The Corruption of Innocence as Communicated through Benjamin Britten’s opera: The Turn of the Screw
by Simone Oliver
Britten’s opera is very traditional, and aims to communicate the full span of the uncertainty communicated in the novella. The complexity is understandable as Benjamin Britten said of his approach, simply to ‘“[write] in the manner best suited to the words, theme, or dramatic situation which [he happens] to be handling.”’(Smith 5) In fact, the full depth of the novel is only reached in the opera because of the connection between the composition and the mood. Britten communicates the corruption of the innocents in this way, as well. Britten utilizes many methods to get this point across. He deals heavily with both representative motifs and associative tonality. He is also aided by the medium he’s working with, because operas can utilize paralinguistic communication, as well as verbal. The composition also communicates the story.
Benjamin Britten’s reworking of The Turn of the Screw took four months to complete, and was commissioned and first performed by the English Opera Company, opening at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice in 1954. The Turn of the Screw is Britten’s third opera for chamber orchestra, and exhibits the extensive solos and duets he preferred to emphasize the intimacy of what was already a chamber orchestra. Britten was originally interested in the work because it dealt with one of the main themes of his works, the corruption of innocence. The biggest issue faced at the onset of the production is the same one considered by the majority of the criticisms on the work, was the Governess insane? Britten, aided by his librettist, Myfanwy Piper, decided to go with the most supernatural of the interpretations, basing his work off of the foundation of true ‘visitors’ and an extraordinarily perceptive governess. While it could be argued that the vocalizations of the ‘visitors’ change the novels meaning, the ghosts still do not interact with the living. The only direct communication between Quint, Jessel, and the living is found in Quint’s encouragement of Miles to steal the envelope.
Music can be understood in three different ways: formal, referential, or kinetic and syntactic. The formal understanding is only what is written, the relationships between notes and the composer’s written formula for the music. Britten almost exaggerates the formal meaning of his piece by composing it serially, making every interval important. Kinetic and syntactic understanding relies upon the performance of the piece, the stress involved in the orchestra’s performance, and the conductor’s interpretation of the meaning of the piece. When music is understood referentially, the composer has to count on the audience’s relationship with older phrases and themes, such as the ¾ times association with waltzes, and the patriotism associated with marches. (Corse 162) The difference between an operatic piece and a orchestral one becomes notable here. Rather than have to depend on upon the audience’s interpretation of a nonverbal medium, orchestral music, he can rely upon the meanings communicated through the lyrics his librettist puts together. The majority of the libretto follows the storyline of the book, although he differs in the role of the ‘visitors’ by giving them actual action and lines. The tone of the book is preserved however, because of they do not interact with the other characters, with the exception of Quint’s encouragement of Miles.
Throughout the entire opera, the key constantly changes, meaning that the audience cannot relax to the point of comfort, much like the readers experience of the book. Ascending in movements of fourths, and descending by fifths, the movement prevents any resolution or repetition. (Smith) This results in the communication of the relationship between the characters, as well as the tension inherent in the storyline. The steadily darkening tone of the opera reflects the further corruption of the children.
The opera begins in A major and steadily ascends coinciding with each variation change according to the twelve-tone system throughout the first act, and ending on A flat major. The second act picks up on A flat and descends in the inverted order, to end on A major. Not only does the entire piece balance around the break between acts, certain characteristics are attached to keys. For example, in both acts the use of the F Major variance accompanies discussions in the school room, while C Major is used in both discussions between the Governess and Miss Grose’s about Miles. Many keys and motifs become associated with the visitors or ill-intentions, and become more frequently used throughout the piece to reflect the conflict.
Britten’s entire composition is written in one of the most traditional forms of classical music, theme and variation. This greatly helps him to communicate the idea of corruption, because each variation gets progressively darker. He repeats the same theme thirteen times, with variations changing at the scene breaks and discoveries, easing the awkwardness of scene changes. The theme and variation, however, is composed through serialism. By using only twelve tones, Britten allows himself twenty four combinations in with which to compose, and further limits himself by his rigid movement between keys, changing key at every variation. The variations was composed to coincide with scene changes, giving the key in which the scene occurs an identifiable effect on the mood therein. Furthermore, he emphasizes the unsettlingness of the entire affair by preventing any resolutions; all key changes end in discord. Throughout the course of the piece, the seventeen themes and motifs, based off of thirds, fourths or fifths, are restricted by the key designated by their variation. The motifs and themes areassociated with important characters or ideas, like Flora’s naivety, or Quint’s sexuality. Although he never left the twelve tone system, he did not rely upon it systematically, and composed the music for both melodic and harmonious ideals, putting the composition in a position of less importance than the plot.
