Appreciation of Carmen Overture

"Carmen Overture" is written in rondo form (ABACA). The main part (A) appears three times, and between the main parts are two interludes B and C.) The main part of the music is a festival song. The theme of the march comes from the chorus melody when the bullfighter enters the arena in the fourth act of the opera. The melody is jubilant and enthusiastic, and the music brings people into the noisy and fanatical atmosphere of the Spanish bullring. The matadors Escamillo and Carmen, who have fallen in love, arrive at the matador ring and are cheered by the delighted audience.

The theme of the first episode comes from the tune of women and children jumping and singing lively in the bullring. Although the mood is still warm, the music is permeated with the delicate emotions of women and the innocence of children. The first part depicts the warm atmosphere of the bullring from different aspects.

After the second appearance of the holiday march, there is the second interlude, the famous "Song of the Matador", played by strings. The melody is lyrical and majestic, full of inner motivation, forming a sharp contrast with the main part of the music. This melody comes from the duet between the matador and his admirers in the hotel in the second act of the opera.

When "The Song of the Matador" appears for the second time, the brass instruments play a firm, powerful and majestic progression! With a mountain rhythm background, the music is full of pride and bold masculine beauty, shining with the fire-like color of men and carrying the heroic spirit of a winner.

The main festival march appears for the third time, drums and money are blaring, and the music reaches its glorious climax.

In operas, the "Carmen Overture" ends with the low, tragic Carmen motive, but in concert performances, this part is usually omitted.

Extended information

Story introduction

The story takes place around 1800. Don José, a junior military officer who was born in a peasant family, met Carmen, a Gypsy tobacco worker. Under the temptation, he fell in love and became a smuggler. After some time, Carmen became indifferent to Don José and she fell in love with the bullfighter Escamillo. José's jealousy troubles Carmen. She was offended by his interference with her love freedom and broke off from him.

Later, during a crowd cheering Escamillo's victory in a bullfight, José assassinated Carmen.

The play portrays Carmen’s passionate and freedom-loving character.

The music mostly uses dance songs and stanza songs, with a strong dramatic and Spanish style.

Evaluation

The opera "Carmen" is the pinnacle of creative art and one of the most frequently performed plays in the world. The play "Carmen" is divided into four acts. The music of the opera always closely matches the stage action, and there are no static music scenes in the whole play. Marches, arias, dances, etc. appear alternately in the play. All these music are integrated through rigorous dramatic logic, compact and concise.

With its unique power, the whole opera creates a strong drama and expresses the gripping real life. It has become an opera that is both elegant and popular and has long-lasting vitality.

The overture of "Carmen" is often called the "March of the Matador". It begins with the band playing a brilliant and vigorous march-style theme with forte. The music immediately brings us to the spectacular bullfighting scene. We seem to see the heroic matador and hear the cheers of the crowd. .

After this theme was repeated several times, the music changed from A major to F major, and the orchestra gently played the chorus of "The Song of the Matador" that will appear in the second scene of the opera. The overture finally ends on a strong dissonant chord - (diminished seventh chord), which further strengthens the tragic suspense this piece of music brings to us and foreshadows Carmen's tragic ending.

The basic part of the overture is a replica of the music of the bullfighting scene in the fourth act of the opera (omitting the vocal part). Its structure is a rondo, which contrasts multiple themes and shows the typical Spanish environment. It highlights the festive and warm atmosphere.

Appreciate the lyrics of Carmen Overture: Long Live Friendship - Lyrics based on Carmen Overture

Baidu Encyclopedia - Carmen Overture