Macfarren's opera Robin Hood is based on the popular English ballad literature, which he studied extensively with William Chappell for their work on "The Ballad Literature and Popular Music of the Olden Time."
Recording & Production
This recording of Robin Hood required a new performing edition because the original manuscript was difficult to read and no parts survived.
Compositional Technique
Macfarren's orchestration in Robin Hood is notable for its clarity and lightness, with each instrument having its own voice and rarely doubling others.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Macfarren, unlike his contemporaries, sought to combine the older English opera style with spoken dialogue, influenced by the rediscovery of Henry Purcell and English folk music.
Critical Reception
Robin Hood was a major success, drawing "dense crowds" to Her Majesty's Theatre and was considered by some critics to be superior to works by Verdi or Donizetti.
Composer Biography
George Alexander Macfarren, the composer of this opera, was totally blind in his later years, yet still became Principal of the Royal Academy of Music.
Historical Context
Macfarren was born in 1813, the same year as famous composers Richard Wagner and Giuseppe Verdi, at a time when Britain had no musical academy.
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