Summary of Liszt's Robert le Diable

Preface

     Before we summarize Liszt’s Robert le Diable, it is

important to summarize the plot.

    Bertram confronts his friend Robert, and he takes away 

Robert's wealth. Robert realizes that he needs money and armor

to realize his dream of getting the princess Isabella and to

stand a good chance of winning the knights' tournament. Bertram

beckons the demons in the cavern scene to bring out the nuns in

the subsequent cloister scene to tempt his friend. Robert comes

very close to facing a hellish death when Helena and his nuns

finally beckoned him to pull off the talisman near St. Rosalie.

In the castle scene, Robert, holding the branch containing a

powerful sleeping potion, runs into Isabella, who is immune to

the potion. He gets unlucky when he breaks the branch and ends

up arrested. In the final church scene, Bertram realizes almost

at the last moment that Robert is going to fall in love with

Isabella. Bertram and Robert try to reconcile themselves by

making up a demonic pact. Bertram is unsure about the validity

of the pact so he waits to sign it. But at that point the clock

in the church strikes midnight and he is dragged to hell, and

Robert finally marries Isabella.

     Franz Liszt's Robert le Diable was the only arrangement in

this study which focused on the ballet elements in the les

séductions. In the séduction de jeu (or "play of seduction"), Liszt

begins the part in a lighthearted manner as in the original

score, and then bursts into a fearful version at the end of the

section. Although he left out the nuns' procession, the bac-

chanale, the seduction of love and the final Act III chorus,

this depicts Robert's temptation for breaking the branch (the

lower notes) and the nuns continuing their dancing (the upper

notes) in the molto più agitato  (or "very much agitated") section.

     Robert's "fear motive" in the Liszt arrangement (mm. 492-

495), clashing against the first part of the waltz-chorus, was

also a deception by Franz Liszt because he used that with

virtually no introduction.

     The quick change to the revelation of the ending of the

waltz theme to the restatement of the "Gloîre au maître" (Glory To

The Master) in the final bars was Liszt's attempt to cover the whole valse

infernale within the scope of a condensed arrangement.

How Liszt’s Robert le Diable Relates to the Original Score

     The longer version of Liszt’s Reminiscences of Robert le

Diable started off with the Act IV cavatine, "Robert, Robert,

toi que j’aime" before going to the Act III valse infernale.

     Meaning "Robert, Robert, you that I love", this is an F

minor 3/4 cavatine that seems to have 2 parts; the latter part

ends in a F major key, and both parts are repeated. One revision

of Franz Liszt's Reminiscences of Robert le Diable begins with

the cavatine a semitone up (F#), before the famous Valse

infernale. The shorter version of Liszt piece had the valse

only. This was taken from Act IV, scene II (mm. 1-96, no. 18C)

of the original opera.

     Liszt starts off the first four measures as in the score,

but in the next four measures, he improvises the right hand

without the recitative-like effect as in the original score.

     He starts measures nine through twelve as in the score,

then in the next 24 measures, instead of going immediately into

the Meyerbeer score of the waltz, he gives only a portion of the

waltz theme, and he interrupts that with four crashing chords:

F#-B-D-F#/F#-B-D-E#-G/F#-B-C#-E-G/F#-A#-C#-E-G, and an easy

octave cadenza between both hands follows. Eventually, the

actual rendition of the "O demons, fantomes" (or, "Oh, demons,

phantoms") comes to light.

     In the les triolets du diable (the running triplet

sixteenths in the lower register, pictorially called

devil triplets, because it depicts the fluctuating flames

from the cavern), Liszt shortens the passage

for only ten measures, while in the Meyerbeer version, it has

sixteen measures.

     It is not until Liszt reaches the "O, mon fils" ("Oh, my son")

section of the cavern chorus does Liszt try to imitate the actual score,

using the ‘Gloire au maître’ chorus chant in the left hand in

different parts of the piano register with an antiphonal effect

(in order to imitate the different voci, or voices,  of the chorus). At that

point, Liszt reiterates the 27-measure theme of "O, mon fils"

there (the second time) in a more gentle, more cantabile  (or "singing") matter,

with a flowing accompaniment, omitting the "Gloire au maître"

chant and making the tempo meno mosso (or "slower").

     The piano part gives the second part of the "O demons,

fantomes,"  and go back to the beginning of the chorus, elimi-

nating the introduction and cadenza. Meyerbeer does go back,

but Liszt goes to the words "Gloire au maître qu’il preside"

(the third part of the waltz).

