MENC: The National Association for Music Education

Measure for Measure: Shakespeare and Music

Author(s): Eve R. Meyer
Source: Music Educators Journal, Vol. 54, No. 7 (Mar., 1968), pp. 36-38+139-143
Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. on behalf of MENC: The National Association for
Music Education
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3391243
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measure for measure:

by Eve R. Meyer
* Correlated arts or humanities
courses that combine studies in
_ Q^.BiMk~~ )music and art have become i
7s < creasingly popular at both the high
school and the college level. Simi-
lar courses relating music and liter-
ature, however, have lagged some-
what in this type of curriculum
]t [ s 1 '\ 8 development.
Throughout recorded histor
literature has been closely all
with music. In fact, if an invent
' / i ^ _ W ^ ' ?of compositions based upo
(74 .^^^^^>^^^^~ w / :26Z-;works existed, it would
; K endless. Such a compilation w
surely list William Shakespe
more than any other author. Sin
i^~ iA y7 /11/ \s~~~ i~\ study of the works of
[^^P fy /if 2~~ X^~~ // //,n~ is an integral part
.ff+ i~1;;k G^ / l^^ ]~\m/ ; ~ ~and college Engli
l 'L I I XI[ \ Xl \/ 1 V * use of one of his plays
ties course is a logical choice. Ea
~ \ } *,* X^~ of the plays is suitable
?x^ ~~ \f~ t~ .^T^^^^~ \ _~ X~ ^prime resources are
,<?^ j l \ y \Romeo and Juliet. As wi
of his plays, this work allows stu
on two different levels. The first
of these concerns the music that
was performed in the play during
the Elizabethan period; the second
involves later musical works based
upon the drama. The course could
easily be divided into units corre-
u / wL l [ f b sponding to these levels. Shake-
speare's plays provide a wealth of
reliable information on the role of
" [ /< f R 4~ ^~* 1 Jmusic in Elizabethan and Jaco-
4^^-^_j;~ ^i^Yl 7\~ )f Jbean England, and the fir
offers an imaginative and meaning-
^j^^^ i~~~\\\ \Jfi^ful way to introduce the rem
music of this period to a class that
might otherwise resist the study of
an unfamiliar idiom.
Shakespearean dramas typically
include vocal and instrumental mu-
_? _\' Tssic within the play; musical refer-
<>J^^^ ,^ W ^_j~~~~ 4 ^^ences, often witticisms, in the text;
/^^\^|_^^rt _^^^^^~ TThe author is Chairman, Music History
Department, College of Music, Temple
University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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 and music

