The work: --------- Le Nozze di Figaro ossia la folle giornata (KV 492) Dramma giocoso in quattro atti (Burgtheater Vienna, 1-May-1786) (The Marriage of Figaro) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (*27-Jan-1756 Salzburg, +5-Dec-1791 Vienna) Libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte (Emanuele Conegliano) (*10-Mar-1749 Ceneda, +17-Aug-1838 New York) based on the comedy "Le mariage de Figaro" (Paris, 1784) by Beaumarchais (Pierre Augustin Caron) (*24-Jan-1732 Paris, +19-May-1799 Paris) Transcribed from G. Ricordi & C. Editori, Milano 1985 by Michael Bednarek [mb@doh.health.nsw.gov.au] Background: ----------- The score I used is much more than a piano excerpt; in fact, I'm convinced that some parts are unplayable: it really is a condensed orchestral score. I transcribed these pieces for the pleasure of seeing W.A. Mozart at work and, my own practical instrumental skills being limited, making the sounds come to live. I'm grateful to the author of "Mozart", a notation program like no other in its very pleasing method of using the computer keyboard economically to enter a musical score. The piece: ---------- Recitativo ed Aria - No.19: "Dove sono i bei momenti" (Soprano) Atto III. Scena VI. The Countess, waiting to hear from Susanna, recounts what pain her husband has caused her and reminisces about happier times, hoping that his love for her might return. As with most pieces I did for "Nozze", the orchestra is here represented by MIDI instrument 49 "String Ensemble 1", the Countess is 72 "Clarinet"; some might prefer 74 "Flute". Spatial orientation has the Countess far left, high strings centre, low strings far right. Details: -------- It is very difficult to make a recitativo sound convincing when played through MIDI; in this piece however, W.A. Mozart manages almost all necessary expression through orthodox notation and only one tempo change -in bar 24- is necessary. The f/p in bars 14 and 15 required to write the tied half + quarter (minim + crotchet) and dotted half + quarter separately. This is surely one of the greatest arias for soprano W.A. Mozart has ever written; it has everything: a dramatically accompanied recitativo, a symmetrical andante (A-B-A) with a beautiful melody and a throw-away syncopated bass (bar 51), followed by another aria, allegro. It has questions/answers between soprano and orchestra and a surprising chromatic line (bars 90 and 95). And the whole thing is written in C major. I am grateful for notification of any mistakes I may have made, or just for a brief email from anyone who used this file. Enjoy! Michael Bednarek http://www.geocities.com/mcmbednarek P.S.: 07-Jun-00 I found a mistake in stave 2 of bar 9: the first chord was F#-G-B and should have been F-G#-B.