Arts: Musical Motifs in 'Tosca' - nytimes.com/video

Anthony Tommasini, classical music critic of The New York Times, demonstrates how Puccini's use of motifs with various characters and elements in "Tosca" enhance the emotional power of the work.
Related Article: bit.ly/2yCO6t

[@beth_levin_piano]

There may be no other musician who knows more about opera that Mr. Tommasini. Bravo.

[@rosemaryallen2128]

Excellent analysis, which can only enhance one's listening experience. I have often considered the complexity with which Scarpia's role is written - for a character frequently written off as a monster, he certainly has some gloriously positive music to sing! Tito Gobbi, the best (understatement) interpreter of the role, discusses aspects of Scarpia's complexity in his book on Italian opera.

[@pascualgimeno6804]

I really like the Madonna chords explanation.

[@oldmoviemusic]

This was really interesting, thanks for posting all these vids, NYT!

[@Marcel-rq8jt]

Thank you so much, this is exactly what I need for the German music Abitur

[@bonniel4325]

Thank you for your intro to Tosca.

[@1968KWT]

Hello, will there be other videos of motifs in this opera?

[@ShakerLouie]

This guy is explaining music. People who are playing instruments should at least know what they're playing, both in technique and music.

[@odamoy]

@IdoNOTlikeMichael Have you even seen Tosca?

[@likmijnreet4542]

So he goes on for seven minutes about the one theme everybody's familiar with anyway: Scarpia's. Would it have killed him to include Tosca and Mario's themes?

[@Youloush]

He actually only spends a few seconds on Scarpia, most of it it spent on Angelotti and the Madonna / prayer. I find it better since these are far less obvious.

[@carlosrodriguezotero9290]

@IdoNOTlikeMichael It is this sort of elitism that makes classical music so inaccessible.

[@Youloush]

Just because a work is complex does not mean it is inaccessible. You can listen to an opera like Tosca on so many levels, and certainly do not need a degree in musicology to enjoy it thoroughly. Your anti-elitism is just ignorance.

[@rosemaryallen2128]

No music is inaccessible. You just listen to it!!