     Liszt goes on to the séduction de jeu (or "Play of seduction")  but he starts of in

B major, and holds the key for 28 measures until he goes to the

key center of D major and goes on for another sixteen measures.

What is different in th score is that Liszt extends the

séduction a lot more—using it in addition to the "O, mon fils"

used by Liszt earlier in B major—but now, he does the reprise of

"O, mon fils" in A-flat major, and continues the séduction theme

in a very strong development section filled with continually

changing harmonies, cumilating to another rendition of the "O,

mon fils" and the séduction de jeu melodies—-more grand, more

difficult, and even louder.

     He returns to the main first theme, in the key of the

Meyerbeer score, and in the open-fifths ‘syncopation’ theme

(Molto piu animato--or much more lively), he omits the Bertram line that supersedes

fifths as in the original score.

    Then he moves on to the Marche des chevaliers (or le theme

du tournoi --The March of the Knights--Tournament Motive),

but Liszt it close—-he goes down a semitone

to B major (from the original score’s C major), and the tempo

seems to be rather close to the score’s tempo.

Double Run Passage for Alto and Soprano from "For Unto Us A Child Is Born" from Handel's "Messiah"

I believe that this passage is the most difficult passages in that chorus from the Messiah....it is like a pianist trying to do double-thirds in 16th-notes, which can also be difficult. The main problem is for the altos and the sopranos to listen to each other to make sure that the intonation and the pitches are right on even though the notes are played fast.

The Schrimer Edition of the "Messiah" also creates a challenge for the accompanist---that orchestral reduction for the piano does use this passage in either double sixths or double thirds as well.

A New System to Determine Major Key Signatures

A. FLATTED KEYS

Listed Order in the Key Signature                           Resultant Key From The No. of Flats

No flats                                                                      Key of C

Bb                                                                              Key of F

Bb, Eb                                                                        Key of Bb

Bb, Eb, Ab                                                                 Key of Eb

Bb, Eb, Ab, Db                                                          Key of Ab

Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb                                                   Key of Db

Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb                                            Key of Gb

Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, Fb                                      Key of Cb

HINTS:

1. The key of F has only a single flat in its key signature, which is Bb, and because there is no pentultimate order on the key signature of F, you need to think down a fourth from Bb to get the key.

2. The key of Bb, and other flatted keys that follow (Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb), require you to think look at the pentultimate flat in the listed order of the key signature (going from left to right) to get the key.

3. The pentultimate flats are marked in boldface.

B. SHARPED KEYS

Listed Order in the Key Signature                           Resultant Key From The No. of Flats

No flats                                                                      Key of C

F#                                                                              Key of G

F#, C#                                                                       Key of D

F#, C#, G#                                                                Key of A

F#, C#, G#, D#                                                         Key of E

F#, C#, G#, D#, A#                                                   Key of B

F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#                                            Key of F#

F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#, B#                                      Key of C#

HINTS:

1. The key of G has only a single sharp in its key signature, which is F#, and because there is no last order in the key signature of G, you need to think up a minor 2nd from F# to get the key.

2. The key of D, and other sharped keys that follow (A, E, B, F#, and C#), require you to look the last sharp in the listed order of the key signature AND move that sharp up a minor 2nd to get the key. For instance......

* If D major is the key, the last sharp on the key signature order is C#, so you need to go up a major     
2nd (C# to D) to get the key
* If A major is the key, the last sharp on the key signature order is G#, so you need to go up a major

2nd (G# to A) to get the key of A.

3. The listed sharps that you need to go up a minor 2nd are also in boldface.

REVIEW

For the flatted key signatures, think of the pentultimate flat in the listed order of the key signature.

(Exceptions: Keys C and F)

For the sharped key signatures, think of going up a minor 2nd on the last sharp listed in the key signature

(Exceptions: Keys C and G)

How to Teach High School Chorus--Several Aspects

Auditioning a Singer

Vocalises

 ---should include simple major scales, simple minor scales, and triad arpeggios

 ---shoud also involve ear training/sight singing

[All of this should be done to figure out the singer's range]

Before a choral session........

Vocalises and Warm-ups, which include:

--Often, Latin vowels and English phonetic sounds  (i.e.), are done for diction warm-up.

--Sustained chords, often moved up a few minor seconds down or up from the original

    spot for pitch recognition and for "listening to each other"

--Glissandos up and down

--Like in private vocal lessons, use the half-step technique, going up or down from the

   original key.