and musical interludes before, dies, but that fate (the lark's song free dinner. The low-comedy dia-
after, and between the acts. Sev- announcing daybreak) is forcing logue between the minstrels and
eral places in Romeo and Juliet them apart; thus, the lark is out of Peter, a servant-clown, serves to
call for or refer to music. One such
tune, creating discord (sharps). provide a contrast to the tragedy
scene is the Capulet ball (Act I, There is an additional pun on "di- of Juliet's supposed death. It comes
scene v), in which the dance music
vision," a term for figuration or as no surprise that the minstrels'
is used as an effective way of breaking up a melody into short names are musical: Simon Catling
bringing the lovers together. Aside notes. The ornamented tune of (string of catgut), Hugh Rebeck
from the brief stage direction, "Mu- (rebec, a small fiddle), and James
the lark no longer sounds sweet,
sic plays and they dance," no other since it signals their separation. Sound-Post. Additional puns in this
information is given concerning the Shakespeare's vast knowledge of scene are on "note," "case" (instru-
music performed, but it was prob- musical terminology often aston- ment case), "crotchet" (whim and
ably a popular dance of the day, ishes musicians today. As seenquarter in note), "re and fa," "silver
such as the stately pavan or the the previous quotation, he par- sound" (referring to money and to
the calming effect of Apollo's lyre),
lively galliard. It is likely that the ticularly favors the musical expres-
dance music was played by a sion with a double-entendre. An- and "dump" (a mournful song).
broken consort of mixed strings other interesting example, found
Ironically, Peter asks the musicians
and winds, since this was tradi- in Act III, scene i, lines 48-52, is to play "some merry dump" to com-
tional for lavish entertainments. It on "consort," an ensemble of in- fort him. He mentions the names of
should be noted that all the in- struments of one family. two such mournful songs, "Heart's
terpolated music in Shakespeare's ease"' and "My heart is full of
Tybalt: Mercutio, thou consortest with
plays was of the contemporary
Romeo,- woe,"2 and he actually sings a part
English style, rather than that of Mercutio: Consort! what, dost thou of "When griping griefs."3 It is tra-
the period or country of the play. make us minstrels? An thou make min- ditional in the tragedies, though
There are also directions for off- strels of us, look to hear nothing but dis-not in the comedies, that the lead-
stage instrumental music in Act cords. Here's my fiddlestick; here's thating figures do not participate in a
shall make you dance. 'Zounds, consort!
IV, scene iv, when the Capulet musical performance. This is left
house is in the midst of wedding At the word, "fiddlestick," Mercu- to minor characters, such as serv-
preparations. As is so often the tio draws his sword as a fiddler ants or clowns.
case, Shakespeare uses music at would draw his bow. In this dia- In addition to the song, the dance
this point to achieve a break in logue Shakespeare suggests that music, and the musical references,
the long, spoken dialogue, in order the text of the play is filled with
Mercutio is quite indignant that he
to provide a contrast in pace from be called a minstrel. Throughoutmusical qualities. In fact, Hector
the bustling activity of the actors, Berlioz, who wrote a symphony
his plays Shakespeare reflects the
and to usher in the next scene based on this drama, is quoted as
general opinion of the day that
smoothly. having said, "Mon dieu, what a
minstrels were of the lowest class,
All of his plays are filled with
mere vagabonds. (Of a muchsubject! Everything in it seems de-
musical metaphors, such as those
higher station were the composers signed for music." It is one of
in the scene at daybreak, when the
and amateur musicians.) Another Shakespeare's earlier tragedies, the
newly married Romeo and Juliet 'Louis C. Elson, Shakespeare in Music
instance of his low opinion of the(Boston: L. C. Page and Co., 1901), p. 68,
must part (Act III, scene v, lines
professional instrumentalist is in
contains this popular sixteenth-century
27-30). Juliet says: Act IV, scene v, when preparations song.
2William Chappell, ed., Popular Music
It is the lark that sings so out of tune,are being made for the wedding of of the Olden Times (London, 1855-1859),
p. 210.
Straining harsh discords and unpleasing Juliet and Paris. Suddenly the news3Elson, p. 71. This song is found in many
sharps. arrives that Juliet is dead. The cal-
sources and was composed by Richard
Some say the lark makes sweet division; lous musicians comment that in- Edwards (d. 1566).
This does not so, for she divideth us. Edward W. Naylor, Shakespeare and
stead of playing "wedding cheer"
Music (New York: Da Capo Press, 1965),
p. 187 (arranged for four-part chorus).
Shakespeare implies that the lovers they will now be able to earn their Frederick W. Sternfeld, Music in Shake-
are harmoniously in tune with one fee by playing for the mourners,spearean Tragedy (New York: Dover Pub-
lications, 1963), p. 120 (an arrangement
another, as in simple diatonic melo- and will also be provided with for
a voice and lute).

MARCH, NINETEEN SIXTY-EIGHT 37

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approach is more youthful, with fights, which almost seem to call for widely accepted principle that in-
greater emotional intensity than operatic ensembles and choruses. strumental music, as an abstract
spiritual depth, and the true beauty Gounod's Romeo et Juliette is in art form, should not be burdened
of the play does lie in its lyricism. the French tradition of sentimental, with detailed program notes. Thus,
The plot is fairly simple, with direct lyrical opera, with a superfluousone must use one's imagination in
action, and the characterization is ballet added to please the nine-relating the music to the story. It
not complex, for it is a tragedy teenth-century taste. Dramaticallyis obvious that no attempt has been
caused by fate, rather than by the the opera is inadequate, inferior tomade to depict the plot in its
weakness of the characters. This his Faust, but as with Bellini's set- chronological order; instead, this
type of story is easier to portray in I I I work appears to concern itself more
I

