Perhaps his mind had been turned by the portentous, yet unmentionable, event of the preceding year?

Possibly that - being an American - it was a way of signifying that he didn't know the correct spelling of obbligato.

Baziron

This will not do. It has been our experience, gained over the course of a good number of years, that those who most confidently and forcefully put forward an assertion, generally have the least justification for doing so.

Let us then simply cite one or two recognised authorities; that is all that will be necessary to dispose once and for all we trust of this regrettable canard.

First the Oxford English Dictionary. It tells us that in the Italian language "obligato" [sic] formerly signified "obliged" or "obligatory."

Secondly the esteemed authoress George Eliot, who wrote "Don't think about reading Silas Marner, just because it is come out. I hate obligato [sic] reading and obligato [sic] talk about my books."

Thirdly there is Thomas Mathais in his well-known satirical poem The Pursuits of Literature:

    And with Raimondi's fire, and warlike art,
    Play'd some French General's obligato [sic] part.

Fourthly we find the admirable Edward Hopkins (author also remember of the authoritative work "The Organ, its History and Construction") writing here in George Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians: "An accompaniment may be either 'Ad libitum' or 'Obligato' [sic]. It is said to be Obligato [sic] when it forms an integral part of the composition."

Fifthly there is Edward Holmes, in whose delightful little biography of Mozart we read "The scena and rondo, with pianoforte obligato [sic]."

And sixthly of course there is Benjamin Britten, composer of the song-cycle "Nocturne, for tenor, seven obligato [sic] instruments and strings," his opus 60.

So here we walk hand in hand with brave Benjamin Britten, best known for his having assembled the popular "War Requiem" and several operas which despite their dealing with risqué subjects are nonetheless all the more rewarding for that.



What do all these authorities have in common? It is that they use the spelling "obligato" of course; and what a relief that will be to Members!

Incidentally and although it has no real bearing upon the rest of this message it may nevertheless interest those Members with a penchant for European languages to know that in our own score of the Five Pieces in the German Eulenburg edition the movement in question bears the German title "Das obligate Rezitativ."

As far as we have been until now able to ascertain, the expression signifies a recitative accompanied by an entire orchestra rather than by continuo alone. It was used in the eighteenth century at moments of intense dramatic crisis or mental confusion (particularly madness), and in magic scenes, and is to be distinguished from recitativo semplice. Is that all Schoenberg too intended then? He did not have much of an operatic background at this point so we continue to wonder. . . . The movement is certainly more fun than the third, entitled simply "Farben" (Colours).

I know the reason behind the title, but it is not for those who do not respect Schoenberg enough to deserve it.

It a bit like the statue on Plymouth Hoe,which has but one word : 'Drake'. My Dad told me that this meant 'if you don't know who Drake was, you don't deserve to know'. 

My Peters edition score has the same German title as Sydney's. I'm intrigued by smittims' comments. I respect Schoenberg. Don't I deserve to know? Or is it a case of if you have to ask what the price is you can't afford it?

Chambers and Collins dictionaries allow one b, but the Oxford Companion and the Guardian Stylebook don't. As for the English misspelling an Italian word, the French and Germans also go for one b.

We could blame the Italians (and the Germans, French or even the Americans) for anything. But it seems somewhat illogical that we should take over all these Italian terms (i.e. recitativo secco, Adagio, Allegro, concertante, ripieno, bel canto etc. etc...) only to decide to "reprimand" the Italians for the single linguistic infelicitude of having preferred to develop their own word obbligato from the Latin obligatus (-a-um) by adding the extra b. I always assumed that our anglicised form for recitativo (i.e. "recitative") was an inevitable expression of our regard for its clear Italian derivation.

I have no comment upon the attitude of the French or Germans in their dropping of the second b of obbligato. Perhaps they just resent the imposition of Italian words into their music (and we must notice here that the French and Germans generally used musical terminologies only in their native languages - in that respect the English were always more "European" in outlook!).

Baziron

May be many composers are doing it to protect their individuality. You have to think that you have something to say that is different than others. Therefore many things they say are a starting point for a debate.