Teaching Materials
Using Carmen to Teach Music
HOW TO USE THIS STUDY GUIDE
Motivation/Role Play Exercises
Recurring motifs
Use of rhythm
Recurring Motifs:
The most important recurring motif in Carmen is the "Fate" motif first introduced in the Prelude. This occurs in the coda of the Prelude. It is a 5-note phrase with an exotic interval of an augmented 2nd punctuated with 2 deep thuds. (See example #1). This motif will be repeated in various permutations at crucial moments in the opera.
This motif repeats again in the following places:
"Habanera" - Before Carmen's aria begins, the music which introduces her uses a diminution of the "fate" melody. (See Example #2).
At the end of the aria, as Carmen stares at Don Jose, the soldier she has had her eye on all along, the "fate" motif appears most prominently in the cellos under tremolo upper strings to set destiny in motion. (See Example #3)
In Act II, when Don Jose tries to prove that he still loves Carmen, to the accompaniment of the "fate" motif in the oboe, he takes out the flower that she threw him in Act I.
In Act III, just before it is Carmen's turn to deal her ill-fated deck of cards, the "fate" motif is played in diminution to set up her aria which foretells her impending doom.
At the end of Act III, Don Jose must take leave of Carmen to go to his dying mother. He knows by now that Carmen has another lover in Escamillo. The "fate" motif peels out in full force by the French horns just as Escamillo goes off singing a reprise of his "Toreador Song."
In the final scene, the "fate" melody is played fortissimo 6 times by the full orchestra to hammer home with finality what began as a coda in the opening Prelude.
Another recurring motif is the very opening of the Prelude to Act I which represents the procession of the bullfighters and occurs again in Act IV when the bullfighters enter. (See Example #4).
Another recurring motif is the main theme of the "Toreador Song." It is heard first as Theme C of the Prelude. It comes back most prominently in Escamillo's aria in Act II, as an ironic twist at the end of Act III when Escamillo invites Carmen to see him in his next bullfight, and recurs in Act IV at his entrance just before the bullfight. (See Example #5).
In the 2 scenes with Micaela, the girl from back home, whenever there is a reference to Don Jose's mother, there is an expressive, rising, stepwise, legato melody. (See Example #6). This first occurs in Act I when Micaela comes looking for Don Jose and recurs in Act III when she tells him that his mother is dying.
Use of Rhythm:
"Habanera" - Bizet's use of rhythm, particularly Spanish rhythms, is very important in Carmen. One of the first important places where this occurs is in Carmen's opening aria, known as "Habanera." This is a case where the music itself is so famous and catchy that it can be its own motivation. Play the opening rhythm (it occurs 4 times). It is a 4-note tango rhythm, with the 2nd note shorter than the others (see Example #7).
The melody is a snake-like, slivering, descending chromatic melody which shows Carmen's seductive and sultry nature. She can have any soldier she wants. But she is free as a bird and will choose the man who least notices her. After Carmen sings the opening melody, the soldiers repeat her melody while she seductively interposes "L'amour" 3 times. The main theme is a descending melody in the key of D Minor while the 2nd part of her aria is basically ascending in the parallel key of D Major. The soldiers punctuate her melody with "Prends garde a toi" (You'd better be on guard") to the exact 4-note tango rhythm mentioned above. This entire process is repeated for a second verse. (see Example #8)
"Seguidilla" - This is the scene introduced in the opening motivation. Carmen has been arrested and Don Jose has been assigned to guard her. By promising to meet him, drink with him and dance with him at the inn of Lillas Pastia, she seduces Don Jose into letting her go includes the characteristic Seguidilla rhythm and the main melody (see examples #9 and #10). Just like the "Habanera" rhythm had a characteristic rhythm, so too does the "Seguidilla." In the "Habanera's meter of 2, there were 4 notes, with the 2nd note shorter than the others and close to the 3rd note. So too the "Seguidilla" rhythm has 4 notes (although in a meter of 3) with the 2nd note close to the 3rd. The 3rd and 4th notes of the rhythmic motif are the same. When heard as the accompaniment in the strings, it sounds like a Spanish guitar from southern Spain from where the Seguidilla dance originated (see example #9).
Example 10
"Toreador Song"- There are 2 main melodies in this number: the first melody, in F minor, with its characteristic accompanying Spanish rhythm (see example #11) describes the bullfight, and the second melody (see example #5) is the march-like "Toreador" refrain, heard earlier in the Prelude which hints of the girl that is waiting for him after the bullfight is over. The gypsies, along with Carmen, Frasquita and Mercedes repeat this "Toreador" refrain. There is then a second stanza in the same manner as the first except that at the end, Carmen's 2 gypsy friends then Carmen flirt with Escamillo on the words "L'amour."
"Song of the Castanets" - This excerpt includes Carmen singing a "la, la, la," rhythm to the accompaniment of castinets while trumpets are playing a bugle call in the background as a countermelody. This represents Don Jose's dilemma: should he stay with Carmen or go back to barracks? This is a perfect example of how counterpoint in the music directly reflects counterpoint (or conflict) in the drama. (See example #12.)