When reading a choral song before rehearsing.....

--Figure out potential problems with

   --specific notes

   --unusual time signatures

    --changes in time signatures

    --modulations (for example, constant key changes)

    --melismas and related runs that can be difficult to execute

    --a song's specific language (e.g., Italian, French, German)

    --the character needed for the piece

   --the history of the song or songs, if any

If choral conducting, be sure to use a color-coded system for important patterns and events in the score. This will facilitate cuing. Also use your mouth as a signal.

What to look for in the song during the actual choral rehearsal.......

--listening to each other

--seating arrangment of the chorus

--pitch recognition

--problems with certain notes being over or under the pitch

--diction, whether it is English or another language.

--intonation

--balance

To Sing On Book or Sing Off-Book

Singing off-book allows for even stronger attention to the conductor.

Singing on-book makes sure that pitches are correct but the drawback is less attention to

    the conductor.

Diagram of a 4-Beat Pattern in Music/Choral Conducting

Classical Music Appreciation----Musical Terms

SONATA

    *    comes from the Italian verb “sonare”, to sound, and hence, it means “sounded.”
         (indirectly, it means a sound piece)

    *     it is a musical form of a large scale, divided into separate pieces called
           “movements”

    *    usually, three or four movements make up a sonata

    *    the sonata movements can be independent of one another, or can be played through
         without any pause


SONATINA

• comes from the Italian to mean “little sound piece.” Generally, it is a piece that is
        shorter than a typical sonata, although it still is divided into movements like a
         typical sonata

Example: Sonatina in C Major, op. 36, no. 1 (Muzio Clementi)

CONCERTO

*    comes from the word “concert” in Italian

*     at first, the term focused on the solo instrument that would be performed
      'front and center’ in front of accompanying instruments in the Baroque era
      (1600-1725)

Example: Brandenburg Concertos 1-6 (Johann Sebastian Bach)

*     then, the concerto’s meaning changed in the Classical era (1725-1800), to mean
      a large orchestral work where a soloist or soloists would play in front of an
      orchestra, with flashy sections called “cadenzas”, usually played by the soloist
      while the orchestra is silent

Example: Piano Concerto no. 20 in D minor (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

   

Grand Concert Fantasy on "La Sonnambula" (Franz Liszt)-- A World of Changing Key Centers

       

     The La Sonnambula fantasy, unlike the Don Juan, Norma, and

Robert le Diable fantasies (which were also composed by

Franz Liszt), have slightly more areas of modula-

tions of key center. The possible reason that Liszt focuses more

on key center in the Sonnambula fantasy was to reflect the dream

inside Amina, the sleepwalker, who falls asleep and is discovered

by the villagers in the bedroom in the "Osservate" aria. Not only

that, he also uses the key center to portray a continued spell

Amina carries during the "Tutto è sciolto" passage.

 Major Key Centers in Liszt's Grand Fantasy on "La 
Sonnambula"

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A. Osservate

1. Beginning part                           Db, Ab, Db

2. Middle part                              Bb, Dbm, E, C, A, C#m

3. Ending part                              Db, Bbm, Db

B. Tutto è sciolto; Pasci il guardo        

1. Beginning part(Tutto è sciolto)          Bbm, Db; Bbm, Db

2. Middle part #1(Pasci il guardo)          A

3. Middle part #2(Pasci il guardo, reprise) Dm: D, Em, D

C. Osservate--Reprise

1. Reprise                                  Db, Bbm, Ebm

2. Cadenza                                  V7 of Eb

D. Ah, non giunge

1. First part                               Eb, Cm, G, Eb

                                                               
2. Second part(reprise with trill in r.h.)  Eb, Cm, G, B, Eb, Cm,

                                                V7 of Eb                                                               

3. Third part(second reprise with trill)    Eb, E, V7 of Bb

                                                         
E. Voglia un cielo

1. First part                               Eb, Cm, F, Cm, Eb

2. Second part(reprise)                     Eb, Cm, F, Cm, Eb

3. Coda                                     Eb, Cb, Abm, Eb(done

                                              twice)

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     Note that the Ah! non giunge aria comes when Amina's "dream

spell" is broken and Amina gets reunited with her rightful lover.

Bellini tends to use the B-flat key in the original opera score

occasionally, especially in the Ah! non giunge. Liszt, however,

uses E-flat major for the aria (perhaps, to Liszt, E-flat major

is perceived as a brighter flatted key than B-flat)as an ending

for the fantasy.