Britten removes the initial awkwardness of adjusting to serialism by continuing to write tonally. As he opens the introduction he emphasizes fourths by using tetrachords, chords with two of their four notes forming a fourth, instead of the hexachord, which would have accented the sixths, as seen in the rest of the piece. This emphasis helps establish the twelve-tonality, which begins on C instead of A, making it the central tone in both acts. As the opera moves through both variances and scenes, the themes reflect the action on stage, as well as the characters involved. The theme, Mrs. Grose’s theme, and Miles’s Confession all have motifs composed on 5ths, while Quint, the Governess’s Shock, Flora’s Lullaby, and the Malo song are all composed on three note cells, appearing random in comparison to the other themes and motifs. Some of the other motifs are composed on 4ths, and two of them, the Lake theme and Miss Jessel’s, are characterized by tempo or instrumentation, rather than composition.
Although The Turn of the Screw has a common overarching mood, the tone has subtle differences between characters. Quint, for instance is connected with immorality, sensuality, and uncomfortable feelings, all of which are heavily reflected in the music. In comparison, Miss Jessel’s part is far more conventional, both more tonal and less aggressive, as well as being less threatening, in keeping with her role as Quint’s corrupted, and is only identifiable by the added emphasis of the cymbal. Flora and Miles both sing simplistic tunes in keeping with the supposed innocence of their parts, although their early folk tunes and play-songs soon turn into more demented and questionable tunes, becoming more discordant as the opera progresses. The Governess’s main motif is that of consternation and nervousness in keeping with her character, although it frequently echoes the disharmonies found in Miles, Quint, Miss Jessel, and even Flora’s parts for emphasis. Mrs Grose’s part remains simplistic, the most harmonious, and serves as a grounds to further emphasize the discord found in the other parts by contrast. In one notable scene, Miles plays piano, shaping a discordant underlying tune with one hand coupled with a traditional scale with the other. Afterwards, Mrs Grose sings her praises in a variation of the traditional tune, while the Governess sings her worries on a variant of the discordant melody. Other key changes are linked to the libretto, as is the case with the Malo song, sung by Miles, states that he’d ‘rather be in an apple tree/than in adversity’. Additionally, Flora’s lullaby also holds odd mature themes, out of keeping with her character, and evidence of her corruption.
Britten did rely upon referentialism from his audience for more than evidence of innocence, however. Quint’s motif features popular elements from music connected to morally corrupt characters, sensually compromised, or the promiscuous; both children sing traditional folk songs connected with innocence as well as variations on such. The references even go as far as the libretto, with Miss Jessel and Quint singing selected lines from Yeats “The Second Coming”, in particular those lines to do with the ‘ceremony of [innocence’s drowning].’ (Teyssandier) In addition, their part is actually a variant of ‘diabolus in musica’, a traditional form commonly used to communicate great evil, or ill intentions. Although he became used to the pentatonic scale’s use due to his prolonged stay in the East, in the ears of his audience it was unsettling. Armed with this knowledge, Britten composed both Miss Jessel and Quint’s parts relying upon the pentatonic scale, in clear contrast to the operas twelve tone system. These haunting elements become identifiable in the children’s parts as well, as the opera continues. Easily identifiable motifs include Quint’s, characterized by the use of one of the ancestors of the piano, the celeste, evident in the beginning before his appearance when he is mentioned, and in all of his manifestations, and the Governess’s doubt, which opens after the prologue of the opera.
The uneven division of scenes is also dictated by James’s novel, and is a stark contrast against Britten’s other works. Britten mixes recurring themes into the music, repeating them in concert with particular characters or emotions. The incessant music lends the entire opera an air of continual change, one of the ideas most associated with theme-and-variation, and emphasizes the ‘arbitrariness’ of the ending found in James’s novella (Corse 162). Rather than discovering what was happening or returning for Flora, the book simply ends after Miles’s forced confession and death. The confession isn’t even an admission of the truth, because it can be interpreted numerable ways. In a way it serves as evidence of Miles corruption, and the opera closes on another rendition of the eerie Malo song.
