L'horizon chimérique
Encyclopedia
L'horizon chimérique, Op. 118, is a song cycle
Song cycle
A song cycle is a group of songs designed to be performed in a sequence as a single entity. As a rule, all of the songs are by the same composer and often use words from the same poet or lyricist. Unification can be achieved by a narrative or a persona common to the songs, or even, as in Schumann's...

 by Gabriel Fauré
Gabriel Fauré
Gabriel Urbain Fauré was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th century composers...

, of four mélodie
Mélodie
Mélodie refers to French art songs of the mid-19th century to the present; it is the French equivalent of the German Lied. It is distinguished from a chanson, which is a folk or popular song.-Nature of the mélodie:...

s for voice and piano
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...

. Composed in 1921, the cycle is based on four of the poems from the collection of the same name by Jean de La Ville de Mirmont.

Composition

This was Fauré's last song cycle, composed in the autumn of 1921. Other late works he completed towards the end of 1921 were Cello Sonata
Cello sonata
A cello sonata is usually a sonata written for cello and piano, though other instrumentations are used, such as solo cello. The most famous Romantic-era cellos sonatas are those written by Johannes Brahms and Ludwig van Beethoven...

 No. 2, Op. 117, in November, and Nocturne
Nocturne
A nocturne is usually a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night...

 No. 13, Op. 119, in December.

The song cycle was published by Durand in April 1922.

Settings

Fauré's settings are as follows:
  1. "La mer est infinie"
  2. "Je me suis embarqué"
  3. "Diane, Séléné"
  4. "Vaisseaux, nous vous aurons aimés"

Premiere

L'horizon chimérique had its premiere
Premiere
A premiere is generally "a first performance". This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on. Premieres for theatrical, musical and other cultural presentations can become extravagant affairs, attracting large numbers of socialites and much media...

 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...

 on 13 May 1922, sung by baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...

 Charles Panzéra
Charles Panzéra
Charles [Auguste Louis] Panzéra was a Swiss operatic and concert baritone.-Overview:Panzéra's studies at the Paris Conservatory under the tuition of Amédée-Louis Hettich were interrupted by his volunteering into the French Army during World War I...

, to whom the cycle was dedicated. He was accompanied on the piano by his wife, Megdeleine Panzéra-Baillot. This concert also premiered Fauré's Cello Sonata No. 2. Shortly afterwards, on 20 June the Panzéras contributed a performance of L'horizon chimérique to a celebration of Fauré's works held in the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...

's Grand Amphitheatre, attended by President of France Alexandre Millerand
Alexandre Millerand
Alexandre Millerand was a French socialist politician. He was President of France from 23 September 1920 to 11 June 1924 and Prime Minister of France 20 January to 23 September 1920...

.

Charles Panzéra recorded "Je me suis embarqué" and "Diane, Séléné" in 1925, and in 1936 recorded the complete song cycle. He described his performance technique for L'horizon chimérique in his 1964 instructional work, 50 mélodies françaises.

External links

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