Balletcompositions in context of the Viennese Classic

In the second half of the eighteenth century Vienna played a central role in Europe`s musical culture due to the pioneering innovations in the area of musical theatre as well as the autonomous instrumental music. In this context the theatrical dance experienced one of its most decisives phases of development. This `ballet en action` is one of the most progressive forms of musical theatre in this period: in connection with the efforts to a serious reform of all scenic-theatrical forms we note the rise of a form of dramatic ballet which establishes, for the first time, exploited body movement and instrumental music as central media of stage action. The biggest part of this reform took place in Vienna, where the protagonists of the innovative reform (Gluck, Calzabigi, Angiolini and Noverre) spent the most decisive time of their careers. The numerous musical sources located in European archives and libraries (mostly by Gluck, Deller, Starzer and Asplmayr) represent a considerable and unique stock of source material that still needs to be researched systematically. Aim of the proposed project is an extensive documentation of these sources. Special emphasis will be given to about 180 ballets, located at the Schwarzenberg-Archiv in Cesk Krumlov. For registration of this stock as well as of further reference (related) source material (approximately 70 ballets), spread all over Europe (Germany, Italy, Denmark, Poland, Russia), a software conception will be developped, which not only allows for queries of composers, instrumentation, succession of movements, indications for dancer`s and choreographer`s names as well as choreographical aspects, but particularly enables for search of musical incipits (succession of musical notes, melodic motives, rhythmical combinations etc.). Thus on the one hand the user will be able to attribute a particular piece to a special composer and on the other hand musical quotations from ballet music may be traced back in instrumental or vocal works from the Viennese Classic. In this way crossreferences between the ballet repertoire of this period and compositions & composers of the Viennese Classic can be examined. Complementary analytical studies of musical/(choreographical) structure of the ballets, their relations to Viennese productions, research of handwriting and dates etc. will be added. This project is a pilot project in many aspects, as systematic recording and preparing for a general availability of the huge stock of source material in question has not yet been realized under musical aspects and by means of the potentials and tools of electronic computerized technology.

By means of the project-work an extensive stock of ballets of the second half of the 18th century could be opened up to science (musicology, theatre sciences, and culture-sciences). This ballet music originated in Vienna and spread all over Europe. Ballets were essential components of theatrical productions of that period on the one hand, on the other hand they turned into important impulse-givers for the development of the autonomous instrumental music of the Viennese Classic. The musical sources of the Viennese ballet have never before been subject of a systematic examination. They now could be investigated systematically and are available to both science and practice (theatre, concerts). These musical sources are recorded in an extensive data base that is accessible via internet and comprises at the moment 208 Viennese ballets. The following informations are contained: 1) Basics (titles, subject, composer, choreographer, place and date of the premiere) 2) Contemporary performing-context (theatre-chronicles, journals etc.) 3) Informations about the sources (library, description) 4) Musical shape of the works (sequence of movements, tonality, meter, tempo, melodic incipits) 5) Special bibliography The data base offers a multiplicity of options for research, from basic information (concerning works of specific choreographers and/or composers) until to very complex combined search-functions. We succeeded in implementing a special search-function for musical incipits (melodic-rhythmic units of single movements) that allowes not only the attribution of the music, handed down mainly anonymously, to individual (ballet)composers of the Viennese Classic, but also proves its transport in contemporary instrumental works. The data base is supplemented by a detailed special bibliography concerning the researched topic and by a schedule containing informations about the artists relevant to the mentioned work (composers, choreographers, dancers, musicians). A printed catalogue of the collected sources and informations is planned and conceived. In the framework of the project-work there could be established an extensive special-archive of musical sources concerning the Viennese ballet of the 18th century at the Department Musik- und Tanzwissenschaft/University of Salzburg. It contains at the moment approximately 280 parts and scores as well as ca. 50 libretti. This special- archive will be inlarged and supplemented continuously. It forms the basis for further researches about the topic of the project, a work that also will be supported by the planned center "Theatre-cultures through the 18th century".