Trois valses romantiques
Encyclopedia
The Trois valses romantiques (Three Romantic Waltzes) are a set of three pieces for two pianos by Emmanuel Chabrier
.
To inform his publisher Georges Costallat that he had finally managed to finish the third waltz, on 3 September 1883 he wrote an acrostic
postcard, thus:
—Oiseau qui se pare des plumes du paon. (geai
)
—Qualification de la nommée Carabosse. (fée
)
—Note de la gamme. (la)
—Ousqu’il y avait un cheval de bois. (Troie
)
—Peintre ordinaire de la place St Marc
(Venise
). (Ziem
)
—Eau de table. (Vals
)
Ah ! ah ! ah!
E. CH.
Ile-faulx-Hill-Luminais !
on 15 December 1883 with André Messager
and the composer playing. Messager would later play them with Francis Poulenc
.
They are dedicated to the wife of Chabrier’s publisher, Madame G. Costallat. For a performance in 1887, d’Indy wrote that Chabrier told him not to play the pieces as if they were by a member of the Institut! – this was followed by a lesson in playing Chabrier, wide a huge range of expression and interpretative detail.
Claude Debussy
studied them at the Villa Medicis in 1885 with Paul Vidal
, who together played them to Franz Liszt
, who was visiting Rome
in 1886. In 1893 at the Salle Pleyel
, Maurice Ravel
and Ricardo Viñes
played them to Chabrier who spent an hour and a half giving them his encouragement and advice.
in the third waltz, and sharp and spontaneous rhythms.
, the waltz spins along in bubbling form.
.
, La terrasse au clair de lune from the Préludes
) and Ravel (Jardin féeerique from Ma Mère l'Oie).
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...
.
History
Chabrier began the composition in mid 1880, completing the first two; the third was not completed until the summer of 1883. Chabrier wrote his friend Paul Lacome that he was damned if he knew why he was writing them, as the Enochs (his publishers) will find them too long, too difficult; but that he thought they might sell well, particularly to young ladies who play the piano seriously. Myers notes the considerable demands made on players’ technique.To inform his publisher Georges Costallat that he had finally managed to finish the third waltz, on 3 September 1883 he wrote an acrostic
Acrostic
An acrostic is a poem or other form of writing in which the first letter, syllable or word of each line, paragraph or other recurring feature in the text spells out a word or a message. As a form of constrained writing, an acrostic can be used as a mnemonic device to aid memory retrieval. A famous...
postcard, thus:
—Oiseau qui se pare des plumes du paon. (geai
Jay
The jays are several species of medium-sized, usually colorful and noisy, passerine birds in the crow family Corvidae. The names jay and magpie are somewhat interchangeable, and the evolutionary relationships are rather complex...
)
—Qualification de la nommée Carabosse. (fée
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
)
—Note de la gamme. (la)
—Ousqu’il y avait un cheval de bois. (Troie
Troy
Troy was a city, both factual and legendary, located in northwest Anatolia in what is now Turkey, southeast of the Dardanelles and beside Mount Ida...
)
—Peintre ordinaire de la place St Marc
Piazza San Marco
Piazza San Marco , is the principal public square of Venice, Italy, where it is generally known just as "the Piazza". All other urban spaces in the city are called "campi"...
(Venise
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
). (Ziem
Félix Ziem
Félix Ziem was a French painter in the style of the Barbizon School.Born Félix-Francois Georges Philibert Ziem in Beaune in the Côte-d'Or département of the Burgundy région of France, his mother was a native of Burgundy who married a Croatian immigrant...
)
—Eau de table. (Vals
Vals-les-Bains
Vals-les-Bains is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
)
Ah ! ah ! ah!
E. CH.
Ile-faulx-Hill-Luminais !
Performance history
The waltzes were given their first public performance at the Société Nationale de MusiqueSociété 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...
on 15 December 1883 with André Messager
André Messager
André Charles Prosper Messager , was a French composer, organist, pianist, conductor and administrator. His stage compositions included ballets and 30 opéra comiques and operettas, among which Véronique, had lasting success, with Les p'tites Michu and Monsieur Beaucaire also enjoying international...
and the composer playing. Messager would later play them with Francis Poulenc
Francis Poulenc
Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc was a French composer and a member of the French group Les six. He composed solo piano music, chamber music, oratorio, choral music, opera, ballet music, and orchestral music...
.
They are dedicated to the wife of Chabrier’s publisher, Madame G. Costallat. For a performance in 1887, d’Indy wrote that Chabrier told him not to play the pieces as if they were by a member of the Institut! – this was followed by a lesson in playing Chabrier, wide a huge range of expression and interpretative detail.
Claude Debussy
Claude Debussy
Claude-Achille Debussy was a French composer. Along with Maurice Ravel, he was one of the most prominent figures working within the field of impressionist music, though he himself intensely disliked the term when applied to his compositions...
studied them at the Villa Medicis in 1885 with Paul Vidal
Paul Vidal
Paul Antoine Vidal was a French composer, conductor and music teacher.Paul Vidal was born in Toulouse. He studied at the conservatoires in Toulouse and in Paris, under Jules Massenet in the latter. He won the Prix de Rome in 1883, one year before Claude Debussy did...
, who together played them to Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
, who was visiting Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1886. In 1893 at the Salle Pleyel
Salle Pleyel
The Salle Pleyel is a concert hall in Paris, France. The resident ensembles are the Orchestre de Paris and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.-History and Design:...
, Maurice Ravel
Maurice Ravel
Joseph-Maurice Ravel was a French composer known especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects...
and Ricardo Viñes
Ricardo Viñes
Ricardo Viñes was a Spanish pianist. He first publicly performed many important works by Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Erik Satie, Manuel de Falla, Déodat de Séverac and Isaac Albéniz. He was also the piano teacher of composer Francis Poulenc and pianist Léo-Pol Morin.He was born in Lleida,...
played them to Chabrier who spent an hour and a half giving them his encouragement and advice.
The music
Delage notes the many novelties in the pieces – chains of ninths, methodic use of pentatonic scalesPentatonic scale
A pentatonic scale is a musical scale with five notes per octave in contrast to a heptatonic scale such as the major scale and minor scale...
in the third waltz, and sharp and spontaneous rhythms.
Valse I
The first waltz in D major is the shortest of the three: after an introductory carillonCarillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
, the waltz spins along in bubbling form.
Valse II
The second waltz in E major is calmer than the first, with an opening fanfare anticipating the Fête Polonaise of Le roi malgré luiLe roi malgré lui
Le roi malgré lui is an opéra-comique in three acts by Emmanuel Chabrier with an original libretto by Emile de Najac and Paul Burani. The opera is revived occasionally, but has not found a place in the repertory, mainly because of the poor libretto...
.
Valse III
The third waltz in F major is the culmination of the set, where certain passages presage Debussy (Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faunePrélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune , commonly known by its English title Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, is a symphonic poem for orchestra by Claude Debussy, approximately 10 minutes in duration...
, La terrasse au clair de lune from the Préludes
Preludes (Debussy)
Claude Debussy's Préludes are two sets of pieces for solo piano. They are divided into two separate livres, or books, of twelve preludes each. Unlike previous collections of preludes, like those of JS Bach and Chopin, Debussy's do not follow a strict pattern of key signatures.Each book was written...
) and Ravel (Jardin féeerique from Ma Mère l'Oie).