Motivation/Role Play Exercises
Recurring motifs
Use of rhythm
Recurring Motifs:
The most important recurring motif in Carmen is the "Fate" motif first introduced in the Prelude. This occurs in the coda of the Prelude. It is a 5-note phrase with an exotic interval of an augmented 2nd punctuated with 2 deep thuds. (See example #1). This motif will be repeated in various permutations at crucial moments in the opera.
This motif repeats again in the following places:
"Habanera" - Before Carmen's aria begins, the music which introduces her uses a diminution of the "fate" melody. (See Example #2).
At the end of the aria, as Carmen stares at Don Jose, the soldier she has had her eye on all along, the "fate" motif appears most prominently in the cellos under tremolo upper strings to set destiny in motion. (See Example #3)
In Act II, when Don Jose tries to prove that he still loves Carmen, to the accompaniment of the "fate" motif in the oboe, he takes out the flower that she threw him in Act I.
In Act III, just before it is Carmen's turn to deal her ill-fated deck of cards, the "fate" motif is played in diminution to set up her aria which foretells her impending doom.
At the end of Act III, Don Jose must take leave of Carmen to go to his dying mother. He knows by now that Carmen has another lover in Escamillo. The "fate" motif peels out in full force by the French horns just as Escamillo goes off singing a reprise of his "Toreador Song."
In the final scene, the "fate" melody is played fortissimo 6 times by the full orchestra to hammer home with finality what began as a coda in the opening Prelude.
Another recurring motif is the very opening of the Prelude to Act I which represents the procession of the bullfighters and occurs again in Act IV when the bullfighters enter. (See Example #4).
Another recurring motif is the main theme of the "Toreador Song." It is heard first as Theme C of the Prelude. It comes back most prominently in Escamillo's aria in Act II, as an ironic twist at the end of Act III when Escamillo invites Carmen to see him in his next bullfight, and recurs in Act IV at his entrance just before the bullfight. (See Example #5).
In the 2 scenes with Micaela, the girl from back home, whenever there is a reference to Don Jose's mother, there is an expressive, rising, stepwise, legato melody. (See Example #6). This first occurs in Act I when Micaela comes looking for Don Jose and recurs in Act III when she tells him that his mother is dying.
Use of Rhythm:
"Habanera" - Bizet's use of rhythm, particularly Spanish rhythms, is very important in Carmen. One of the first important places where this occurs is in Carmen's opening aria, known as "Habanera." This is a case where the music itself is so famous and catchy that it can be its own motivation. Play the opening rhythm (it occurs 4 times). It is a 4-note tango rhythm, with the 2nd note shorter than the others (see Example #7).
The melody is a snake-like, slivering, descending chromatic melody which shows Carmen's seductive and sultry nature. She can have any soldier she wants. But she is free as a bird and will choose the man who least notices her. After Carmen sings the opening melody, the soldiers repeat her melody while she seductively interposes "L'amour" 3 times. The main theme is a descending melody in the key of D Minor while the 2nd part of her aria is basically ascending in the parallel key of D Major. The soldiers punctuate her melody with "Prends garde a toi" (You'd better be on guard") to the exact 4-note tango rhythm mentioned above. This entire process is repeated for a second verse. (see Example #8)
"Seguidilla" - This is the scene introduced in the opening motivation. Carmen has been arrested and Don Jose has been assigned to guard her. By promising to meet him, drink with him and dance with him at the inn of Lillas Pastia, she seduces Don Jose into letting her go includes the characteristic Seguidilla rhythm and the main melody (see examples #9 and #10). Just like the "Habanera" rhythm had a characteristic rhythm, so too does the "Seguidilla." In the "Habanera's meter of 2, there were 4 notes, with the 2nd note shorter than the others and close to the 3rd note. So too the "Seguidilla" rhythm has 4 notes (although in a meter of 3) with the 2nd note close to the 3rd. The 3rd and 4th notes of the rhythmic motif are the same. When heard as the accompaniment in the strings, it sounds like a Spanish guitar from southern Spain from where the Seguidilla dance originated (see example #9).
Example 10
"Toreador Song"- There are 2 main melodies in this number: the first melody, in F minor, with its characteristic accompanying Spanish rhythm (see example #11) describes the bullfight, and the second melody (see example #5) is the march-like "Toreador" refrain, heard earlier in the Prelude which hints of the girl that is waiting for him after the bullfight is over. The gypsies, along with Carmen, Frasquita and Mercedes repeat this "Toreador" refrain. There is then a second stanza in the same manner as the first except that at the end, Carmen's 2 gypsy friends then Carmen flirt with Escamillo on the words "L'amour."
"Song of the Castanets" - This excerpt includes Carmen singing a "la, la, la," rhythm to the accompaniment of castinets while trumpets are playing a bugle call in the background as a countermelody. This represents Don Jose's dilemma: should he stay with Carmen or go back to barracks? This is a perfect example of how counterpoint in the music directly reflects counterpoint (or conflict) in the drama. (See example #12.)
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