Montgomery, H. C. “Some Later Uses of the Greek Tragic Chorus.” The Classical Journal, vol. 38, no. 3, 1942, pp. 148–60. JSTOR,
http://www.jstor.org/stable/3292138.
Page 149
The Greek playwrights of the fifth century paid homage to the chorus' musical and choreographic origins, incorporating dance and sung odes into their work.
For example, Aeschylus and Euripides either composed accompaniments to their own tragedies or had accompaniments commissioned, and Sophocles accompanied at least one of his plays on the cithara, a lyre-like instrument.
Florentines
Renaissance already at least 200 years old when some Florentine nobles wanted to recreate Greek classic tragedy with music
Included Giovanni Bardi (the Conte di Vernio), Piero Strozzi, Vincenzo Galilei (scientist Galileo Galilei's father), and Jacopo Corsi, associated with poet Ottavio Rinuccini and musicians Jacopo Peri and Giulio Caccini
Wanted to revive Greek drama with music to express poetic intension, but Greek music had almost been completely lost at that point.
Instead, they started the opera. However, this then caused the opera to go down one path and traditional tragic theater continued on without the chorus.
Schiller
Pages 150-151:
Friedrich Schiller understood the importance of the chorus in Greek theater and tried to bring it back in his play, the Bride of Messina.
Schiller thought the old poets' choruses were inspired by nature, but modern artists had to introduce the chorus in a more poetic manner. He felt that the French tragic playwrights had misunderstood the ancients when they failed to include choruses.
To him, the chorus' job was to be "an ideal person" that would enhance the plot and lyrical flair.
After it was performed in March 1803 at Weimar, the performance was celebrated by students but denounced by critics, who specifically critiqued the use of the chorus.
German poet Schiller Carlyle said that "the chorus retarded the plot, dissipating and diffusing the sympathies."
Wagner
Page 152:
Richard Wagner was interested in Greek mythology
Wrote a letter to Nietzsche saying "No boy could have had greater enthusiasm for classical antiquity than myself."
Tried reading Sophocles in the original Greek in 1830, but failed.
Page 154:
Wrote his longest work, the Ring, as a trilogy, just like the Oresteia
Wrote 1851 essay Opera and Drama, where he pays tribute to Greek drama.
Page 157:
Wagner's Use of the orchestra similar to Greek chorus because both generally conclude the drama, "bridg[ing] the space from the dramatic action back to every-day life."
Montgomery, H. C. “Some Later Uses of the Greek Tragic Chorus.” The Classical Journal, vol. 38, no. 3, 1942, pp. 148–60. JSTOR,
http://www.jstor.org/stable/3292138.
Page 149
The Greek playwrights of the fifth century paid homage to the chorus' musical and choreographic origins, incorporating dance and sung odes into their work.
For example, Aeschylus and Euripides either composed accompaniments to their own tragedies or had accompaniments commissioned, and Sophocles accompanied at least one of his plays on the cithara, a lyre-like instrument.
Florentines
Renaissance already at least 200 years old when some Florentine nobles wanted to recreate Greek classic tragedy with music
Included Giovanni Bardi (the Conte di Vernio), Piero Strozzi, Vincenzo Galilei (scientist Galileo Galilei's father), and Jacopo Corsi, associated with poet Ottavio Rinuccini and musicians Jacopo Peri and Giulio Caccini
Wanted to revive Greek drama with music to express poetic intension, but Greek music had almost been completely lost at that point.
Instead, they started the opera. However, this then caused the opera to go down one path and traditional tragic theater continued on without the chorus.
Schiller
Pages 150-151:
Friedrich Schiller understood the importance of the chorus in Greek theater and tried to bring it back in his play, the Bride of Messina.
Schiller thought the old poets' choruses were inspired by nature, but modern artists had to introduce the chorus in a more poetic manner. He felt that the French tragic playwrights had misunderstood the ancients when they failed to include choruses.
To him, the chorus' job was to be "an ideal person" that would enhance the plot and lyrical flair.
After it was performed in March 1803 at Weimar, the performance was celebrated by students but denounced by critics, who specifically critiqued the use of the chorus.
German poet Schiller Carlyle said that "the chorus retarded the plot, dissipating and diffusing the sympathies."
Wagner
Page 152:
Richard Wagner was interested in Greek mythology
Wrote a letter to Nietzsche saying "No boy could have had greater enthusiasm for classical antiquity than myself."
Tried reading Sophocles in the original Greek in 1830, but failed.
Page 154:
Wrote his longest work, the Ring, as a trilogy, just like the Oresteia
Wrote 1851 essay Opera and Drama, where he pays tribute to Greek drama.
Page 157:
Wagner's Use of the orchestra similar to Greek chorus because both generally conclude the drama, "bridg[ing] the space from the dramatic action back to every-day life."