Reimagined Extrapolations

There are a number of extant copies of Corri’s annotations to this aria that were not included in Corri’s published treatises. These include a handwritten and undated copy acquired by Sir Charles Mackerras (1925-2010) in the 1950s, a version published in 1797 that was found in the collection of Lady Lydia Acland in the National Trust Library in Devon, and a copy currently contained in the archives of the British Museum. The extrapolation that accompanies this paper is based on the copy acquired by Mackerras.

The expressive depth and detail evident on Patti’s recording of the aria can be combined with Corri’s ornaments to reimagine how a late eighteenth-century singer might have sung the aria. Corri’s ornaments to Mozart’s aria are distinctly more florid than both Patti’s recording and performances today. Corri provided an extraordinary variety of ornaments which enhance the expressive line: from the simplest dotting of rhythm to fully rewritten passages. These additions do not change the basic melodic structure, but do require the singer to alter their approach to tempo. More rubato is required to accommodate the added notes and while shaping the phrases, while still maintaining the identified expressive qualities of Patti’s rendition as we here in Anna Fraser’s extrapolated rendition.

W.A. Mozart (1756–1791): “Voi che sapete” from Le Nozze di Figaro (1786). Annotations by Domenico Corri (1746–1825) overlaid with emulation annotations from the 1905 recording of Adelina Patti (1843–1919). Anna Fraser, soprano. Neal Peres Da Costa, fortepiano. Recorded on Dec 16, 2024, Institut für Alte Musik, Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst, Wien.

W.A. Mozart (1756-1791): “Voi che sapete” from Le Nozze di Figaro (1786). Adelina Patti (1843-1919), soprano. Landon Roland (1873-1938), piano. Recorded in 1905, Wales.

Corri’s annotations of Mozart’s aria, over laid with Patti emulation expressive markings W.A. Mozart (1756–1791): “Voi che sapete” from Le Nozze di Figaro (1786). Annotations by Domenico Corri (1746–1825) overlaid with emulation annotations from the 1905 recording of Adelina Patti (1843–1919).  

Singer’s Preceptor (1810)1

1 Corri Domenico, The Singer’s Preceptor, (University of Microfilms INC. 1810).

Haydn, The Mermaids, ‘Singer’s Preceptor’ (Vol 2 p 17-21), performed by Neal Peres Da Costa and Anna Fraser.
Haydn, She Never Told Her Love, ‘Singer’s Preceptor’ (Vol 2 p 34-35), performed by Jocelyn Ho and Christina Wilson.
Haydn, She Never Told Her Love, ‘Singer’s Preceptor’ (Vol 2 p 34-35), performed by Jocelyn Ho and Claire Burrell-McDonald.

Haydn, Sympathy, ‘Singer’s Preceptor’ (Vol 2 p 29-31), performed by Neal Peres Da Costa and Claire Burrell-McDonald.
Mozart, Ah, Perdona, ‘Singer’s Preceptor’ (Vol 2 p 22-25), performed by Neal Peres Da Costa, Claire Burrell-McDonald, and Anna Fraser.

Haydn, The Pastoral Song, ‘Singer’s Preceptor’ (Vol 2 p 36-39), performed by Neal Peres Da Costa and Anna Fraser.

A Select Collection (c.1783/1795)2

2 Corri Domenico, A Select Collection of the Most Admired Songs, Duetts, &c., (1783).

Bach, In This Shady Blest Retreat, ‘A Select Collection’ (Vol 3 p 23-25), performed by Neal Peres Da Costa and Alexandra McDougall Sharp.

Header Image: Edison’s phonograph, Experimental Dept., Orange, N.J. New Jersey, 1892. Sept. 24. Photograph. Library of Congress.