musical terms than Shakespeare's with the leading characters, giving

later, more involved tragedies. "A'lt an interpretation of them in three
contrasting musical portraits.
* The second aspect of this cor- scrip
The overture opens with a hymn-
related project concerns several of may\' enhance
t?1C c1/1l a]C/l C like passage, recalling the gentle
the famous musical settings in- Friar Laurence, and the use of the
spired by the drama. Shakespeare's en oymlnen t a
harp aids in the creation of an
plays have provided the framework wlorlk mnst be angelic mood. It may seem odd
for operas, for incidental music per-able to stand that the work should begin with the
formed during the production of his Friar; perhaps it is because Friar
plays, for ballets, songs, choral oni its olwnl as Laurence is the main link between
works, and for instrumental compo-absolute Lmusic." the two lovers, but more likely it is
sitions in the forms of symphonies, for purely musical reasons, that the
symphonic poems, and overtures.4 composer wishes a slow introduc-
At least twenty-four operas plus ting, there are many attractive tion to contrast with the more in-
several plays with music have been
scenes. The lyric and coloratura tense music to come. The second
based upon Romeo and Juliet, arias of Juliet and the love duets portrait (analogous to the first
ranging from the most popular of are particular favorites. theme of the exposition) appears to
the operas, Romeo et Juliette (1867) Although there are a few in- be of the two feuding families, the
by Gounod, to the ludicrous Frenchstances of great operas based upon Montagues and the Capulets. Im-
burlesque, Rhum et Eau en JuilletShakespeare, such as Verdi's Otello mediately the tempo quickens. The
(Rum and Water in July), to the and Falstaff, no operatic setting of brilliant impact of the full orches-
very successful modern version by Romeo and Juliet can compare with tra, with its crashing cymbals and
Leonard Bernstein, West Side the magnitude of the play. One sweeping runs, so typical of Tchai-
Story. In a few of the operasprobable
the reason is that no composer kovsky's ebullient style, plus the
story is kept intact, but in the large
of the rank of Verdi, Wagner, or sharp rhythms and syncopations,
majority the plot is treated freely,
Mozart attempted a setting. suggest the violent arguments, the
omitting and adding characters andThis theory is further analyzed streets fights, and the tragic duels
altering the story almost beyond
by Winston Dean: between the families. After a tre-
recognition. In some versions it be-
Opera is the one field in which com- mendous climax the music gradu-
comes a romantic comedy, with
posera meets dramatist on equal terms, ally dies down, ready for the third
happy ending and a union ofboth
theworking on the largest scale. There- portrait (theme two), that of the
two lovers. fore a composer turning a play into an
two lovers. In the play, Shakespeare
Of the two dozen operas, only opera of comparable stature requires a is constantly sympathetic to Romeo
quality of imagination and technique
two, by Bellini and Gounod, are equal to that of the dramatist. This con- and Juliet, and the same deep ten-
still occasionally performed today. dition alone must disqualify all but a derness of the drama is also found
In Bellini's I Capuletti ed i Mon- handful of Shakespeare operas from the in the music. For this theme of love
tecchi (1830) various aspects of the highest honours.5 Tchaikovsky has chosen one of his
story are changed to heighten the In contrast to the rather lack- most appealing melodies; its long,
melodramatic style then in vogue, luster operas, instrumental inter-flowing line, played by the English
with little emphasis placed on char- pretations have been more success- horn and violas, beautifully ex-
acterization. Tybalt is the stereo- ful. Tchaikovsky's overture-fantasy presses a mood of yearning desire.
typed archvillain, and Romeo and Romeo and Juliet (1869; 1870, sec-No doubt this section was inspired
Juliet are rather conventional lov- ond version; 1880, final version) isby the scene in Act II, with Juliet
ers. But the work is filled with
certainly the best known. Overture, on her balcony and Romeo below
magnificent moments of great as it is used here, does not mean in the moonlit garden, swearing
beauty, especially in the slow, that the work is an introduction to everlasting love.
tender arias and the dramatic
the play or to an opera; it is an in-
choruses. Shakespeare providesdependent the concert piece, similar to * The nineteenth century was an
basis for good choral writing in a symphonic poem. Fantasy seems age of adulation of Shakespeare.
the
play, with his masterful technique to suggest that the composer is uti- His plays were viewed with an
of building tension in the street lizing a rather free, imaginative ap- emotional outlook, which is epito-
4Phyllis Hartnoll, ed., Shakespeareproach.
Music (London: Macmillan and Co., 1964).
in Tchaikovsky adopts a mized in Tchaikovsky's sentimental
and dramatic treatment; however,
A complete catalogue of musical works 5Hartnoll, p. 81. Winston Dean on
based upon Shakespeare. "Shakespeare and Opera." CONTINUED ON PAGE 139

