Poème de l'amour et de la mer
Encyclopedia
The Poème de l'amour et de la mer (literally, Poem of Love and the Sea), op.
19, is a song cycle
for voice
and orchestra
by Ernest Chausson
. It was composed over an extended period between 1882 and 1892
and dedicated to Henri Duparc. Chausson would write another major work in the same genre, the Chanson perpétuelle
, in 1898.
The Poème consists of two parts separated by an orchestral interlude, based on the poems
La Fleur des eaux (The Flower of the Waters) and La Mort de l'amour (The Death of Love) by Chausson's friend Maurice Bouchor
(1855–1929). Bouchor also provided the lyrics for another fifteen mélodie
s by Chausson. One such song was Le Temps des lilas (The Time of Lilacs), the last four verses of which Chausson transcribed and incorporated into the ending of the second part of the Poème.
At the premiere on February 21, 1893
, in Brussels
, Chausson himself played the piano
to accompany the tenor
Désiré Demest. The orchestral version was first performed on April 8 the same year by the soprano
Eléonore Blanc and the Orchestre de la Société Nationale de Musique
, conducted
by Gabriel Marie. The piece typically takes just under 30 minutes to complete.
Opus number
An Opus number , pl. opera and opuses, abbreviated, sing. Op. and pl. Opp. refers to a number generally assigned by composers to an individual composition or set of compositions on publication, to help identify their works...
19, 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...
for voice
Voice
Voice may refer to:* Human voice* Voice control or voice activation* Writer's voice* Voice acting* Voice vote* Voice message-In film:* Voice , a 2005 South Korean film* The Voice , a 2010 Turkish horror film directed by Ümit Ünal...
and orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
by Ernest Chausson
Ernest Chausson
Amédée-Ernest Chausson was a French romantic composer who died just as his career was beginning to flourish.-Life:Ernest Chausson was born in Paris into a prosperous bourgeois family...
. It was composed over an extended period between 1882 and 1892
1892 in music
- Events :*April 28 - Kullervo by Jean Sibelius is premiered.*May 26 - A statue of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, by Werner Stein, is dedicated at St. Thomas Church, Leipzig...
and dedicated to Henri Duparc. Chausson would write another major work in the same genre, the Chanson perpétuelle
Chanson perpétuelle
The Chanson perpétuelle, op. 37 is a mélodie by Ernest Chausson, written in December 1898. It is one of the major vocal-orchestral works of Chausson, along with the Poème de l'amour et de la mer. Besides the better-known version for soprano and orchestra, Chausson also wrote a version for...
, in 1898.
The Poème consists of two parts separated by an orchestral interlude, based on the poems
French poetry
French poetry is a category of French literature. It may include Francophone poetry composed outside France and poetry written in other languages of France.-French prosody and poetics:...
La Fleur des eaux (The Flower of the Waters) and La Mort de l'amour (The Death of Love) by Chausson's friend Maurice Bouchor
Maurice Bouchor
Maurice Bouchor was a French poet and sculptor.He was born in Paris. He published in succession Chansons joyeuses , Poèmes de l'amour et de la mer , Le Faust moderne in prose and verse, and Les Contes parisiens in verse...
(1855–1929). Bouchor also provided the lyrics for another fifteen 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 by Chausson. One such song was Le Temps des lilas (The Time of Lilacs), the last four verses of which Chausson transcribed and incorporated into the ending of the second part of the Poème.
At the premiere on February 21, 1893
1893 in music
-Events:* February 9 - Premiere of Giuseppe Verdi's final opera Falstaff in La Scala in Milan*August 14-15 - America's oldest music organization, the Stoughton Musical Society performs at the World's Columbian Exposition...
, in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Chausson himself played the 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...
to accompany the tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
Désiré Demest. The orchestral version was first performed on April 8 the same year by the 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...
Eléonore Blanc and the Orchestre de la 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...
, conducted
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
by Gabriel Marie. The piece typically takes just under 30 minutes to complete.