Les Béatitudes
Encyclopedia
Les Béatitudes, M. 53, is a French oratorio
written by César Franck
from 1869 to 1879 and scored for orchestra, chorus, and soloists. The text
is a poetic meditation on the eight beatitudes
of Jesus
, from the Gospel of Matthew
, by Joséphine Colomb. It was first performed, in reduced form, on February 20, 1879, at a private performance in Franck's home in Paris
. The full oratorio was not performed until after Franck's death, on March 19, 1893 in Colonne
.
The work, at nearly two hours, is among Franck's largest compositions. It is scored for orchestra, choir, and eight soloists (soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto, 2 tenors, baritone, and 2 basses).
The work is divided into eight parts and a prologue:
Oratorio
An oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
written by César Franck
César Franck
César-Auguste-Jean-Guillaume-Hubert Franck was a composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher who worked in Paris during his adult life....
from 1869 to 1879 and scored for orchestra, chorus, and soloists. The text
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
is a poetic meditation on the eight beatitudes
Beatitudes
In Christianity, the Beatitudes are a set of teachings by Jesus that appear in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The term Beatitude comes from the Latin adjective beatus which means happy, fortunate, or blissful....
of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, from the Gospel of Matthew
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
, by Joséphine Colomb. It was first performed, in reduced form, on February 20, 1879, at a private performance in Franck's home 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...
. The full oratorio was not performed until after Franck's death, on March 19, 1893 in Colonne
Colonne
Colonne is a commune in the Jura department in Franche-Comté in eastern France.-References:*...
.
The work, at nearly two hours, is among Franck's largest compositions. It is scored for orchestra, choir, and eight soloists (soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto, 2 tenors, baritone, and 2 basses).
The work is divided into eight parts and a prologue:
- Prologue
- I. Bienheureux les pauvres d'esprit (Blessed are the poor in spirit)
- II. Bienheureux ceux qui sont doux (Blessed are the meek)
- III. Beinheureux ceux qui pleurent (Blessed are they that mourn)
- IV. Bienheureux ceux qui ont faim et soif de la justice (Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness)
- V. Heureux les miséricordieux (Blessed are the merciful)
- VI. Bienheureux ceux qui ont le cœur pur (Blessed are the pure in heart)
- VII. Bienheureux les pacifiques (Blessed are the peacemakers)
- VIII. Bienheureux ceux qui souffrent persécution pour la justice (Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake)
Recordings
- Helmuth RillingHelmuth RillingHelmuth Rilling is an internationally known German choral conductor, founder of the Gächinger Kantorei , the Bach-Collegium Stuttgart , the Oregon Bach Festival , the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart and other Bach Academies worldwide, and the "Festival Ensemble Stuttgart"...
conducting the SWR Stuttgart Radio Symphony OrchestraStuttgart Radio Symphony OrchestraThe Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Stuttgart in Germany. The ensemble was founded in 1945 by American occupation authorities as the orchestra for Radio Stuttgart, under the name Sinfonieorchester von Radio Stuttgart...
, with Gilles Cachemaille, John Cheek, Keith Lewis - Rafael KubelikRafael KubelíkRafael Jeroným Kubelík was a Czech conductor and composer.-Early life:Kubelík was born in Býchory, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary, today's Czech Republic. He was the sixth child of the Bohemian violinist Jan Kubelík, whom the younger Kubelík described as "a kind of god to me." His mother was a Hungarian...
conducting the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, with Jessye NormanJessye NormanJessye Norman is an American opera singer. Norman is a well-known contemporary opera singer and recitalist, and is one of the highest paid performers in classical music...
, Brigitte FassbaenderBrigitte FassbaenderBrigitte Fassbaender , is a mezzo-soprano opera singer, a stage director and since 1997 Intendant of the Tiroler Landestheater in Innsbruck, Austria...
, René KolloRené KolloRené Kollo is a German tenor.-Biography:He was born René Kollodzieyski in Berlin and grew up in Wyk auf Föhr. He attended a photography school in Hamburg, although he had always been interested in music, particularly conducting. He did not begin to perform until the mid-50s...
, Dietrich Fischer-DieskauDietrich Fischer-DieskauDietrich Fischer-Dieskau is a retired German lyric baritone and conductor of classical music, one of the most famous lieder performers of the post-war period and "one of the supreme vocal artists of the 20th century"... - Armin JordanArmin JordanArmin Jordan , was a Swiss conductor known for his interpretations of French music, Mozart and Wagner.Armin Jordan was born in Lucerne, Switzerland. "Mr...
conducting the Nouvel Orchestre Philharmonique and Chœurs de Radio France, with Louise Lebrun, Jane BerbiéJane BerbiéJane Berbié is a French mezzo-soprano particularly associated with Mozart and Rossini roles.- Life and career :Berbié was born Jeanne Bergougne, in Villefranche-de-Lauragais, Haute-Garonne, France, and studied piano and voice at the Music Conservatory in nearby Toulouse...
, Nathalie StutzmannNathalie StutzmannNathalie Stutzmann is a contemporary opera singer, renowned for her contralto voice.Born in Suresnes, France, 1965, she first studied with her mother , then at Nantes Conservatoire and later, at the Ecole d’Art Lyrique de l’Opéra de Paris, focusing on lied, under Hans Hotter's tutelage...
, et al.