Britten shows the corruption of innocence quite clearly throughout this opera, and is aided by the methods he chose. His use of serialism easily communicates the structure of the story line, as well as its repeating elements, while his use of theme and variation communicate the continuous change. Both Flora and Miles continue to act as children throughout the opera, although Miles at least ends it in an emotional upheaval. The Governess’s naivety continues throughout the opera, and she becomes more determined to end whatever is going on. Quint and Miss Jessel’s unnamed relationship with the children further illustrates the children’s corruption, as they grow closer and more insistent throughout the opera. Britten successfully communicated his theme throughout the piece.
Bibliography
Boosey & Hawke. "Britten, Benjamin : The Turn of the Screw." Benjamin Britten - The Turn of the Screw - Opera. Boosey & Hawke, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2013. <http://www.boosey.com/pages/opera/moredetails.asp?musicid=4880>.
Corse, Sandra. "From Narrative To Music: Benjamin Britten's The Turn Of The Screw." University Of Toronto Quarterly 51.2 (1981): 161. World History Collection. Web. 26 Apr. 2013.
Hubert Teyssandier, « Voices of the Unseen: Benjamin Britten’s Reading of The Turn of the Screw », E-rea [En ligne], 3.2 | 2005, document 4, mis en ligne le 15 octobre 2005, consulté le 26 avril 2013. URL : http://erea.revues.org/544 ; DOI : 10.4000/erea.544
Simonian, Cynthia. The Music of Benjamin Britten as Interpretation of Henry James’ Novella, The Turn of the Screw. Diss. University of California at Irvine, 2002. Irvine: UCI Undergraduate Research Journal, n.d. The Music of Benjamin Britten as Interpretation of Henry James’ Novella, The Turn of the Screw. University of California at Irvine. Web. 26 Apr. 2013. <https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2022/3478/WhitesellDoubtAndFailureV13.pdf;jsessionid=9D70612398A0D9F3892A1F1857EBF491?sequence=1>.
Smith, Sara E. "Analysis of the Instrumental Theme and Variations in Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw." Thesis. University of Rochester, 1983. A Study and Analysis of the Instrumental Theme and Variations in Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw. University of Rochester, 14 May 2007. Web. 26 Apr. 2013. <http://hdl.handle.net/1802/3990>.
Whitesell, Lloyd. "Doubt and Failure in Britten's The Turn of the Screw." Indiana Theory Review 13, no. 2 (1992): 41-87. <https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2022/3478/WhitesellDoubtAndFailureV13.pdf;jsessionid=9D70612398A0D9F3892A1F1857EBF491?sequence=1>
Benjamin Britten’s reworking of The Turn of the Screw took four months to complete, and was commissioned and first performed by the English Opera Company, opening at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice in 1954. The Turn of the Screw is Britten’s third opera for chamber orchestra, and exhibits the extensive solos and duets he preferred to emphasize the intimacy of what was already a chamber orchestra. Britten was originally interested in the work because it dealt with one of the main themes of his works, the corruption of innocence. The biggest issue faced at the onset of the production is the same one considered by the majority of the criticisms on the work, was the Governess insane? Britten, aided by his librettist, Myfanwy Piper, decided to go with the most supernatural of the interpretations, basing his work off of the foundation of true ‘visitors’ and an extraordinarily perceptive governess. While it could be argued that the vocalizations of the ‘visitors’ change the novels meaning, the ghosts still do not interact with the living. The only direct communication between Quint, Jessel, and the living is found in Quint’s encouragement of Miles to steal the envelope.
Music can be understood in three different ways: formal, referential, or kinetic and syntactic. The formal understanding is only what is written, the relationships between notes and the composer’s written formula for the music. Britten almost exaggerates the formal meaning of his piece by composing it serially, making every interval important. Kinetic and syntactic understanding relies upon the performance of the piece, the stress involved in the orchestra’s performance, and the conductor’s interpretation of the meaning of the piece. When music is understood referentially, the composer has to count on the audience’s relationship with older phrases and themes, such as the ¾ times association with waltzes, and the patriotism associated with marches. (Corse 162) The difference between an operatic piece and a orchestral one becomes notable here. Rather than have to depend on upon the audience’s interpretation of a nonverbal medium, orchestral music, he can rely upon the meanings communicated through the lyrics his librettist puts together. The majority of the libretto follows the storyline of the book, although he differs in the role of the ‘visitors’ by giving them actual action and lines. The tone of the book is preserved however, because of they do not interact with the other characters, with the exception of Quint’s encouragement of Miles.
