Mozart Exoticism

Exoticism is defined as a certain form of music that is designed to represent or express the nature of civilizations centuries ago. Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio clearly displays the distinction between European and Turkish styles in regards to certain elements of exoticism (i.e. musical and dramatic) through characters presented in the Opera. Mozart clearly distinguished the separate characters within his Opera by displaying different musical and behavioral aspects. However, to understand the complexity of the distinguishability between the characters, one must understand the context first. The basic plot for the Opera revolves around Osmin, Belmonte, Costanza, and the Pascha. Belmonte sought to retrieve Costanza, a Spanish woman …show more content…
However, the stereotypical nature of the characters are also exposed through Mozart’s selection of music for the different arias presented as each character is shown on stage. In Weiss’s collection of Mozart’s letters titled Opera: A History in Documents, Mozart explained [to his father] that Belmonte’s aria is played in A major. By that description alone, one can make the assumption that it contains a cheerful or upbeat tone due to it being played in a major key. Mozart also explained how he utilized 2 violins and orchestrated the instruments to play in octaves. This was implemented in order to emphasize Belmonte’s struggle to retrieve his love, or simply love in an abstract form. The aria consisted of strings, the French horn, and flutes. The vocalist seems to be a tenor due to the slightly higher pitch when compared to a bass vocalist. The aria itself seems to be connoted with a very emotional sense of well-being, which may or may not lead to a love-based tone. Based on the music alone, it seems as if Belmonte’s confliction is adequately presented and the progression of emotion was clear. Around the 2-minute mark within the aria, the break was utilized perfectly because the brief stoppage gave the audience a break from the systematic passionate tone. Melisma (single syllable sung between several notes in a consistent manner) is also apparent within the aria. On the other hand, Osmin’s aria is dramatically different from the European-based character. The vocalist presents a very low tone, so I assume he may be a bass singer. The use of percussive instruments is evident and it is accompanied by the oboe and strings. Certain phrases and words are very repetitive throughout the aria and it remains within a narrow range. The

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