Dear all, I don't think I have found a more specific section of the Forum, and since here a site for pianists meets the theatrical world, I thought someone might be able to give me some advice.
I have to take a Score Reading exam for the AFAM Three-Year Degree in Composition. Having many exams, a family, and work (I have crazily resumed musical and study activities by starting my son at the Conservatory), I must deal with time in a radically pragmatic way; I am no longer a young man who can dedicate all his time to studying.
Among the exam tests, I must be able to read an entire opera in the piano reduction, hinting at the sung vocal part. Can anyone recommend a title from the repertoire that presents limited difficulties? I have rightly been advised against Puccini, for example; his orchestra always works a lot and the piano reductions are moderately demanding...
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Zazza
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Reply 2 by Zazza
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250
Alternatively to the opera, you can also choose a Lied cycle; Schubert is a great mine
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Corrado
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Reply 3 by Corrado
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Seriously, Zazza? In the exam syllabus they didn't mention this to me, I'll check, but then there's the problem of German in the singing part; I'm better with English and French (aside from the fact that for me singing in front of a commission will be like stripping naked in a shopping mall and hopping on one foot, I have pathological shyness)
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aaa
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Reply 4 by aaa
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78
It must be said that German is the easiest language in the world to read ... the problem is understanding it, but it's not strictly required and there are several translations online to understand the meaning of the Lied. And besides, what is a teacher for? Exactly.
For operas there are many possibilities ... are you a tenor?
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Carlos
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Reply 5 by Carlos
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759
I would take Rigoletto.
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Corrado
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Reply 6 by Corrado
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I am not a singer, not at all, I have a baritone range, but I believe that during the exam I will mostly just blow feebly. What worries me most is the accessibility of the piano part. I took a look at Bellini's Norma and it wouldn't be bad, though the vocal part there is tremendous. Also, I don't think they can make me sing moments with choruses, duets, etc.; I imagine they will ask me to touch upon some instrumental piano parts and then an aria. At least that's my hypothesis...
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Carlos
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Reply 7 by Carlos
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759
Corrado wrote:
I imagine they will ask me to touch upon some instrumental piano part and then an aria. At least I hypothesize...
Normally, in score reading exams, they ask you to play while accompanying yourself by "hinting" at the vocal part with your voice; this is in the case of an opera score (or an ancient aria), whereas at the piano (without singing, obviously) they ask you to read an orchestral score, generally a simple one. Therefore, in your case, it is very likely that they will ask you to play and sing an aria. I, I repeat, would choose Rigoletto.
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Corrado
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Reply 8 by Corrado
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Today I am going to the library to get the score of Rigoletto Carlos, I will take a look at it. The program is demanding anyway; I am in my third year of the AFAM three-year degree in Reggio: I have to perform a Scarlatti Sonata, a piece by Handel, a Romantic piece, one from the twentieth century, an aria hinting at the vocal part as you rightly say, a full opera in piano reduction with commentary, an analysis of a contemporary piece, and they will make me read pages from a symphony by Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, and maybe I'm forgetting something... if I think about how I have seven other exams!
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Carlos
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Reply 9 by Carlos
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759
If I can give you a suggestion, look, in particular, at "Gualtier Maldé... Caro nome", "Pari siamo...", the entire first scene of the second act ("Ella mi fu rapita... Parmi veder le lagrime") and, just to be safe, the Quartet (no. 12, from "Un dì se ben rammentomi..."). If they aren't absolutely wicked, they will ask you for one of these things...