38 MUSIC EDUCATORS JOURNAL

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 Suggestions from

measure for measure: WILLIS for your

Spring Concert
shakespeare and S.A.T.B.

CASEY THE PIPER-Kelly .........................25

DARK WATER-James .............................25

music
FLY NOT YET-Kelly ...............................25
GOLDEN SLUMBERS-White
(17th Cent. English) .................................25
HANDSOME SALLY-Kelly .....................25
IT IS NOT THE TEAR-Kelly ...................25
by Eve R. Meyer MASTOM, MASTOM-Phillips
(Persian Folk-song) .................................25
continued from page 38 THE BARD OF ARMAGH-Kelly .............25
THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS-Butler.......30
THE RAKES OF MALLOW-Kelly .............25
S.S.A.
Tchaikovsky does not fall into thewas not really the ideal woman of ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT-Pitcher .....25
often fatal trap of permitting non-his dreams, Juliet. FABLE-Pitcher (from "Long Wharf
musical ideas to govern the struc- In 1839 Berlioz made an unusual Songs") .....................................................25
LOCH LOMON'-Pitcher .......................25
ture of the composition. Frequentlysetting of Romeo et Juliette, which LOVELY NYMPHS-Pitcher-Gustoldi .......25
in descriptive works, the composerhe called a "dramatic symphony for MASTOM, MASTOM-Phillips
(Persian Folk-song) .................................25
allows the literary program to dic-chorus, solo voices, and orchestra."
PASSACAGLIA-Pitcher (from "Long
tate the format, often resulting inThe work has the general outline W harf Songs") .......................................25
a diffuse shape. Contrasting epi-of a large-scale symphony, with RIO GRANDE-Pitcher ............................25

sodes, constant thematic transfor-cantata-like features. Its structure S.A.

mations, climactic eruptions, andwas influenced by Gluck's later The following are also available for
theatrical effects may produce aworks, which Berlioz considered UNISON voices.
] Check here if so desired.
desultory work, lacking the neces-"vast dramatic poems," and by ANOTHER SPRING-Martin
sary inner rationale. Although pro-Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. Un- (op. descant) ...........................................25
grammatic, Tchaikovsky's overturelike Beethoven's confinement of the AUTUMN SONG-Martin .......................25
follows the well-balanced sonata voices to the finale, Berlioz uses AUTUMN WIND-Martin
(op. descant) ...........................................25
form, and after the exposition of them near the beginning as well as FOOTSTEPS-Martin ...............................25

the main themes, they are devel-at the end. MARKET DAY-Martin .............................25
ONE-LEGGED SAM-Martin ..................25
oped and recapitulated in a manner This symphony is divided into RICH OR POOR-Martin ........................25
that can suggest the high points of
three large sections, which in turn THE STEAM TRAIN-Martin ...................25
THE ROAD TO TOWN-Martin .............25
the plot. The development concen-are subdivided into separate num- THE VAGABOND-Martin .......................25
trates mainly upon the themes of bers. The work opens with a rep-
Friar Laurence and the feud, per-resentation of the combat between T.T.B.B.

