Bourrée fantasque
Encyclopedia
Bourrée fantasque is a piece of music for solo piano
by Emmanuel Chabrier
(1841-1894), being one of his last major completed works.
(1873-1929), who in fact did not play the work in public until after the composer’s death. The first public performance was given by Madeleine Jaeger (Mme Henry Jossic, 1868-?) on 7 January 1893 at the Société Nationale de Musique
in Paris
.
It was composed around April 1891, following a visit to his native Auvergne
the previous summer, when Chabrier’s health was deteriorating. According to Alfred Cortot
it is "one of the most exciting and original works in the whole literature of French piano music". Unlike much nineteenth century writing for the pianoforte, the instrument is treated almost like an orchestra, and "foreshadows innovations in pianistic technique introduced by Ravel in Gaspard de la nuit
and Debussy in the late Études
". The manuscript is at the Bibliothèque nationale de France
.
In 2/4 time, the piece opens with the repeated notes of the main theme (Très animé et avec beaucoup d’entrain) hammered out in the middle register of the piano, and put through its paces. The middle section changes mood with a freely-modulating caressing melody (molto espressivo) before the original theme returns pp, worked in combination with the second theme, until the main bourrée theme "rampages from top to bottom of the keyboard subjected to increasing elaboration and bravura treatment".
In relation to the Bourrée fantasque Koechlin affirmed that Chabrier was the forerunner of modern French composers through the boldness of his writing technique, use of certain chord progressions, and use of modal atmosphere and ancient modes - which is never artificial or imitative, but a natural means of poetic expression.
in 1946.
George Balanchine
also created a ballet based on the piece for New York City Ballet
in 1949.
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
by Emmanuel Chabrier
Emmanuel Chabrier
Emmanuel Chabrier was a French Romantic composer and pianist. Although known primarily for two of his orchestral works, España and Joyeuse marche, he left an important corpus of operas , songs, and piano music as well...
(1841-1894), being one of his last major completed works.
Background
Bourrée fantasque is dedicated to the pianist Édouard RislerÉdouard Risler
Joseph-Édouard Risler was a French pianist.- Biography :Risler was born in Baden-Baden of a German mother and an Alsatian father. He studied under Louis Diémer, Théodore Dubois and Émile Descombes at the Conservatoire de Paris from 1883 to 1890...
(1873-1929), who in fact did not play the work in public until after the composer’s death. The first public performance was given by Madeleine Jaeger (Mme Henry Jossic, 1868-?) on 7 January 1893 at the Société Nationale de Musique
Société Nationale de Musique
The Société Nationale de Musique was founded on February 25, 1871 to promote French music and to allow young composers to present their music in public...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
It was composed around April 1891, following a visit to his native Auvergne
Auvergne (province)
Auvergne was a historic province in south central France. It was originally the feudal domain of the Counts of Auvergne. It is now the geographical and cultural area that corresponds to the former province....
the previous summer, when Chabrier’s health was deteriorating. According to Alfred Cortot
Alfred Cortot
Alfred Denis Cortot was a Franco-Swiss pianist and conductor. He is one of the most renowned 20th-century classical musicians, especially valued for his poetic insight in Romantic period piano works, particularly those of Chopin and Schumann.-Early life and education:Born in Nyon, Vaud, in the...
it is "one of the most exciting and original works in the whole literature of French piano music". Unlike much nineteenth century writing for the pianoforte, the instrument is treated almost like an orchestra, and "foreshadows innovations in pianistic technique introduced by Ravel in Gaspard de la nuit
Gaspard de la nuit
Gaspard de la nuit: Trois poèmes pour piano d'après Aloysius Bertrand is a piece for solo piano by Maurice Ravel, written in 1908. It has three movements, each based on a poem by Aloysius Bertrand...
and Debussy in the late Études
Études (Debussy)
Claude Debussy's Études are a set of 12 piano etudes composed in 1915. The pieces are extremely difficult to play, as Debussy himself admitted, describing them as "a warning to pianists not to take up the musical profession unless they have remarkable hands"...
". The manuscript is at the Bibliothèque nationale de France
Bibliothèque nationale de France
The is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...
.
The music
In a letter to Risler dated 12 May 1891, Chabrier wrote "I have made you a little piano piece which I think is quite amusing and in which I have counted about 113 different sonorities. Let us see how you will make this one shine! It should be bright and crazy!". The precision of the notation in each bar, dynamics from ppp to tutta forza, accents, pedal indications, bear witness to his wish to obtain an exceptional tonal variety and richness. The piece lasts around six minutes.In 2/4 time, the piece opens with the repeated notes of the main theme (Très animé et avec beaucoup d’entrain) hammered out in the middle register of the piano, and put through its paces. The middle section changes mood with a freely-modulating caressing melody (molto espressivo) before the original theme returns pp, worked in combination with the second theme, until the main bourrée theme "rampages from top to bottom of the keyboard subjected to increasing elaboration and bravura treatment".
In relation to the Bourrée fantasque Koechlin affirmed that Chabrier was the forerunner of modern French composers through the boldness of his writing technique, use of certain chord progressions, and use of modal atmosphere and ancient modes - which is never artificial or imitative, but a natural means of poetic expression.
Orchestrations
Chabrier's unfinished orchestration consists of 16 pages of score, or about one third of the work, with all tempi and indications for performance carefully marked.- 1898 by Felix MottlFelix MottlFelix Josef von Mottl was an Austrian conductor and composer. He was regarded as one of the most brilliant conductors of his day. He composed three operas, of which Agnes Bernauer was the most successful, as well as a string quartet and numerous songs and other music...
(for large orchestra), first performance 27 March 1898, Orchestre Lamoureux, Felix Mottl - 1924 by Charles KoechlinCharles KoechlinCharles Louis Eugène Koechlin was a French composer, teacher and writer on music. He was a political radical all his life and a passionate enthusiast for such diverse things as medieval music, The Jungle Book of Rudyard Kipling, Johann Sebastian Bach, film stars , travelling, stereoscopic...
, first performance 25 January 1925, Paris Conservatoire Orchestra, Philippe GaubertPhilippe GaubertPhilippe Gaubert was a French musician who was a distinguished performer on the flute, a respected conductor, and a composer, primarily for the flute.... - 1994 by Robin HollowayRobin HollowayRobin Greville Holloway is an English composer.-Early life:From 1952 to 1957, he was a chorister at St Paul's Cathedral...
(completion of Chabrier's unfinished orchestration), first performance 8 February 1994, Queen Elizabeth HallQueen Elizabeth HallThe Queen Elizabeth Hall is a music venue on the South Bank in London, United Kingdom that hosts daily classical, jazz, and avant-garde music and dance performances. The QEH forms part of Southbank Centre arts complex and stands alongside the Royal Festival Hall, which was built for the Festival...
, London, English Northern Philharmonia, Paul DanielPaul DanielPaul Daniel CBE is an English conductor. He is particularly noted for performances and recordings of opera and of British music....
.
Ballet
Jacques Etchevery created a ballet of the same title using Chabrier’s music for the Opéra-ComiqueOpéra-Comique
The Opéra-Comique is a Parisian opera company, which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with, and for a time took the name of its chief rival the Comédie-Italienne at the Hôtel de Bourgogne, and was also called the...
in 1946.
George Balanchine
George Balanchine
George Balanchine , born Giorgi Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to a Georgian father and a Russian mother, was one of the 20th century's most famous choreographers, a developer of ballet in the United States, co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet...
also created a ballet based on the piece for New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
in 1949.