Throughout the entire opera, the key constantly changes, meaning that the audience cannot relax to the point of comfort, much like the readers experience of the book. Ascending in movements of fourths, and descending by fifths, the movement prevents any resolution or repetition. (Smith) This results in the communication of the relationship between the characters, as well as the tension inherent in the storyline. The steadily darkening tone of the opera reflects the further corruption of the children.
The opera begins in A major and steadily ascends coinciding with each variation change according to the twelve-tone system throughout the first act, and ending on A flat major. The second act picks up on A flat and descends in the inverted order, to end on A major. Not only does the entire piece balance around the break between acts, certain characteristics are attached to keys. For example, in both acts the use of the F Major variance accompanies discussions in the school room, while C Major is used in both discussions between the Governess and Miss Grose’s about Miles. Many keys and motifs become associated with the visitors or ill-intentions, and become more frequently used throughout the piece to reflect the conflict.
Britten’s entire composition is written in one of the most traditional forms of classical music, theme and variation. This greatly helps him to communicate the idea of corruption, because each variation gets progressively darker. He repeats the same theme thirteen times, with variations changing at the scene breaks and discoveries, easing the awkwardness of scene changes. The theme and variation, however, is composed through serialism. By using only twelve tones, Britten allows himself twenty four combinations in with which to compose, and further limits himself by his rigid movement between keys, changing key at every variation. The variations was composed to coincide with scene changes, giving the key in which the scene occurs an identifiable effect on the mood therein. Furthermore, he emphasizes the unsettlingness of the entire affair by preventing any resolutions; all key changes end in discord. Throughout the course of the piece, the seventeen themes and motifs, based off of thirds, fourths or fifths, are restricted by the key designated by their variation. The motifs and themes areassociated with important characters or ideas, like Flora’s naivety, or Quint’s sexuality. Although he never left the twelve tone system, he did not rely upon it systematically, and composed the music for both melodic and harmonious ideals, putting the composition in a position of less importance than the plot.
Britten removes the initial awkwardness of adjusting to serialism by continuing to write tonally. As he opens the introduction he emphasizes fourths by using tetrachords, chords with two of their four notes forming a fourth, instead of the hexachord, which would have accented the sixths, as seen in the rest of the piece. This emphasis helps establish the twelve-tonality, which begins on C instead of A, making it the central tone in both acts. As the opera moves through both variances and scenes, the themes reflect the action on stage, as well as the characters involved. The theme, Mrs. Grose’s theme, and Miles’s Confession all have motifs composed on 5ths, while Quint, the Governess’s Shock, Flora’s Lullaby, and the Malo song are all composed on three note cells, appearing random in comparison to the other themes and motifs. Some of the other motifs are composed on 4ths, and two of them, the Lake theme and Miss Jessel’s, are characterized by tempo or instrumentation, rather than composition.
Although The Turn of the Screw has a common overarching mood, the tone has subtle differences between characters. Quint, for instance is connected with immorality, sensuality, and uncomfortable feelings, all of which are heavily reflected in the music. In comparison, Miss Jessel’s part is far more conventional, both more tonal and less aggressive, as well as being less threatening, in keeping with her role as Quint’s corrupted, and is only identifiable by the added emphasis of the cymbal. Flora and Miles both sing simplistic tunes in keeping with the supposed innocence of their parts, although their early folk tunes and play-songs soon turn into more demented and questionable tunes, becoming more discordant as the opera progresses. The Governess’s main motif is that of consternation and nervousness in keeping with her character, although it frequently echoes the disharmonies found in Miles, Quint, Miss Jessel, and even Flora’s parts for emphasis. Mrs Grose’s part remains simplistic, the most harmonious, and serves as a grounds to further emphasize the discord found in the other parts by contrast. In one notable scene, Miles plays piano, shaping a discordant underlying tune with one hand coupled with a traditional scale with the other. Afterwards, Mrs Grose sings her praises in a variation of the traditional tune, while the Governess sings her worries on a variant of the discordant melody. Other key changes are linked to the libretto, as is the case with the Malo song, sung by Miles, states that he’d ‘rather be in an apple tree/than in adversity’. Additionally, Flora’s lullaby also holds odd mature themes, out of keeping with her character, and evidence of her corruption.
