J. Bizet "Arlesian"
When it comes to the outstanding French composer Georges Bizet, the top achievement of his work is considered by many to be the famous opera "Carmen". This work is truly a masterpiece, recognized throughout the world, but the composer has another creation, in which his entire art of orchestration, melodic gift and French elegance of the composer's style are clearly manifested. Originally composed for theatrical performance, and then transformed into an independent work, Bizet’s music to A. Daude’s play “Arlesianca” gained not only great popularity, but also ranked with the best works of world music culture.
History of creation
In 1872, the Parisians were looking forward to the opening of the newly created Vaudeville Theater, especially since the first season was to begin with a widely publicized play based on the novel of the same name by Robert Galt’s Madame Frene. As the second performance, the directorate chose the drama "Arlesienka", which the writer from Provence Alphons Daudet created on the basis of one of his stories from the collection entitled Letters from my Mill. The great experience of the theater director suggested Leon Carvalho, who headed the Vaudeville Theater, that this production, which takes place in Provence sun-drenched with its peculiar customs and customs, simply needed to be decorated with expressive and emotional music that helps to more fully reveal the images. And since the director was well acquainted with the work of Georges Bizet, he proposed the musical composition of the drama to this particular composer. Bizet, at that time inspired by a joyful event, his wife presented him with a heir, agreed with pleasure to the director's proposal. After reading the play, the composer immediately began to work. He liked the real truth of life depicted in the drama, real human feelings and ordinary people who are not so similar to traditional opera characters.
To compose the music for the play, which consisted of 27 numbers, it took Bizet only two months. The difficulty for the composer was only that the theater had an orchestra consisting of 26 musicians, and yet for such a small composition he was able to write bright music, which later everyone would recognize as ingenious.
The opening of the theater was scheduled for the beginning of October, but suddenly the unexpected happened: the censorship banned the performance of Madame Fréné, whose tickets were completely bought out. A scandal broke out, which reached the Council of Ministers, but the ban was not lifted. The director of the theater had to actively get out and instead of “Madame Frénay”, there was nothing left but to open the season with “Arlesianka”. Such a replacement did not appeal to the bourgeois public at all, because it wanted a beautiful action, and some commoners were spinning on the stage: peasants and shepherds reminding them of the Paris Commune. Yes, this music, which was so much that the viewer felt as if he had fallen into the opera. In general, the performance, initially met with hostility, did not last long on the stage, but the music remained, as Bizet made up of four, as he considered the best musical numbers: Prelude, Minuet, Adagietto and Chime, a suite a month later for the first time performed by a symphony orchestra under the direction of J.E. Padla. Ten years after the death of Georges Bizet and his friend the composer Ernest Giro joined four more works: Pastoral, Intermezzo, Minuet and Farandolu. So there was a suite "Arlesianka" number 2.
Interesting Facts
- The audience of the premiere performances of "Arlezianka" by the drama A. Daudet was extremely disappointed. One of the reasons for public discontent was the expectation of the appearance on stage of a young beautiful passionate girl declared in the title of the play, but to everyone’s disappointment she remained a mysterious and invisible special around whom all the action was concentrated.
- Three years after the death of the French composer P.I. Tchaikovsky recommended in a letter to his friends to pay attention to the music of Bizet to the drama "Arlezianka", calling it a fresh masterpiece.
- The plot of the drama "Arlesian" is as follows: the action takes place in the south of France in Provence. A young man named Fredery, the eldest son of the owner of the farm, fell in love with a beautiful girl from Arles. A conspiracy has already been made, and the family is preparing for the upcoming wedding, but a stranger appears on the farm, who says that for two years he was the lover of Fredery’s bride, but after the matchmaking that occurred, the girl rejected him. As a sign of evidence, a person showed letters indicating a love affair. The engagement is terminated. A farmer asks the neighbor girl Vivette, who has long been in love with Fredery, to help her son. However, the young man can not cope with the fatal passion and commits suicide.
- Initially, the drama Daudet did not enjoy success with the audience, and having endured only 21 performances, she left the stage. Ten years later, the production was resumed, and it became popular, but the audience was more attracted not by the action of the drama, but by the music with which it was decorated.
- Since the orchestra was very small in the newly opened theater and included only 26 musicians, Georges Bizet had to be more resourceful to make the music more expressive and colorful. For example, he introduced the newly invented and patented instrument saxophone into the score. In addition, for a more vibrant orchestra, the composer himself played the harmonium behind the scenes.
