As Da capo is meant in the music the instruction, a piece of music – when the musicians are instructed at the instruction – to play again from the beginning. The instruction Da capo is usually completed with al fine. This means that the work is played from the beginning to the note fine. This note can be either actually at the end of the work or at any point within the notation. In addition, Da capo! as an acclamation call from the audience, to recruit musicians, singers or actors. This exclamation is intended to show that the piece was so good that one would like to hear it from the beginning.
The word sequence is Italian and is made up of / m and the noun capo for head. Literally translated, it would mean the head, but can be interpreted as beginning from the beginning. Consequently, the translation of the word sequence already points to what is at stake: something that is repeated from the beginning or beginning.
Da capo in the music explained the example
The above example shows what this is about. The score line is divided into two sections: Section A and Section B. At the end of the score line, the note Da capo al fine. This means that when section A and B are played, the musician must start again from the beginning of the score and repeat the whole thing until the note is fine. If it were not the note fine, the piece would be played through to the end. So to the end of section B.
In addition, simple repeats set up to Da capo are not repeated again. This principle can, however, be abolished by the reference con repetitione (with repetitions, abbreviated as con rep.). Then all repetitions from the beginning to fine are played.
Dal segno and Da capo al coda
Furthermore, there are two instructions which are quite similar to what is described: Dal segno and Da capo al coda. Here too, certain sections of the respective music piece are repeated. However up to another (fixed) point and not even up to the note fine.
The Dal segno statement is similar to Da capo. It states that a piece of music from the point marked Dal segno is repeated until the end point is recorded. There is also the statement Dal segno al fine (from the point to the end or until fine) and Dal segno al coda.
Al coda or even Da capo al coda means that according to ebendiesem hints jump to the beginning and from there is repeated. It is played up to the correspondingly excellent place, in order then to jump into the coda (literally tail, from lat. Cauda), thus into a post-play, and continue the work in it. Again, simple repetitions are not played again.
Da capo aria
The aria is a solo piece of music. One of the most important forms of arias is the order described: the Da capo aria. This was especially popular in the baroque period, where it occupied a dominant position (cf. Literaturepochen).
This form of the aria basically consists of two parts, which strongly contrast with one another, that is, in a strong contrast. After the second part, there is the instruction Da Capo, which means that the singing is sung by the singer from the beginning and the first part has to be repeated. If the individual parts of the aria are now assigned letters, that is, the first one A and the second one a B, the schema of the Da capo aria ABA would be.
What is interesting about this repetition is the fact that the singer part A either literally repeats or varies greatly. Because of the fact that variations are allowed and are usually desired, the singer has a room that offers opportunities for singing or singing with any color and variation. The Da-capo aria is first found in Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo (UA: February 24, 1607).
Short overview: The most important overview
As Da capo is meant in the music the instruction, a piece of music – when the musicians are instructed at the instruction – to play again from the beginning. The instruction Da capo is usually completed with al fine. This means that the work is played from the beginning to the note fine. Furthermore, an acclamation by the spectator with these words is customary in order to summon the musicians at repetition.
In addition, there are the instructions Dal segno and Da capo al coda. The first statement describes a similar principle and means that a piece of music from the point marked Dal segno is repeated until the end point is recorded. Da capo al coda means that after this hint, jump to the beginning and repeat from there. It is played up to the correspondingly excellent place to jump to the Coda (Nachspiel).
The concept of the da-capo aria is also derived from an ebendie statement from the music. This is a song that follows the ABA scheme. Here, two contrasting parts are sung, in order to repeat the first part again literally or with variations (and any coloratura).