# Opera buff Question...Il Trovatore Tempo question...???



## goodlove (Dec 9, 2013)

Here is one for you opera buffs...

I desperately need to know the tempo of this trumpet excerpt attached from Verdi's Il Trovatore. I think it is from Act II Scene III but I can't seem to find a recording of it.

Can you help?


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

I think it's baritone cabaletta, _Per me ora fatale_:


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

The tempo is at the top of the page. _Allegro assai mosso_


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## goodlove (Dec 9, 2013)

Aramis said:


> I think it's baritone cabaletta, _Per me ora fatale_:


Thanks Aramis, you are the man, that is spot on, cudos to you.:tiphat:


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## goodlove (Dec 9, 2013)

Couac Addict said:


> The tempo is at the top of the page. _Allegro assai mosso_


Thanks Couac Addict, I was thinking that is up for a wide variety of interpretation but wanted something more exact like MM marking or video such as that from Aramis.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

goodlove said:


> Thanks Couac Addict, I was thinking that is up for a wide variety of interpretation but wanted something more exact like MM marking or video such as that from Aramis.


But of course there is nothing exact about tempo (even with MM markings, which are usually only suggestions anyway). One man's _allegro assai molto_ is another's _andante_. Why, even composers will sometimes perform their own music at different tempi on different occasions. Music, thank heavens, is not an exact science.


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

You're doing an audition, so depending on the pay for the job (or how much it means to you non-financially) you should be carefully listening to a decent number of respectable Il Travatore recordings (Met, La Scala etc) and imagining how you would play the part since you clearly don't know the excerpt already. Spotify, youtube, library - GO! Worth the time (as painful as it is to have to listen to Verdi)!

Now: deep breath, big sound, a little vibrato (it is Italian, after all) and play super accurately and stylishy! Good luck!


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

GregMitchell said:


> But of course there is nothing exact about tempo (even with MM markings, which are usually only suggestions anyway). One man's _allegro assai molto_ is another's _andante_. Why, even composers will sometimes perform their own music at different tempi on different occasions. Music, thank heavens, is not an exact science.


Quite right. Allegro means 80bpm here


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Couac Addict said:


> Quite right. Allegro means 80bpm here
> 
> View attachment 30116


EEHEHEHEHE but Verdi obviously didn't write 80bpm you naive pancake, the exact tempo marks given by editor are not to be taken seriously, can you say _Rubinstein got this Chopin waltz all wrong, I have this "100 cool pieces for keyboard" songbook and it says 80 bpm!!!!!!_ or what


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

Aramis said:


> EEHEHEHEHE but Verdi obviously didn't write 80bpm you naive pancake, the exact tempo marks given by editor are not to be taken seriously, can you say _Rubinstein got this Chopin waltz all wrong, I have this "100 cool pieces for keyboard" songbook and it says 80 bpm!!!!!!_ or what


Where's a 'sarcastic' smiley when you need one.:lol:

I'm almost certain that directors are slowing the tempo for Wagner's operas. Surely Wagner didn't expect me to sit through 5hrs of Meistersinger.


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