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ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS

Few composers’ scores (the actual printed texts) have been treated as more sacrosanct (more unavailable for any potential amendments) than those of Wagner and Verdi. In your response please compare why performers, critics, and audiences developed this view based on the actions (those similar and different) from these two composers.

HOW TO WORK ON THIS ASSIGNMENT (EXAMPLE DRAFT/ESSAY)

Wagner and Verdi were two of the most significant composers of the 19th century, and their works remain among the most frequently performed operas today. However, their scores have been treated differently by performers, critics, and audiences. While both composers’ scores are seen as sacrosanct, the reasons for this perception differ.

Wagner was notorious for his perfectionism and obsession with the minutiae of his scores. He wrote incredibly detailed instructions for orchestration, dynamics, and tempo, which he expected performers to follow to the letter. Wagner also made numerous revisions to his scores, even during rehearsals, as he sought to achieve his desired effect. Performers who dared to deviate from his instructions risked his wrath, as well as the disapproval of audiences and critics. Wagner’s insistence on the accuracy of his scores was partly due to his desire to control every aspect of the performance, as he saw his works as Gesamtkunstwerke, or total artworks, that integrated music, drama, and staging.

Verdi, on the other hand, was more flexible with his scores. He was known to make changes to his works based on feedback from performers or conductors, and he even wrote alternate versions of certain sections of his operas for different singers. Verdi’s approach to his scores was more practical, as he believed that the music should serve the drama and the needs of the performers, rather than the other way around. This attitude allowed for a greater degree of interpretation and variation in performances of Verdi’s works.

Despite these differences, both composers’ scores have been treated as sacrosanct by performers, critics, and audiences. This is due to the belief that their works are masterpieces of the operatic canon, and that any alteration or deviation from the score would detract from their greatness. The scores are seen as the definitive expression of the composer’s intentions, and any changes would be seen as a violation of that artistic vision. Furthermore, audiences have come to expect a certain level of fidelity to the scores in performances of these works, and any deviation from that standard would be met with disapproval.

In conclusion, while both Wagner and Verdi’s scores have been treated as sacrosanct, the reasons for this perception differ. Wagner’s perfectionism and desire for control led him to demand strict adherence to his scores, while Verdi’s practicality and focus on the needs of the performers allowed for more flexibility. However, both composers’ works are seen as masterpieces that should be performed with fidelity to the score, and any deviation from that standard would be met with disapproval from performers, critics, and audiences alike.

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