Description
The first of its kind, and the sixth entry in Nicole Elyse DiPaolo's Accessible Accompaniments series of aria reductions, this is a genuinely playable and piano/vocal reduction of "Grossmächtige Prinzessin," Zerbinetta's famous aria from Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos (second version, 1916). Please note that the version on this page is a cut beginning from "So war es mit Pagliazzo" and the complete aria, from rehearsal nos. 100-130, is available separately. Coloratura sopranos who love this aria no longer need to fear bringing it in for auditions, last-minute performing engagements, or other situations in which the pianist may have to sight-read from the chaotic and sometimes unplayable vocal score. Pianists may now enjoy playing this aria comfortably, without risking strain/injury.
In addition to the current cut, one beginning at "Noch glaub' ich" is also available. To see previews of that section within the aria and a preview of the complete aria, please visit their respective MusicaNeo pages.
All Accessible Accompaniments, including this one, boast several unique features:
1. No reduction ever requires stretches of over an octave, not including bass notes meant to be held or “fudged” with the pedal (though octaves may also contain chord tones within them). This reduces the amount of rearranging that smaller-handed pianists must already do. Obviously, further reworkings are to be expected and pianists should feel free to add to or modify what I’ve provided.
2. I’ve included less essential, but potentially desirable additional voices/passages in cue-size noteheads so that pianists can easily see them, but know that they are not necessary in a “sink or swim” accompanying situation. Presenting less essential material in cue-size noteheads also reduces visual clutter on the page.
3. In addition to the composer’s markings, when needed, I have included hints on particular notes to bring out when the singer is likely to need them as a pitch anchor or when it is not obvious which line should be brought out within the texture.
4. All page turns have been carefully selected so as to result in the least possible disruption to the pianist when possible. When an inevitable page turn precedes a potentially surprising note or chord, I’ve included the next downbeat’s notes in cue-size stemless noteheads at the end of the preceding measure.
5. When known, I’ve noted alternate cuts that singers might like to take within certain arias.
6. In some cases I’ve modernized spelling conventions for easier readability (for example, by replacing “ß” with “ss” in German arias) and occasionally I've enharmonically respelled brief passages for greater clarity.