Related Objects

The Arch Ensemble: Ezra Pound Composer, and Concert for Cal (printed mailer)

KPFA-FM Music Dept. ➔ Cavalcanti: An Opera by Ezra Pound, by the Arch Ensemble (March 28, 1983)

Analog Audio

Event Type

Music

Origin

KPFA

Identifier

AM.1983.03.28

Program Length

59 min

Dates

1983-03-28 | broadcast
| 1983-03-28 | created

Description

A recording of Ezra Pound’s second, and largely forgotten, opera “Cavalcanti,” recorded during its world premiere performance, in 1983, during a concert by the Arch Ensemble, under the direction of Robert Hughes. Never performed during Pound’s lifetime the work remained unnoticed until Robert Hughes collected the manuscript, with the assistance of Olga Rudge, and prepared this performance. According to musicologist and critic Donato Mancini: “’Cavalcanti’ is on the life and poetry of Guido Cavalcanti, teacher of Dante Alighieri. Wound around arias on Cavalcanti's philosophical love poems are various comical commentaries by obscure characters speaking in Provençal, English, Italian, and a pseudo-Italian invented by Pound. The drama is on the trope of the misunderstood genius, and Cavalcanti's tragic failure to pass on his poetic genes, despite the fact that he ‘taught Dante his job.’ The method used in composing it was essentially the same as in ‘Le Testament,’ [Pound’s first opera]. Pound through-composed quasi-melodic declamations on the poems that work either with, against, or in rhythmic polyphony with the poetic rhythms, depending on the effect he wanted. But Cavalcanti's verse didn't jive with the technique as Le Testament's had; Pound was forced to include two poems by the troubadour Sordello for variety. The eight conventional instruments, including violin, cello, bass, and bassoon, normally only sound alone against a solo voice, although there are some vocal duets and trios. Most significant was that he used certain musical touches -- vocal strain, tritones, octaves, and Verdi-like tenor blasts -- with specific semantic intent. But although ‘Cavalcanti’ shows greater musicianship, it lacks the obnoxious charm of ‘Le Testament.’”
[Part of the description originally taken from http://www.answers.com/topic/cavalcanti-opera-in-3-acts]

This recoding does not include the other musical selections from the concert, which started with Pound's "Le Testament de Villon" (1926 concert version), and "Three Pieces for Solo Violin".

Genres

20th century classical
Operas

Musical Selections

Cavalcanti, an opera [text based on poems by Giovanni Cavalcanti] (1931-33) (55:30) / Ezra Pound [world premiere]

Performers

Tom Buckner, tenor
Robert Tate, tenor
Jan Curtis, mezzo-soprano
John MacAllister, bass
Thomas Woodman, baritone
The Arch Ensemble:
Patrice Hambelton, flute
Robin May, English horn
Greg Barber, bassoon
Daniel Livesay, trombone
Norman Peck timpani
Ward Spangler, percussion
Nathan Rubin, violin
Ami Radunskaya cello
Mel Graves, string bass
Robert Hughes, conductor

Subjects