À la musique
Encyclopedia
À la musique is a vocal work by Emmanuel Chabrier
for solo soprano
, women’s chorus and orchestra (or piano). The words are by poet and playwright Edmond Rostand
.
It was written as a 'house-warming
' gift for Jules Griset, industrialist and keen amateur cellist, to whom it is dedicated ('to inaugurate the house of a friend'). It was first performed at Griset's house (then Place de Laborde, now Place Henri-Bergson, Paris
) by an amateur choir with Chabrier at the piano.
The first public performance was on 23 March 1891 with Mme Rachel-Pascaline Leroux-Ribeyre and the Colonne Orchestra
conducted by Édouard Colonne
at the Théâtre du Châtelet
. It was also performed at the Concerts du Conservatoire
on the 22 and 29 January 1893 with Éléonore Blanc (who would create the role of Briséïs
four years later) as soloist, conducted by Paul Taffanel. The orchestral manuscript is now in the Bibliothèque nationale de France
.
The music (marked Andantino, molto con affetto) is in Chabrier's tenderest, most lyrical vein, entirely free from any suggestion of eccentricity or pseudo-Wagnerian grandiloquence. Myers points out bold touches, such as when the altos, over a pedal f# in the orchestra reiterate for four long 9/8 bars the words 'musique adorable' on the same note, while the soloist and other voices weave round them an expressive melodic figure starting on G natural. He adds "its limpid and mellifluous accents are completely innocent of any of those undercurrents of irony, bravura or humorous exaggeration which have come to be accepted as the hallmarks of his very idiosyncratic style".
À la musique was a favourite piece of Claude Debussy
and was chosen by Désiré-Émile Inghelbrecht
to open the concert he conducted to inaugurate the new Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
on 2 April 1913. Present at the rehearsal for this concert, Debussy asked the conductor to play it again – just for the pleasure of hearing it.
À la musique is scored for an orchestra consisting of 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 B flat clarinets, 2 bassoons; 4 horns in F, 2 trumpets in F, 3 trombones; timpani, triangle; 2 harps, violins, violas, cellos and double basses.
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...
for solo soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
, women’s chorus and orchestra (or piano). The words are by poet and playwright Edmond Rostand
Edmond Rostand
Edmond Eugène Alexis Rostand was a French poet and dramatist. He is associated with neo-romanticism, and is best known for his play Cyrano de Bergerac. Rostand's romantic plays provided an alternative to the naturalistic theatre popular during the late nineteenth century...
.
It was written as a 'house-warming
Housewarming party
A housewarming party is a party held within approximately 90 days of moving into a new residence. It is an occasion for the hosts to present their new home to their friends, and for friends to give gifts to furnish the new home...
' gift for Jules Griset, industrialist and keen amateur cellist, to whom it is dedicated ('to inaugurate the house of a friend'). It was first performed at Griset's house (then Place de Laborde, now Place Henri-Bergson, 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...
) by an amateur choir with Chabrier at the piano.
The first public performance was on 23 March 1891 with Mme Rachel-Pascaline Leroux-Ribeyre and the Colonne Orchestra
Concerts Colonne
The Colonne Orchestra is a French symphony orchestra, founded in 1873 by the violinist and conductor Édouard Colonne.-History:While leader of the Opéra de Paris orchestra, Édouard Colonne was engaged by the publisher Georges Hartmann to lead a series of popular concerts which he founded under the...
conducted by Édouard Colonne
Édouard Colonne
Édouard Juda Colonne was a French conductor and violinist, who was a champion of the music of Berlioz and other eminent 19th-century composers.-Life and career:...
at the Théâtre du Châtelet
Théâtre du Châtelet
The Théâtre du Châtelet is a theatre and opera house, located in the place du Châtelet in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France.One of two theatres built on the site of a châtelet, a small castle or fortress, it was designed by Gabriel Davioud at the request of Baron Haussmann between 1860 and...
. It was also performed at the Concerts du Conservatoire
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire
The Orchestre de la Société des concerts du Conservatoire was a symphony orchestra established in Paris in 1828. It gave its first concert on 9 March 1828 with music by Beethoven, Rossini, Meifreid, Rode and Cherubini....
on the 22 and 29 January 1893 with Éléonore Blanc (who would create the role of Briséïs
Briséïs
Briséïs, or Les amants de Corinthe is an operatic 'drame lyrique' by Emmanuel Chabrier with libretto by Catulle Mendès and Ephraïm Mikaël after Goethe's Die Braut von Korinth.-Composition history:...
four years later) as soloist, conducted by Paul Taffanel. The orchestral manuscript is now in 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 (marked Andantino, molto con affetto) is in Chabrier's tenderest, most lyrical vein, entirely free from any suggestion of eccentricity or pseudo-Wagnerian grandiloquence. Myers points out bold touches, such as when the altos, over a pedal f# in the orchestra reiterate for four long 9/8 bars the words 'musique adorable' on the same note, while the soloist and other voices weave round them an expressive melodic figure starting on G natural. He adds "its limpid and mellifluous accents are completely innocent of any of those undercurrents of irony, bravura or humorous exaggeration which have come to be accepted as the hallmarks of his very idiosyncratic style".
À la musique was a favourite piece of 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...
and was chosen by Désiré-Émile Inghelbrecht
Désiré-Emile Inghelbrecht
Désiré-Émile Inghelbrecht was a French composer, conductor and writer.- Life and career :Inghelbrecht was born in Paris, the son of a viola-player. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire and made his debut as a conductor in 1908 at the Théâtre des Arts.Inghelbrecht entered the Conservatoire aged 7...
to open the concert he conducted to inaugurate the new Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées is a theatre at 15 avenue Montaigne. Despite its name, the theatre is not on the Champs-Élysées but nearby in another part of the 8th arrondissement of Paris....
on 2 April 1913. Present at the rehearsal for this concert, Debussy asked the conductor to play it again – just for the pleasure of hearing it.
À la musique is scored for an orchestra consisting of 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 B flat clarinets, 2 bassoons; 4 horns in F, 2 trumpets in F, 3 trombones; timpani, triangle; 2 harps, violins, violas, cellos and double basses.