- Suite "Aleslesian" - this is the first and perhaps the only piece during the life of the author with great success and bagovka performed at various popular concert venues in Paris.
- At the present time, the music of Bizet to "Arlesianke" is very popular. She can be heard in various TV shows, animated films, computer games and commercials. And in Albania during the reign of political leader Enver Hoxha, one of the episodes of the suite was used as a military march.
Content
Suite number 1compiled by the author himself, includes four numbers: "Prelude", "Minuet", "Adagietto" and "Chime".
The cycle starts with Preludeswhich in the play plays the role of an overture concisely depicting the ideological content of the drama. In this orchestral introduction, the composer shows three diverse themes. The first is a bright, light-filled picture of popular life. The second is the image of a sensitive lad Jane, and the third is a theme conveying the agonizing emotional turmoil of the protagonist Frederi. In addition to comparing contrasting images, to achieve the sharp-dramatic effect, Bizet applies such a composer method as an unfolded variational development.
Prelude includes three parts. In the first section, which begins with the universal unison sound of the orchestra, the composer used the French Christmas tune — Noel's March of the Three Kings. Initially, the melody sounds strictly and solemnly, but in a completely different way it is presented in the first variation performed by the clarinet. It creates a feeling of peace and tranquility, which helps to recreate the delicate sound of woodwind instruments. The second variation contrasts the theme: it sounds festively fun and differs from the third, which, when played on the cello against the background of the triplet accompaniment of bassoons, acquires a soft and melodious character. The brightest and most intense is the fourth variational theme. The tutti of the whole orchestra creates a mood of joyful fun, reaches a climax rise and then gradually subsides.
The second section of the prelude begins after a long pause. The music here is completely different: a very sad and tender melody played by the saxophone reveals the inner world of a person, his state of mind. The subsequent third part of the prelude begins with a sad sob of violins, which then grows into a desperate wail, into a spiritual wail. The agitated melody becomes so dramatic that it leads to the highest point of emotional tension.
The second number of the suite is fun "Minuet", written by the author in a three-part form. The theme of the first section of the dance is a very simple motif with a repetition of one sound and bristling forshlagami. The melody truly conveys the character of the old French graceful minuet. on the background of beautiful passages of violin instruments.
"Adagietto"- the third, the smallest piece of the cycle, with a beautiful expressive melody performed by violins. The soft mute sound gives the work a special noble character filled with the breath of antiquity.
"Chime"- the last final part of the first suite again immerses the listener into the atmosphere of a bright holiday accompanied by ringing and cheerful ringing of the bells. The middle episode of the work emphasizes the sweepingness of the first section. This is a light and slightly sad melody performed by flutes, which rhythmically resembles Sicilian.
Suite "Arlesianka" № 2composed after the death of Bizet by his friend Ernest Giro, as well as the first suite includes four parts and begins with a play called "Pastoral"In the performance, this music serves as an introduction to the second act and depicts a picture of the beautiful awakening of the morning nature, sunrise and peasants going to the fields for work. The work begins with a full sound tutti, which is then replaced by episodes of a bright pastoral character, drawn by the composer using the timbre of woodwinds The middle part is a cheerful and very beautiful melody, which like bird trills permeate the high sounds of the flute - piccolo. Gyro himself orchestrated this section, taking as SVA motif farmers chorus. Ends pastorale topic of the first section, which is represented as the truncated reprise.
The second part of the suite "Intermezzo"- this is one of the most dramatic episodes of the suite, which begins with an expressive lyrical theme, originally conducted by the saxophone and horn framed by powerful chords, and then picked up by a group of violin instruments.
"Minuet"- Giro borrowed this number from Bizet's Perth Beauty opera. The very delicate transparent theme of a solo flute to the crystal accompaniment of the harp is opposed by a heavy orchestrated middle part. In the reprise of the solo, the flute gently wraps the sounds of the saxophone.
"Farandola“- the last final number of the second“ Arlezianca ”. It begins with the theme of“ The March of the Three Kings ”, then it is followed by the motif also borrowed from Provencal folklore - the“ Dance of Frisky Horses. ”In conclusion, both of these melodies are closely intertwined, turning into a festive jubilant finale with a life-affirming start.
"Arlesian" in the creative development of Georges Bizet played a significant role. The composer himself understood that this music helped him to embark on the right path, which he needed to follow to the end. Indeed, the chosen road led him to the opera "Carmen" - a masterpiece included in the golden fund of world music culture.
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