William Rothstein, The Musical Language of Italian Opera, 1813-1859, New York, Oxford University Press, 2023, xxiv +573, pp. ISBN 9780197609682
Massimiliano Locanto
Abstract
In The Musical Language of Italian Opera, 1813–1859, William Rothstein provides a systematic analysis of the musical structures of Italian opera, seeking to reconcile music theory with a repertoire long neglected by the discipline. While rooted in formal analysis, the book frequently engages with dramatic and symbolic meaning, thus suggesting an inherently theatrical musical language. Drawing eclectically from such diverse theoretical traditions as early 19th-century theories of harmony, rhythm, and form, Schenkerian and neo-Riemannian theory, Rothstein illuminates the evolving formal, structural, and stylistic features of Italian opera from Rossini to Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera. The book’s approach revitalizes the dialogue between historical musicology and music theory, offering new tools for further inquiry into how Italian operatic music may convey dramatic and expressive content.
Keywords
Music theory – 19th-century Italian Opera – 19th-century music theory – Schenkerian analysis applied to opera – neo- Riemannian theory applied to opera
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