{"id":590,"date":"2015-06-04T01:50:07","date_gmt":"2015-06-04T01:50:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/musicx15xmaster\/?post_type=chapter&p=590"},"modified":"2015-10-10T06:59:38","modified_gmt":"2015-10-10T06:59:38","slug":"la-donna-e-mobile","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/odessa-musicapp-medievaltomodern\/chapter\/la-donna-e-mobile\/","title":{"raw":"La donna e mobile","rendered":"La donna e mobile"},"content":{"raw":"As you read this page\u00a0on this aria from Verdi's Rigoletto, <\/em>pay particular attention to the information on the theme and the form of the piece.\r\n

Introduction<\/h2>\r\n\"La donna \u00e8 mobile<\/span><\/b>\" (The woman is fickle<\/i>) is the Duke of Mantua's canzone from the beginning of act 3 of Giuseppe Verdi's opera Rigoletto<\/i>(1851). The inherent irony is that the Duke, a callous playboy, is the one who is mobile<\/span><\/i> (\"inconstant\"). Its reprise towards the end of the opera is chilling, as Rigoletto realizes from the sound of the Duke's lively voice coming from within the tavern (offstage), that the body in the sack over which he has grimly triumphed is not that of the Duke after all: Rigoletto had paid Sparafucile, an assassin, to kill the Duke but Sparafucile deceived him by killing Gilda, Rigoletto's beloved daughter, instead.\r\n\r\nThe canzone is famous as a showcase for tenors. Raffaele Mirate's performance of the bravura aria at the opera's 1851 premiere was hailed as the highlight of the evening. Before its first public performance (in Venice), it was rehearsed under tight secrecy:\u00a0a necessary precaution, because it proved to be catchy and soon after its first public performance every\u00a0gondolier in Venice was singing it.\r\n

The Music<\/span><\/h2>\r\nThe almost comical-sounding theme of \"La donna \u00e8 mobile<\/span>\" is introduced immediately, and runs as illustrated (transposed from the original key of B major). The theme is repeated several times in the approximately two to three minutes it takes to perform the aria, but with the important\u2014and obvious\u2014omission of the last bar. This has the effect of driving the music forward as it creates the impression of being incomplete and unresolved, which it is, ending not on the tonic or dominant but on the submediant. Once the Duke has finished singing, however, the theme is once again repeated; but this time it includes the last, and conclusive, bar and finally resolving to the tonic. The song is strophic in form with an orchestral ritornello.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_630\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"880\"]\"Figure<\/a> Figure 1. Theme (transposed down by a major third)[\/caption]\r\n

Libretto<\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Italian<\/th>\r\nProsaic translation<\/th>\r\nPoetic translation<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
\r\n
\r\n\r\n1.\u00a0La\u00a0donna\u00a0\u00e8\u00a0mobile\r\nQual piuma al vento,\r\nmuta d'accento\r\ne di pensiero.<\/span>\r\n\r\nSempre un amabile,\r\nleggiadro viso,\r\nin pianto o in riso,\r\n\u00e8 menzognero.\r\n\r\nRefrain<\/i>\r\nLa donna \u00e8 mobil'.\r\nQual piuma al vento,\r\nmuta d'accento\r\ne di pensier'!<\/span>\r\n\r\n2. \u00c8 sempre misero\r\nchi a lei s'affida,\r\nchi le confida\r\nmal cauto il cuore!\r\n\r\nPur mai non sentesi\r\nfelice appieno\r\nchi su quel seno\r\nnon liba amore!\r\n\r\nRefrain<\/i>\r\nLa donna \u00e8 mobil'\r\nQual piuma al vento,\r\nmuta d'accento\r\ne di pensier'!<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div><\/td>\r\n
\r\n
\r\n\r\nWoman is flighty.\r\nLike a feather in the wind,\r\nshe changes in voice\r\nand in thought.\r\n\r\nAlways a lovely,\r\npretty face,\r\nin tears or in laughter,\r\nit's untrue.\r\n\r\nRefrain<\/i>\r\nWoman is flighty.\r\nlike a feather in the wind,\r\nshe changes in voice\r\nand in thought!\r\n\r\nAlways miserable\r\nis he who trusts her,\r\nhe who confides in her\r\nhis unwary heart!\r\n\r\nYet one never feels\r\nfully happy\r\nwho from that bosom\r\ndoes not drink love!\r\n\r\nRefrain<\/i>\r\nWoman is flighty.\r\nLike a feather in the wind,\r\nshe changes her words,\r\nand her thoughts!\r\n\r\n<\/div><\/td>\r\n
\r\n
\r\n\r\nPlume in the summerwind\r\nWaywardly playing\r\nNe'er one way swaying\r\nEach whim obeying;\r\n\r\nThus heart of womankind\r\nEv'ry way bendeth,\r\nWoe who dependeth\r\nOn joy she spendeth!\r\n\r\nRefrain<\/i>\r\nYes, heart of woman\r\nEv'ry way bendeth\r\nWoe who dependeth\r\nOn joy she spends.\r\n\r\nSorrow and misery\r\nFollow her smiling,\r\nFond hearts beguiling,\r\nfalsehood assoiling!\r\n\r\nYet all felicity\r\nIs her bestowing,\r\nNo joy worth knowing\r\nIs there but wooing.\r\n\r\nRefrain<\/i>\r\nYes, heart of woman\r\nEv'ry way bendeth\r\nWoe who dependeth\r\nOn joy she spends.\r\n\r\n<\/div><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n ","rendered":"

