Page 171 - ESSENTIAL LISTENING TO MUSIC

Masetto and turns his charm on the naive Zerlina. First, he tries verbal persuasion carried off in simple recitative. Zerlina, he says, is too lovely for a country bump- kin like Masetto. Her beauty demands a higher state: she will become his wife!
Simple recitative now gives way to more passionate expression in the charming duet “Là ci darem la mano” (“Give me your hand, o fairest”; see Listening Cue). Dur- ing this duet, Don Giovanni persuades Zerlina to extend her hand (and the prospect of a good deal more). He begins with a seductive melody (A) cast squarely in the Classical mold of two four-bar antecedent–consequent phrases (Example 9.7).
Example 9.7 > “là ci darem la mano”
(Give me your hand, o fairest, whisper a gentle “yes”) (see, it’s not far,
Zerlina repeats and extends the opening theme, but she still sings alone and untouched. The Don becomes more insistent in a new phrase (B), in Example 9.8.
let’s
go, my
love.)
Example 9.8 > “Vieni, mio bel diletto!” ?##œœ œœœœ.œœ
#JJœJ J  J
Vie - ni, mio bel di - let - to!
(Come with me, my
pretty!)
Zerlina, in turn, becomes flustered, and sings in quick sixteenth notes. The initial melody (A) returns but is now sung together by the two principals, their voices intertwining—musical union accompanies the act of physical embrace that occurs on stage. Finally, as if to further affirm this coupling through music, Mozart adds a concluding section (C) in which the two characters skip off, arm in arm (“Let’s go, my treasure”), their voices linked together, mainly in parallel- moving thirds (Example 9.9). Here musical unity underscores the lovers’ unity of feeling and purpose. These are the means by which a skilled composer like Mozart can intensify, through music, the drama unfolding on the stage.
Example 9.9 > “andiam, andiam, mio bene”
### 6 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ. œ.
(Zerlina)
œ.
.
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&8JJJJJJJJJ
An - diam, an-diam, mio be- ne, a ri - sto - rar le (DonGiovanni) œ œ
pe- ne d'un' in - no - cen - tea - mor!
. œœœ . ?###6œ œœœJœœœœœœœJœœœœœ œœ. œ
8JJJJJJJ
An - diam, an-diam, mio be- ne, a ri - sto - rar le pe- ne d'un'
(Let’s go, let’s go, my treasure, to soothe the pangs of innocent love!)
in - no - cen - tea - mor!
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