Available online
Description
The programme shows how Weber's "Der Freischutz' and "Oberon" influenced Mendelssohn when he came to write the Overture and Incidental Music for "A Midsummer Night's Dream".... The importance of the Overture in Mendelssohn's career is shown, and the relationship between it and the Incidental Music is discussed. The programme ends with a scene from Shakespeare's play, first without and than with Mendelssohn's music.
The programme shows how Weber's "Der Freischutz' and "Oberon" influenced Mendelssohn when he came to write the Overture and Incidental Music for "A Midsummer Night's Dream".... The importance of the Overture in Mendelssohn's career is shown, and the relationship between it and the Incidental Music is discussed. The programme ends with a scene from Shakespeare's play, first without and than with Mendelssohn's music.
| Module code and title: | A101, An arts foundation course |
|---|---|
| Item code: | A101; 11 |
| First transmission date: | 03-05-1978 |
| Published: | 1978 |
| Rights Statement: | |
| Restrictions on use: | |
| Duration: | 00:24:05 |
| + Show more... | |
| Producer: | Robert Philip |
| Contributor: | Donald Ian Burrows |
| Publisher: | BBC Open University |
| Keyword(s): | A Midsummer Night's Dream; Mendelssohn; Music; Shakespeare |
| Footage description: | Portraits of Mendelssohn (at age 12) and Goethe, over which Burrows briefly describes Mendelssohn's early musical achievements. He explains that any composer is dependent upon other musical influences. Portrait of Carl Maria von Weber, over which Burrows describes the influence of Oer Freischutz on Mendelssohn's music. A brief extract from the opera is played over a print of Wolf's Glen. The influence of Weber's Oberon is also described, and three extracts are heard over prints of fairy creatures. An animated diagram shows the similarities between Oberon and Mendelssohn's overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream. Burrows explains Mendelssohn's use of Weber's ideas. An extract from the Overture is heard over prints of fairies and scenes from A Midsummer Night's Dream. Burrows describes the process whereby Mendelssohn came to write the Overture. Stills of Gartenzeitung magazine and of Mendelssohn's home. "Bottom's Theme" is played over contemporary prints of Bottom. Burrows describes the success of Mendelssohn's Overture and outlines subsequent developments in his career. Prints illustrate his remarks throughout. Burrows describes Mendelssohn's reasons for writing his Incidental A Midsummer Night's Dream. He describes particular features of this music, particularly the "scherzo" which is then played over prints of Puck. He also describes the links between the Incidental Music and the Overture. Another extract from the Incidental Music is heard, over prints of fairies. Burrows outlines the plot of Act 3, scene 1 of A Midsummer Night's Dream. This is then performed without music. Burrows comments on Mendelssohn's music for this scene, linking it to the earlier Overture. He describes the 1843 production of the play, comparing it with this studio version. The scene is seen in performance again, this time with Mendelssohn's music. |
| Master spool number: | 6HT/72841 |
| Production number: | 00525_3448 |
| Videofinder number: | 2601 |
| Available to public: | no |