haps symbolizing the conflict of

the families in a rather lengthy, BLACK IS THE COLOR OF MY
TRUE LOVE'S HAIR-Lindusky .................25
Good versus Evil. After the recapit-fugal, orchestral introduction, that BLOW, TRUMPETS, BLOW-James .........25
ulation, the final coda suggests thebuilds up the tension in a brilliant GIVE A MAN A HORSE
HE CAN RIDE-O'Hara ...........................25
funeral and the heavenly union of fashion. A vocal prologue follows, THE LIVING GOD-O'Hara ...................25
the lovers through death. Though beginning with the first four lines WHEN LOVE IS KIND-Lindusky ...........25
at times a bit saccharine or bom- of the Prologue from the play, in
bastic, this work, indeed, is one ofwhich the events of the story are MADRIGALS
Tchaikovsky's finest. summarized by the soloists and
S.S.A.B.
Hector Berlioz was a composersmall chorus, and the major musical
who was consistently inspired themes are introduced. Part II is
by BESIDE A FOUNTAIN-Wilbye-Currie.....25
LADY, WHEN I BEHOLD-
literary works. Like so many othersmainly symphonic, with a brief M orley-Currie ...........................................25
in France in the nineteenth century, choral section. It is the high point CHECK ANY 10 OF
Berlioz was enthusiastic about of the work, containing some of the THE ABOVE FOR
Shakespeare, using six of his plays
finest writing in the symphony. It FREE COPIES WITH
as the basis for musical works. begins with the music of the love- THIS LISTING

While seeing productions of Ham-sick Romeo, as contrasted with the

let and Romeo and Juliet, he fell Name
gay Capulet ball. Then follows the
madly in love with the beautiful
balcony scene in the Capulet gar- rrUU . bb

den, of which Berlioz later re-

young Irish actress, Harriet Smith-
son, who played the roles of marked, this "remains the best City ftote 7ip
Ophelia and Juliet. After pursuing
piece of writing I have done," and
her for six years, Berlioz finally
many critics tend to agree. Lightly
married her, but it was not a suc-
The WILLIS
scored for strings, woodwinds, and 440 Main Street
horns, it effectively captures the
cessful union, partly due to the fact Cincinnati, Ohio 45201
that he discovered that his wife mood of the serene night and the
MARCH, NINETEEN SIXTY-EIGHT 139

