Dictionary of Meaning
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ARIA
*** Shopping-Tip: ARIA
:''This article is about the musical term "aria." For other meanings or uses of the word, see
Aria (disambiguation).''
An '''aria''' (
Italian language Italian for ''air'';
plural: ''arie'' or ''arias'' in common usage) in
music was originally any expressive
melody, usually, but not always, performed by a
singer. It is now used almost exclusively to describe a self contained piece for one voice usually with
orchestral
accompaniment. Perhaps the most common context for arias is
opera; there are also many arias that form movements of
oratorios and
cantatas. Composers also wrote "concert arias", not part of any larger work, such as "Ah Perfido" by
Ludwig van Beethoven Beethoven and a number of concert arias by
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Mozart.
The aria first appeared in the 14th century. In that time, it signified a manner or style of singer or plating. Aria could also mean a melodic scheme (motif) or pattern for singing a poetic pattern, such as a sonnet. It was also attached to instrumental music, though this is no longer the case. Over time, arias evolved from simple melodies into a structured form; in about 17th century, the aria was written in
ternary form (ABA); these arias were known as ''
da capo arias''. The aria later "invaded" the opera repertoire with its many sub-species (''Aria cantabile'', ''Aria agitata'', ''Aria di bravura'', and so on). By the mid-19th century, many operas became a sequence of arias, reducing the space left for ''
recitative'', while other operas (for instance those by
Richard Wagner Wagner) were entirely through-composed, with no section being readily identifiable as a self-contained aria.
Media
{{multi-listen start}}
{{multi-listen item|filename=Komm' o Hoffnung.ogg|title=Komm' o Hoffnung.ogg|description=The Komm' o Hoffnung.ogg aria from
Ludwig van Beethoven's
Fidelio, performed by Alice Guszalewicz|format=
Ogg}}
{{multi-listen end}}
External links
-
The Aria Database
Category:Song forms
Category:Opera terminology
Category:Arias *
cs:Ã?rie
ca:Ària (música)
da:Arie
de:Arie
es:Aria
fr:Aria
ko:아리아
it:Aria (musica)
nl:Aria (compositie)
ja:アリア
pl:Aria
pt:Aria
sv:Aria
tr:Arya
see
Australian Recording Industry Association
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