The catalogue aria from Don Giovanni: Mozart makes the sordid, sublime

My somewhat unconventional evaluation of Mozart's Don Giovanni is that it does not really work as a whole; and its quality ranges from the superb to the distinctly sub par. 

To focus on the best; I suggest listening to the "Madamina" or "Catalogue" aria sung by Leporello, servant to Don Giovanni; in which he numbers the Don's seductions, describes their variety, and the undiscriminating nature of his taste. 

As is usual with Mozart's librettist Da Ponte, the lyrics are sordid and suggestive in the extreme, with an unpleasant nudge-nudge wheedling quality to the last couple of lines: purché porti la gonnella,

voi sapete quel che fa - "if she wears a petticoat, you know what he does". 

And yet, and yet! Mozart makes of it the most utterly wonderful thing! And, as usual, does so not only with delightful melody, but with the most delicately delicious of orchestral accompaniment. 

I chose this recording mainly because of the characteristic lyricism, sympathy and crisp rhythm of Claudio Abbado's conducting, and because the orchestra comes well forward in the sound balance - so that this aspect can be heard readily. The singing by Bryn Terfel I would regard as only adequate, and much better can be found online - e.g. by Walter Berry. 

So, when listening, I advise focusing on the accompaniment - and right from the beginning when the singer's phrases are punctuated by the little runs-upward of some seven ascending four note phrases from the violins; before these are joined by the woodwinds. 

Despite being an unusually long five-plus minutes, including some repeated words; the aria always remains interesting due to the musical variety - with rapid patter alternating with strong and dramatic sections. 

Astonishingly; the very best of Mozart is saved for those last two seedy and instituting phrases ("if she wears a petticoat, you know what he does"). Listen closely from 4:20 - to the point when Mozart sets the Italian phase voi sapete quel che fa - and he suddenly, but utterly characteristically, launches the whole thing up to a sublime level of transcendent beauty, far beyond the range of almost anybody else. 

This passage is what is utterly distinctive to Mozart at his very best. Who knows how he did it except that it is terribly simple and a whisker from banality. Who knows why his genius flew at just the point when the lyrics seemed least promising. 

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Lyrics for Madamina, il catalogo è questo... (Madame, this is a list...): 

My dear lady, this is a list of the beauties my master has loved, a list which I have compiled. 

Observe, read along with me. 

In Italy, six hundred and forty; in Germany, two hundred and thirty-one; a hundred in France; in Turkey ninety-one. In Spain already one thousand and three, one thousand and three, one thousand and three. 

Among these are peasant girls, maidservants, city girls, countesses, baronesses, marchionesses, princesses, women of every rank, every shape, every age. 

In Italy six hundred and forty, etc. 

With blondes it is his habit to praise their kindness; in brunettes, their faithfulness; in the very blonde, their sweetness. In winter he likes fat ones, in summer he likes thin ones. He calls the tall ones majestic. The little ones are always charming. 

He seduces the old ones for the pleasure of adding to the list. His greatest favourite is the young beginner. It doesn't matter if she's rich, ugly or beautiful; if she is rich, ugly or beautiful. 

If she wears a petticoat, you know what he does. If she wears a petticoat, you know what he does.