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 young lovers. The exquisite melody
is treated in such a fashion as to
simulate the dialogue of Romeo
and Juliet. Shakespeare himself
continues its distinguished series of Contemporary Music stresses the musical quality of the
STUDY SCORES scene (Act II, scene ii, lines 166-
(Performance material available) 167) with the words: "How silver-
Amram- King Lear Variations. Wind Orch (P66062) . ......................... $5.00
-String Quartet (P6688) ................................... ...........................00 sweet sound lovers' tongues by
Barati -Polarization. Orch (P6979) ..................................................................... 5.00 night,/Like softest music to at-
Bassett- Designs, Images and Textures. Band (P6376a) ................... ............... 5.00
-Variations.
--Variations Orch. Orch (P6660)(P6660) . 5.00 tending ears!"
..............................................
Brindle, R. Smith-Via Crucis. Vc Solo, Str Orch (H679)
Chou, Wen-chung-Riding the Wind. Wind Orch (P6845) . ...................... 3.50 In a work utilizing solo voices it
-Yu Ko. Vn, Alto Fl, EH, Bass Cl, Trbs, Perc (P66098) . ......... ............... 2.50
Cowell- Hymn and Fuguing Tune No. 16. Orch (P6851) .................................... 3.00 may seem strange that Berlioz did
Curtis -Concerto for Organ. Organ, Str Orch (P6638) ........................................ 3.50
Donovan - Music for Six. Ob, Cl, Trp, Vn, Vc, Pf (P6666) .................................. 3.50 not write vocal parts for Romeo and
Feldman -Atlantis. Chamber Orch (graph) (P6906) ........................................ 7.50 Juliet. He explained his reasons in
-Structures. Orch (P6934) ................................................................. ... 6.00
Finney-The Martyr's Elegy. Mixed Chorus, Orch. Vocal Score (P66094) .....
-Symphony No. 3. Orch (P6667) .......................................................... . 5.00
the1.25
preface to the piano score as
Harrison, Lou - Simfony in Free Style. 17 FIs, Trb, Drum, Bells, 5 Hps, Pf,
follows:
Celesta (Vibraphone), 8 Viols (P6426) ............................................................. 2.00
-Suite for Symphonic Strings. Str Orch (P6294) . ......... ..................... ........ 6.00 The sublime love between hero and
Horder- Norfolk Dances. Str Orch (H809) .......................................................... 3.00
Hovhaness - Circe. Orch (P6665a) . ...................................................... 3.50 heroine, rendered description through the
-Magnificat. Soli, Chorus, Orch (P6107) .............................. ........ 10.00 medium of music so dangerous an experi-
-Pilate. O pera (P6172a) ....................... .. . . ........................ .................. .... 3.50
-Return and Rebuild the Desolate Places. Trp Solo, Wind Orch (P66058) .... 3.50 ment for the composer, that he was forced
Huggler - Elegy. Orch (P6865) ... . . ................. ......................... 3.00 to allow his fancy such latitude as the
Ichiyanagi - Sapporo. 12 different instruments (graph) (P6632) ...................... 7.50
Kagel- Antithese. Piece for performer with electronic and public sounds. positive meaning of the sung words
Libretto-Score (English-German-French) ........................................... ............... 10.00 would never have afforded him; he ac-
-Sonant. Guitar, Hp, Cb, Perc (2) (P5972) .......................................................... 15.00
-Sur Scene. Chamber music theatre piece. Libretto (English) ........................ 7.50 cordingly resorted to instrumental lan-
Kay-Of New Horizons. Orch (P6253) ...... ................ .......................................... 3.50 guage, a language richer, more varied,
Kelemen- Equilibres. Sonata for 2 Orch (P5814) . ............................ 4.00
Ligeti - Aventures. 3 singers, 7 instrumentalists (P4838) ................................ 10.00 unlimited and, by virtue of its very
-Nouvelles Aventures. 3 singers, 7 instrumentalists (P5913) ........................ 10.00 vagueness, incomparably more powerful
-Requiem. 2 Soli, 2 mixed choruses, 2 orch (P4841) . ......................... 17.50 and effective than any words sung or
Lopatnikoff- Concerto. Wind Orch (P6514) ..................................... ........... 5.00
Mayuzumi-Bacchanale. Orch (P6328) .................................... ..... 6.00 spoken.
-Essay for Strings. String Orch (P6852) ................................... .......... 3.00
McPhee -Concerto. Wind Orch (P6203) ........................................... .......... 3.50 Next is one of Berlioz' most de-
Nielsen, Carl-Concerto for Clarinet. CI Solo, Orch (ED7) ............................. 7.50
-Concerto for Flute. Fl Solo, Orch (ED9) ............................................................ 7.50
-String Quartet (P3807) ........................................ 2.00 lightful orchestral movements, the
-String Q uintet (ED18) .... ................. .. ......... ...... ............... ... ..... 2.50
-Symphony No. 3 (Sinfonia espansiva). Orch (ENI) . .......................... 6.50
"Queen Mab Scherzo." Berlioz does
-Symphony No. 6 (Sinfonia semplice). Orch (ED10) . .......................... 6.50 not attempt to follow Mercutio's
Peeters, Flor- Entrata Festiva. Org. 2 Trps, 2 Trbs (P6159) ............................ 3.50
Pinkham - Lamentations. SATB, 2 Trps, 2 Hrns, 2 Trbs, Cb, T, Perc (P66036) .90 long, imaginative speech (Act I,
-Signs of the Zodiac. Orch (P6899) ......................................... ..... 3.50
-Symphony No. 2. Orch (P6662) ... ..................................................... 5.00 scene iv, lines 53-94), but merely
-Wedding Cantata. SATB, 2 Hrns, Cel, Str. Vocal Score (P66039) ............... .90
Porter - Symphony No. 2. Orch (P6631) ........................................................... 5.00 tries to depict the mood of the mis-
Reynolds - Blind Men. 24 Voices, 3 Trps, 2 Trbs, Bass Trb, T, Perc, Pf (graph) 5.00
-The Emperor of Ice Cream. 8 Voices, Perc, Pf, Contrabass (P6616) .......... 3.50
chievous Queen Mab, who rides
-Quick are the Mouths of Earth. Chamber Ensemble (graph) (P6661) ....... 3.50 in a hazel-nut chariot, galloping by
-Wedge. 2 FIs, 2 Trps, 2 Trbs, Perc, Cb, Pf (P6624) ........................................ 3.50
Schoenberg- Five Pieces for Orchestra. New version (P6061) ........................ 5.00 night to visit those who will dream
Shifrin-Three Pieces for Orchestra (P5861) ...................................................... 3.50
Smith, H. -Contours. Orch (P6503) ............. ................. ............... .. 3.00 of their greatest desires. The
Stevens, Halsey - Symphonic Dances. Orch (P6489) ......................................... 5.00 Scherzo is an orchestral tour de
Stout- Ricercare and Aria. String Orch (P6885) ........................................ 3.00
Surinach - Symphonic Variations. Orch (P6980) .................................. .............. 5.00
Sydeman -Orchestral Abstractions. Orch (P66070) ........................................ 5.00
force, for it must be played in a
Tcherepnin -The Abyss. Ballet. Piano Score (P6511) ...................................... 5.00 light, airy, elfin-like manner and
-Suite for Orchestra, Op. 87 (P6008) ...... ................ .... 3.00
Trimble- Concerto. Fl, Ob, CI, Bsn, Str (P6641) ...................... .................. 3.50 contains some difficult passages,
-Four Fragments from The Canterbury Tales (P66068p) ................................ 3.00
-Sym phony. O rch (P66067) ... ............................................................................... 3.00 especially for the horns. In Part
C. F. PETERS CORPORATION
III the voices are featured. This
373 Park Ave. South, New York, N.Y. 10016 section opens with the funeral of
Juliet, which effectively combines
a fugue with the intoning of a
dirge. An orchestral description of
Romeo at the tomb and the death
The mark of quality of the lovers follows, and the work
closes with a return of the voices in

