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.26: "Aprite un po' quegli occhi" (Basso) Atto IV. Scena VI. Figaro happened to meet Barbarina (Act IV, scene I and II) who was searching for a lost pin which the Count asked her to give to Susanna as a token. Figaro, unaware of the Countess' disguise as Susanna, is enraged about Susanna's perceived infidelity. As with most pieces I did for "Nozze", the orchestra is here represented by MIDI instrument 49 "String Ensemble 1", Figaro is 58 "Trombone". Spatial orientation has Figaro in the middle, high strings far left, low strings far right. Details: -------- It is very difficult to make a recitativo sound convincing when played through MIDI, so there are a lot of tempo changes. See also Nos 17, 19 and especially 27. Bars ten and 73 are really whole notes (semibreve) with f/p dynamics; the first two notes of the triplets in bars 24ff are really grace notes; the trills in bars 38ff had to be written explicitly and are all marked with "tr"; the trills in bars 49ff are too fast to be written; the triplets in bars 108/109 are indeed really triplets. It is fascinating to observe how W.A. Mozart uses the orchestra to illustrate Figaro's mood swings: in bars three to five he thinks someone might be approaching, but he is mistaken; in bar six he briefly reflects on the beauty of this night. All this is convincingly painted with broken chords, accents (staccato/legato) and dynamics. Figaro's rage is expressed through a lengthy run of triplets (bars 61/62) and several abrupt dynamic changes (e.g. bar 66): the piano conveys rage through clenched teeth. His breathlessness can be seen in bar 33 where the quarter notes (crotchets) are not dotted but "rested". I am grateful for notification of any mistakes I may have made, or just for a brief email from anyone who used this file.