Giuseppe Verdi: „Aida“ – Akt II, Gran Finale Secondo, Buchstabe C - Deutsche Oper Berlin
Dr Takt is our man behind the score. He is very familiar with the work and reveals to us its special moments. This time:
Giuseppe Verdi: Aida – Act II, Gran Finale Secondo, Letter C
This is the sixth episode in our series of videos with Dr Takt
In these four beats, before the trumpets of the Triumphal March set in, the chorus sings a melody that will be familiar to opera-goers. Why is this melody not a work of magic, but rather a well-structured, catchy song while remaining typically Verdi? It begins with a one-line G (the third of the basic key E flat major) and moves in an arc up to the next octave, only to then descend from this peak to E flat. The first part of the melody ascends in steps, and reaches its peak via the third jump E flat/G. Following a classic compositional rule, this third jump is balanced out by the G/F step in the opposite direction. Verdi projects this principle to the second part of the melody overall. After the upward movement in steps, its descent is now "jagged" and in jumps – ending in a close typical of Verdi.