NORREN the scene in which Friar Laurence

brings about a reconciliation be-
tween the two families.
all steel Although certainly more literal
music storage equipment than Tchaikovsky's version, Berlioz'
dealerships available in setting does not portray the entire
certain areas plot. Two of the major characters,
Tybalt and the Nurse, are omitted,
write for free catalog and not all of the action is derived
directly from Shakespeare. Some of
NORREN MANUFACTURING COMPANY the alterations follow Garrick's
P.O. Box 776 Arcadia, California 91006 productions of the play, which Ber-
lioz believed improved upon Shake-
140 MUSIC EDUCATORS JOURNAL

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rOfiCu^Q"?^?*?"-----1
is uneven and lengthy (ninety
W-ll CC- . 1UI^
The purpose of this String Method
is to encourage non-string playing Mu-
sic Educators as well as String Majors to
embark upon a much needed string pro-
gram. We have attempted to give as
much help to the teacher, in the area of
position and mechanics, as is possible
for a beginning method.
Seal of Approval from
Thousands of Choirs
_ _ _ _ ~~C
cJacques Barzun, Berlioz and the Ro-
mantic Century, Vol. 1 (Boston: Little
Brown and Co., 1950), p. 325.
E. R. MOORE CO. 7In 1966, The Royal Ballet produced an
excellent
7230 N. Caldwell * Niles (Chicago) III. 60648 movie (An Embassy Picture) of
the entire ballet, starring Margot Fonteyn
110 Voice Rd. * Carle Place (L.I.) N. Y. 11514
and Rudolph Nureyev. It is in conjunction
1641 N. Allesandro * Los Angeles, Calif.
with the 90026
dance that one can truly appre-
1605 Boylston * Seattle, Wash. 98122
ciate the superb quality of the composition.
MARCH, NINETEEN SIXTY-EIGHT
This content downloaded from 137.250.27.6 on Tue, 16 Jan 2018 10:15:21 UTC
speare. The symphony is quite con-
troversial. Some critics state that
the work lacks stylistic unity, that
it combines the directly program-
matic with a vague literary por-
trayal, along with a mixture of ele-
ments of opera and oratorio.
Others, such as the noted biog-
rapher of Berlioz, Jacques Barzun,
consider the work an imaginative
masterpiece, not a "hybrid but a
new species" in a plan that is "sim-
ple and logical."' Romeo et Juliette
is one of Berlioz' most original and
brilliant compositions; however, it Incomparable reproduction quality!
minutes), thus it is suggested that
selections from the work be used
in the classroom. There are two fine
recordings of excerpts, and Berlioz
himself often performed portions
of the symphony at concerts.
A major twentieth-century inter-
pretation of Romeo and Juliet is by
the late Russian composer, Serge
Prokofiev, whose setting, written in
1935, is in the form of a ballet. The
work has been very successful and
is standard in the repertoire of the
Bolshoi and other ballet com-
panies.7 It is generally considered
to be the finest ballet ever written
on a Shakespearean play, and the
music is so attractive that Prokofiev
arranged portions of it into two
orchestral suites, plus a set of piano
pieces. The ballet, with just a few
changes, is very close to the origi-
nal, and the scenario is extremely
detailed, for Prokofiev studied the
play with great care and thought
through every action and nuance of
feeling. It is amazing how well the
composer was able to re-create the
passions, the dramatic conflicts, and
the characterization found in the
play, without the power of the
spoken word. He achieved this in
part through the use of a Wag-
nerian system of motives, which
recur throughout the ballet, repre-
senting the leading characters and
their emotions. The motives are de-
veloped and altered in accordance
with the events in the story.
Since the ballet is a long, full-
scale work, just a few selections
from the orchestral suites are sug-
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 gested for the course. Some of the
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The dominant theme in the ballet
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every aspect, from the first shy
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fiev re-creates the balcony scene,
with themes symbolizing Romeo,
Juliet, and their ardor. As in previ-
ous settings of this scene, the mood
is established with quiet music rep-
resenting the garden, the rustling
leaves, and the moonlight. Yet,
when contrasted with Berlioz' and
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One of the outstanding moments

