Dido and Aeneas- Two extended scenes
- Created by: Beth Haworth
- Created on: 14-06-12 08:58
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Aria- "Ah, Belinda"
- Miniature da capo aria.
- Based on four bar ground bass (providing a structural link to "When I am laid in earth")
- Mostly C minor tonality
- bars 29- 36 move to G minor (dominant minor)
- Uses varying phrase length
- Vocal phrases overlap ground bass.
- This makes it more interesting/ less repetitive.
- Extensive use of word painting to convey mood:
- "Ah!"- sigh effect, suspension, not on the main beat.
- "torment" descending, melismatic, negative
- "I am press'd" Melismatic, rhythmically unstable- state of mind is fragile at this point.
- This aria is followed by a ritornello section, which is instrumental, and is based on the first 4 notes of the ground bass. There are imitative string entries throughout.
Recitative- "Grief Increases"
- begins as a duet between Dido and Belinda.
- Short, 1 bar phrases suggest Dido is struggling with her conscience.
- Sense of an argument created, especially by the lyrics "then let me speak".
- 2nd woman, as a detached character, is used to explain the…
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