In this paper, I will discuss Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot. I will analyse his personal composition style, including his use of exotic scales and non-traditional harmonies. I will also attempt to understand his compositional style in relation to his contemporaries and predecessors. At the end of the paper, I will describe my personal thoughts on Puccini’s opera and compositional methods.
Introduction Giacomo Puccini is an Italian composer born on December 22nd, 1858. He was raised in a musical family, his parents being music directors at San Martino Cathedral in Lucca, Italy. Despite having grown up in a musical atmosphere, Puccini was not all that interested in music. He was pushed by his parents to become involved in San Martino’s music ministry as a choir boy and organist. Eager to develop their son’s musical talents, Puccini’s parents had him enrolled into the Conservatorio Musici. Puccini began and
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Unfortunately, Puccini died before finishing the opera, but it is still marked by his unique style. Many vocalists of multiple genres, including R&B artist Aretha Franklin and K-Pop band Shinee’s leader, Onew, have sung arias from Turandot. Upon listening to Turandot, one can understand Puccini’s compositional character: grandiose, curious, and experimental. Puccini did not only write operas based on his own culture, but bravely branched out and wrote about other cultures and societies, embracing their musical intricacies and incorporating them into his works. Turandot, like all of Puccini’s operas, is unique in its sound, being unmistakeable upon hearing it. Its score is heavily influenced by Asian music and culture, though it is still different from Madama Butterfly, another opera by Puccini set in Asia. Turandot’s majestic and exotic sounds are a pleasure for any listener, and can be recognised by its uniqueness by all