142 MUSIC EDUCATORS JOURNAL

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is illustrative of Act III, scene i,
which marks the turning point of
the play from a romance to a trag-
edy. This is the scene in which
Tybalt kills Mercutio, and Romeo,
who wishes to avenge the death of
his friend, challenges and kills
Tybalt. This fateful duel results
in Romeo's exile from Verona and
eventually in his and Juliet's death.
The suite movement, entitled "The
End of Tybalt," depicts, in a swift-
moving, vividly realistic fashion,
the biting dialogue, the duels, and
the tragic outcome. After hearing
this section, students, who probably
know Prokofiev only as the jovial
composer of Peter and the Wolf
and the Classical Symphony,
would come to the realization that
he was also capable of more pro-
found works.
If the orchestral versions of
Romeo and Juliet were to be
ranked according to which comes
I I

the closest to the original play, then

certainly Prokofiev's would be
placed first, but this is not neces-
sarily the only criterion for judging fom /reer . . .
a musical work. Music is not and
should not be appraised purely as
Works by WILSON COKER * JOSEPH W. JENKINS
a representational art. Although
descriptive images may enhance KARL KROEGER * RONALD LO PRESTI
enjoyment, a work must be able to HAROLD OWEN * DENNIS RILEY
stand on its own as absolute music.
There is no doubt that each of the LAWRENCE L. WIDDOES (Participating composers,
three compositions discussed has MENC-Ford Foundation Contemporary Music Project)
succeeded in this respect and is
worth hearing, even without any 4SlC IPULIS?k

references to the story. Information available upon request

The type of project outlined in
this article can be used either with
Theodore Presser Company
music or nonmusic majors. It may
be a section in a special course that
SIC
SINCE 1113 B R Y N M A W R, P E N N S Y L V A N I A 19010

integrates the humanities, or it

might be a part of the regular
music and English programs. What
makes this kind of unit so stimulat- Music IIII1;1IY.II1(

ing is that through a study of the

compositions, both orchestral and Education
operatic, students can develop an Realistic

understanding of the diverse ways Materials Dramatic

Colorful
composers with imagination and A Selected, Annotated Candlelight
talent treat the same dramatic
Bibliography Pageants
work. It offers an excellent oppor-
Plays
tunity to consider and compare theEdited by Thomas C. Collins
Prepared for the Music iRducation Re- Services
styles of three composers who rep-
resent three different centuries. A search Council of the Music Educators Musicals
National Conference Ceremonies
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Shakespeare. - |

MARCH, NINETEEN SIXTY-EIGHT 143

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