those understandings that the student already has, and expands that area of understanding. The other main factor the study touches upon besides 3 aesthetic grasp of operas is the factor of laryngeal devel­ opment among adolescent boys. The problems of the changing voice are considered met and dealt with in the arranging of melodies from operatic works. II. DEFINITIONS OF TEBMS USED Laryngeal problems of .junior high school choral work. It has been estimated that ninety percent of boys pass through the voice-change period between admission to grade seven and the end of grade nine, or what is generally termed as the junior high era of adolescent education. The junior high school teacher is faced with the problem either of harnessing the changing voice of the male adolescent and integrating it with the better known vocal types, or elim- inatlng the changing voice entirely from the music program. In any respect these problems are, besides danger to musi­ cal enjoyment, extra-musical dangers, the most potent of which is the psychological impact. In combating one of the psychological problems, modern music educators have given the ohanging-voice quality of the adolescent male a special name.