[Dixielandjazz] Obbligato and main theme - a question

[Bill Gunter]

Hi all,

This delves into the area of "classical" music and is, hence, a bit afield 
in the DJML, nevertheless, I think (what with the current discussion on 
solos and obbligatos) that it might be interesting to some of you nit 
pickers out there in DJML land.

In the Bach-Gounod composition, Charles Gounod set the melody as a descant 
over the Bach Prelude in C (Well Tempered Clavichord).

The melody has become so famous that it equals (if not surpasses) the 
famousity (my own word) of the Bach Prelude.

So, Gounod called his melody a "descant" and it has become an obbligato - or 
is it the case that the Bach Prelude is now the obbligato to the Gounod 
melody?

Anyway, to me this song is one of the most listenable tunes around.

Did you ever get the feeling that the Bach Prelude by itself is sort of 
incomplete in a way . . . that it just was begging to be an accompaniment to 
some nice melody?

Respectfully submitted,

Bill "you can ignore the whole thing if you want - just hit the delete key" 
Gunter
jazzboard at hotmail.com








Charles Gounod