Chapter 9 Part 1

Chapter 9: Music in the Stage Overview

Chapter nine, "Music in the Stage," aims to build upon and extend previously discussed concepts regarding the role of music in propelling narratives within various stage genres. This includes examining opera, Kabuki, musical theater, and ballet, and understanding how music serves to advance the story and its sub-narratives. The chapter explores music's capacity to reveal different aspects of a character, such as their psychological state, as well as influencing the perceived location and time. Furthermore, it delves into how composers utilize music to link ideas, characters, and psychological states across multiple related productions, akin to a film franchise like Star Wars. The broad objective is to understand the vast role music plays in storytelling, influenced by region, time, people, styles, and trends, ultimately supporting the audience's immersion and the "willing suspension of disbelief."

Introduction to Zarzuela

The discussion then shifts to Zarzuela, a distinctly Spanish genre of music for the stage from Western Europe, which later spread to other regions. Characterized by both sung and spoken dialogue in Spanish, Zarzuela's origins date back to the 1650s. It evolved from popular styles performed in venues like the Palacio de la Zarzuela, an image of which from 1639 shows its setting. This new style of entertainment, featuring characteristics similar to musical theater with both sung and spoken elements, served as leisure for upper-class, courtly, and aristocratic audiences during retreats for hunting, dining, gossiping, and evening entertainment.

Characteristics and Decline of Zarzuela

Unlike opera, Zarzuela consciously mashes up and co-exists various styles. It can feature an operatic aria alongside a folk dance or folk song, blend comedic spoken dialogue with an upper-class waltz, and integrate numerous different influences, making it more akin to modern musicals. In Spain, Zarzuela experienced a decline in the early 20th century, largely attributed to political and socioeconomic unrest, including multiple civil wars, cultural repression, and a dictatorial regime that heavily censored art.

Revival and Global Spread

Despite its decline, Zarzuela saw a significant revival in the late 20th and 21st centuries. This resurgence aimed to bring back and revitalize Spanish heritage, culture, and distinctly Spanish styles, emphasizing folklore, traditional dances (like copla), and costuming. Crucially, Zarzuela found a new life and evolved in the Spanish colonies, particularly in Latin America, where it was introduced between the 1780s and 1800s. It underwent growth and change adapted to regional cultures and practices, becoming particularly vibrant in Cuba and Mexico. Today, it continues to thrive as regional theater, incorporating new styles and serving as an act of cultural expression that spans from its 1650s origins to contemporary times. Modern revivals often focus on lighter, popular subjects, comedy, and more accessible music and dance styles.

Género Chico: AU bataille Example

An illustrative example is the prelude, or overture, to AU bataille (The Baptism) by Federica Troika, composed in 1901. This piece falls under género chico, a subgenre of Zarzuela known for its shorter, lighter, and comedic subjects, which were popular throughout Spain, particularly in Madrid and Barcelona. The Catalan region also adopted and adapted Zarzuela to its own style. The prelude to AU bataille is considered prototypical of contemporary Zarzuela overtures, blending numerous popular styles with a driving, bright, and brilliant rhythmic quality.

Musical Elements of the AU bataille Prelude

The prelude to AU bataille masterfully blends various dance styles, including references to folk and cafe culture dances such as the seguidilla, tango, habanera, and pasodoble, alongside upper-class dances like the waltz. The piece typically transitions from a very fast opening featuring castanets, blending tango and habanera styles, to a three-metered, high-class waltz (e.g., 123123123123) without castanets. It then slows into a more deliberate couples' dance before speeding up again, reintroducing castanets with a blend of pasodoble and seguidilla. This characteristic alternation between "folk" and "upper-class" dance styles, melodies, and rhythms is typical of a Zarzuela opening and recurs throughout the short, satirical, popular, and comedic género chico subgenre exemplified by AU bataille.