Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848):
Cruda, funesta smania?La pietade in suo favore
(from Lucia di Lammermoor) (1835)
Text:  Salvatore Cammarano, after Sir Walter Scott?s novel The Bride of Lammermoor

Original Key/Recorded Key:  G Major
Standard Internal Cuts in This Recording:  45-measure cut from ?col sangue spegne?? (m. 67) to ??ro? (m. 113*, i.e., 17 measures from the end)
Teach-Track begins:  m. 1
Accompaniment Track begins:  m. 1
Pianist:  Daniel Michalak

*  Tito Gobbi cuts all the way to m. 117; this seems needlessly abrupt and is not recommended.


N. B.  The following standard departures from the printed score are included in this recording:

m. 24:  ?Per-? as a quarter-note triplet; ?-fi-? as two 16th-note triplets, sung on the notes E-natural and F-sharp; ?-do? sung on a high G-natural.

m. 33,  standard alternate cadenza, with the tempo  suddenly considerably broader: 
?fo-? on a high F-sharp, descending to E-natural for one triplet 8th-note on the next downbeat; ?-ra? on D-natural for another triplet 8th-note; and ?men? on C-natural for a last triplet 8th-note; ?ri-? on two triplet 16th-notes (B-natural and C-natural); ?-o? on A-natural for a triplet quarter-note; breath; then ?do-? on a high D-natural, held for about 4 quarter-notes, descending to ?-lor? (G-natural, as written).

m. 54:  meno mosso at ?Sciagurati! Il mio furore?; ritornando a tempo through m. 58; a tempo in m. 59.

m. 67:  orchestra completes its phrase before singer sings ?col sangue spegnero? (no overlap).

m. 119:  sing G-natural downbeat of ?-ro? only (allowing orchestra to play remaining notes); start the last ?spegne?? a measure later than written, shortening the two D-naturals to dotted-half-notes, then hold out the high G-natural of ??ro? for 2 full measures.


Notes © 1999 by Daniel O. Michalak