Britten did rely upon referentialism from his audience for more than evidence of innocence, however. Quint’s motif features popular elements from music connected to morally corrupt characters, sensually compromised, or the promiscuous; both children sing traditional folk songs connected with innocence as well as variations on such. The references even go as far as the libretto, with Miss Jessel and Quint singing selected lines from Yeats “The Second Coming”, in particular those lines to do with the ‘ceremony of [innocence’s drowning].’ (Teyssandier) In addition, their part is actually a variant of ‘diabolus in musica’, a traditional form commonly used to communicate great evil, or ill intentions. Although he became used to the pentatonic scale’s use due to his prolonged stay in the East, in the ears of his audience it was unsettling. Armed with this knowledge, Britten composed both Miss Jessel and Quint’s parts relying upon the pentatonic scale, in clear contrast to the operas twelve tone system. These haunting elements become identifiable in the children’s parts as well, as the opera continues. Easily identifiable motifs include Quint’s, characterized by the use of one of the ancestors of the piano, the celeste, evident in the beginning before his appearance when he is mentioned, and in all of his manifestations, and the Governess’s doubt, which opens after the prologue of the opera.
The uneven division of scenes is also dictated by James’s novel, and is a stark contrast against Britten’s other works. Britten mixes recurring themes into the music, repeating them in concert with particular characters or emotions. The incessant music lends the entire opera an air of continual change, one of the ideas most associated with theme-and-variation, and emphasizes the ‘arbitrariness’ of the ending found in James’s novella (Corse 162). Rather than discovering what was happening or returning for Flora, the book simply ends after Miles’s forced confession and death. The confession isn’t even an admission of the truth, because it can be interpreted numerable ways. In a way it serves as evidence of Miles corruption, and the opera closes on another rendition of the eerie Malo song.
Britten shows the corruption of innocence quite clearly throughout this opera, and is aided by the methods he chose. His use of serialism easily communicates the structure of the story line, as well as its repeating elements, while his use of theme and variation communicate the continuous change. Both Flora and Miles continue to act as children throughout the opera, although Miles at least ends it in an emotional upheaval. The Governess’s naivety continues throughout the opera, and she becomes more determined to end whatever is going on. Quint and Miss Jessel’s unnamed relationship with the children further illustrates the children’s corruption, as they grow closer and more insistent throughout the opera. Britten successfully communicated his theme throughout the piece.
Bibliography
Boosey & Hawke. "Britten, Benjamin : The Turn of the Screw." Benjamin Britten - The Turn of the Screw - Opera. Boosey & Hawke, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2013. <http://www.boosey.com/pages/opera/moredetails.asp?musicid=4880>.
Corse, Sandra. "From Narrative To Music: Benjamin Britten's The Turn Of The Screw." University Of Toronto Quarterly 51.2 (1981): 161. World History Collection. Web. 26 Apr. 2013.
Hubert Teyssandier, « Voices of the Unseen: Benjamin Britten’s Reading of The Turn of the Screw », E-rea [En ligne], 3.2 | 2005, document 4, mis en ligne le 15 octobre 2005, consulté le 26 avril 2013. URL : http://erea.revues.org/544 ; DOI : 10.4000/erea.544
Simonian, Cynthia. The Music of Benjamin Britten as Interpretation of Henry James’ Novella, The Turn of the Screw. Diss. University of California at Irvine, 2002. Irvine: UCI Undergraduate Research Journal, n.d. The Music of Benjamin Britten as Interpretation of Henry James’ Novella, The Turn of the Screw. University of California at Irvine. Web. 26 Apr. 2013. <https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2022/3478/WhitesellDoubtAndFailureV13.pdf;jsessionid=9D70612398A0D9F3892A1F1857EBF491?sequence=1>.
Smith, Sara E. "Analysis of the Instrumental Theme and Variations in Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw." Thesis. University of Rochester, 1983. A Study and Analysis of the Instrumental Theme and Variations in Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw. University of Rochester, 14 May 2007. Web. 26 Apr. 2013. <http://hdl.handle.net/1802/3990>.
Whitesell, Lloyd. "Doubt and Failure in Britten's The Turn of the Screw." Indiana Theory Review 13, no. 2 (1992): 41-87. <https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2022/3478/WhitesellDoubtAndFailureV13.pdf;jsessionid=9D70612398A0D9F3892A1F1857EBF491?sequence=1>
