The Play of Robin and Marion
Abstract
Music SUPERVISORS JOURNAL Book and Music Reviews Conducted by WILL EARHART. Director of Music, Pittsburgh, Pa. I The Play of Robin and Marion.–Adam de la Halle*& Jean Beck. (C. C. Birchard & Co.) A Medieval Folk Comedy Opera by the Trouvere Adam de la Halle, reconstructed and harmonized in the medieval style by Jean Beck, Professor of Romanics and of Musicology, University of Pennsylvania. As a reconstruction, a precurser of Opera Buffe, it is of great interest to the music student and teacher of music history and appreciation. From this standpoint, with some study in history, literature, art and costume economics classes, its production by the High School music department would prove of vital interest to a large proportion of the student body and faculty. It is written for nine characters. In vocal range it lies between middle C and fourth line D, while the orchestration is possible for high school, substitutions for unusual instruments being easily made. While not possible for every high school, there will be many teachers who are searching for just this work, musically true to its period, with a libretto interesting to high school age, a work which when performed will have done