Paisiello: Il barbiere di Siviglia - Overture (Alessandrini)

[AlantheOttoman]

This may be one good overture, but Giovanni Paisiello can just suck it up. Gioacchino Rossini has a far better Barber of Seville than this.

[Hayzoosrlaem]

Too slow! :/

[skopas69]

Il ny a pas de « diapason baroque ». Jusquau début du XIXe siècle, il y avait en Europe pléthore de différents diapasons, allant de 392Hz jusquà 460Hz voire plus. Si de nos jours la musique baroque peut assez souvent être jouée à 415Hz, ce nest donc que par une convention arbitraire, et qui nest pas toujours la seule.

En revanche dun orchestre qui joue un quart de ton plus haut ou plus bas que le diapason donné quelquil soit, nous devons convenir quil joue FAUX !!!

[skopas69]

Out of tune!!!

non intonato!!!

[BarbaraPloyer333]

Baroque tuning...

415Hz= Baroque.

440Hz= what we use nowadays.

(Or something like that... I'm not an expert, so you may wanna check.)

So it's not really out of tune!

[Thrax1982]

I doubt they would use baroque tuning for this,

probably something in between the two.

[BarbaraPloyer333]

OK... I see what you mean. This is music from the classical era, so you'd assume they'd use tuning from the time. Didn't they use baroque tuning (or something quite close) in the classical era, though? I thought they did. How many years were there actually in between the bringing of Equal Temperament and the classical era? I don't think there were actually that many... (my piano teacher explained about Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier and that it was written to celebrate Equal Temperament.)

[Thrax1982]

The "baroque tuning" is just a number of convenience, it doesn't mean that everybody tuned like this during the baroque era.

The French tuned even lover while in some parts

of Europe and for some types of music it was actually higher than today.

[BarbaraPloyer333]

Oh.... I feel like one of those dumb girls in my class that never pays attention and expects to get everything. I understand that Equal Temperament may have had nothing to do tuning, however, I thought it might impact...

I see. So it must've been impossible to have perfect pitch. How did composers write down what they wanted, though? It seems a great problem.

[BarbaraPloyer333]

Hi! More to add.

Did each region have its own tuning system, then? I assume that's how composers worked and all. (According to the tuning that they seemed most habituated to.)

[Thrax1982]

I'm really no expert on this matter, it starts getting too technical for me ;)

But basically yes, every region, even every town could have it's own system.

But the general trend over time is that it keeps getting higher. Instrumentalists want it to be higher and singers want it to be lower.

[skopas69]

C'est faux!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Thrax1982]

What do you mean?

[NapoliDueSicilie]

VIVA NAPOLI :-)

[MissLimLam]

It is a shame that this opera is performed so little now. I would really like to find out why, because the music really is stupendous.

Perhaps Paisello just couldnt compeat with Rossinis much more famous opera? At least one of his operas (nina) has been performed recently and is becoming more poular.

[GeneralLasalle]

so much fun to listen to. i always imagine this song in some epic napoleonic war film for some reason.

[Thrax1982]

Hehe,

if I'm not mistaken then Paisiello was Napoleon's favourite composer.

[GeneralLasalle]

yeah, thats right! he neglected some composers because he liked paisiello so much!

[iaquil]

Is it possible to get this Paisiello´s version of Il Barbiere complete? (dvd perhaps?)

[Thrax1982]

It's released on cd quite a few times.

There is a version with Fischer conducting that seems to be very nice, try this excerpt here.

/watch?v=CRInMW3w4fE

I think I've also seen a DVD listed somewhere but the performance quality is unknown to me.

[bigbono12]

Paisiello's works are overflowingly rich in melodic invention. He seems to have been connected to an ancient source of Neopolitan melody which flowed into many later composers. Keep posting Paisiello's works. Heart felt thanks.

[chafuol]

This opera is actually slightly better than Rossini's version. Having said that, Rossini composed some of the best operas ever written, especially Il Viaggio a Reims.

[LindoroRossini]

This piece is certainly a most elegant opening to a wonderful work of theater. Alessandri paces it intelligently, bringing forth its' comic nature and playing effectively with the dynamics. Thank you for the upload :).

[Thrax1982]

I'm growing more and more fond of it myself too.

The first time I heard it (the video version on Youtube) I was totally indifferent. The version you posted captured my interest and I really love this one.

[LindoroRossini]

I actually thought very little of the opera when I heard excepts from it for the first time, but after hearing the complete score I'm convinced that it is a most strong competitor to Rossini's version :) (especially, the Count's serenade and the second act Quintet (have you heard it, a most interesting ensemble (if not, do check the version that I've posted on my channel :) ))).

[LindoroRossini]

In the case of the ouverture, I find "Figaro's" theme to possess some of the most charming music that I had the pleasure to hear :).

[Thrax1982]

I agree with both of your choices, they really stick out above the rest.