As you read this page\u00a0on this aria from Verdi’s Rigoletto, <\/em>pay particular attention to the information on the theme and the form of the piece.<\/p>\n

Introduction<\/h2>\n

“La donna \u00e8 mobile<\/span><\/b>” (The woman is fickle<\/i>) is the Duke of Mantua’s canzone from the beginning of act 3 of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Rigoletto<\/i>(1851). The inherent irony is that the Duke, a callous playboy, is the one who is mobile<\/span><\/i> (“inconstant”). Its reprise towards the end of the opera is chilling, as Rigoletto realizes from the sound of the Duke’s lively voice coming from within the tavern (offstage), that the body in the sack over which he has grimly triumphed is not that of the Duke after all: Rigoletto had paid Sparafucile, an assassin, to kill the Duke but Sparafucile deceived him by killing Gilda, Rigoletto’s beloved daughter, instead.<\/p>\n

The canzone is famous as a showcase for tenors. Raffaele Mirate’s performance of the bravura aria at the opera’s 1851 premiere was hailed as the highlight of the evening. Before its first public performance (in Venice), it was rehearsed under tight secrecy:\u00a0a necessary precaution, because it proved to be catchy and soon after its first public performance every\u00a0gondolier in Venice was singing it.<\/p>\n

The Music<\/span><\/h2>\n

The almost comical-sounding theme of “La donna \u00e8 mobile<\/span>” is introduced immediately, and runs as illustrated (transposed from the original key of B major). The theme is repeated several times in the approximately two to three minutes it takes to perform the aria, but with the important\u2014and obvious\u2014omission of the last bar. This has the effect of driving the music forward as it creates the impression of being incomplete and unresolved, which it is, ending not on the tonic or dominant but on the submediant. Once the Duke has finished singing, however, the theme is once again repeated; but this time it includes the last, and conclusive, bar and finally resolving to the tonic. The song is strophic in form with an orchestral ritornello.<\/p>\n

\"Figure<\/a><\/p>\n

Figure 1. Theme (transposed down by a major third)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Libretto<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n
Italian<\/th>\nProsaic translation<\/th>\nPoetic translation<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
\n

1.\u00a0La\u00a0donna\u00a0\u00e8\u00a0mobile
\nQual piuma al vento,
\nmuta d’accento
\ne di pensiero.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sempre un amabile,
\nleggiadro viso,
\nin pianto o in riso,
\n\u00e8 menzognero.<\/p>\n

Refrain<\/i>
\nLa donna \u00e8 mobil’.
\nQual piuma al vento,
\nmuta d’accento
\ne di pensier’!<\/span><\/p>\n

2. \u00c8 sempre misero
\nchi a lei s’affida,
\nchi le confida
\nmal cauto il cuore!<\/p>\n

Pur mai non sentesi
\nfelice appieno
\nchi su quel seno
\nnon liba amore!<\/p>\n

Refrain<\/i>
\nLa donna \u00e8 mobil’
\nQual piuma al vento,
\nmuta d’accento
\ne di pensier’!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n

\n
\n

Woman is flighty.
\nLike a feather in the wind,
\nshe changes in voice
\nand in thought.<\/p>\n

Always a lovely,
\npretty face,
\nin tears or in laughter,
\nit’s untrue.<\/p>\n

Refrain<\/i>
\nWoman is flighty.
\nlike a feather in the wind,
\nshe changes in voice
\nand in thought!<\/p>\n

Always miserable
\nis he who trusts her,
\nhe who confides in her
\nhis unwary heart!<\/p>\n

Yet one never feels
\nfully happy
\nwho from that bosom
\ndoes not drink love!<\/p>\n

Refrain<\/i>
\nWoman is flighty.
\nLike a feather in the wind,
\nshe changes her words,
\nand her thoughts!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n

\n
\n

Plume in the summerwind
\nWaywardly playing
\nNe’er one way swaying
\nEach whim obeying;<\/p>\n

Thus heart of womankind
\nEv’ry way bendeth,
\nWoe who dependeth
\nOn joy she spendeth!<\/p>\n

Refrain<\/i>
\nYes, heart of woman
\nEv’ry way bendeth
\nWoe who dependeth
\nOn joy she spends.<\/p>\n

Sorrow and misery
\nFollow her smiling,
\nFond hearts beguiling,
\nfalsehood assoiling!<\/p>\n

Yet all felicity
\nIs her bestowing,
\nNo joy worth knowing
\nIs there but wooing.<\/p>\n

Refrain<\/i>
\nYes, heart of woman
\nEv’ry way bendeth
\nWoe who dependeth
\nOn joy she spends.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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