Bizet, Georges, 1838-75, French operatic composer. The son of professional musicians, he entered the Paris Conservatory at the age of nine and won the Prix de Rome in 1857. He was a gifted pianist and composed instrumental music in his teens. Bizet is celebrated for his opera Carmen (1875), based on a story by Mérimée. One of the most popular operas ever written, Carmen has music that is lush, melodic, and brilliantly orchestrated. It unfolds a story of love, hate, jealousy, and murder, set in the exotic world of Spanish Gypsies and bullfighters. Bizet's other works include the operas The Pearlfishers (1863), The Fair Maid of Perth (1867), and Djamileh (1872); Symphony in C Major (1855); and incidental music to Daudet's L'Arlésienne, in the form of two orchestral suites.

orig. Alexandre-César-Léopold Bizet

(born Oct. 25, 1838, Paris, France—died June 3, 1875, Bougival) French composer. Son of a music teacher, he gained admission to the Paris Conservatoire at age 9, and at age 17 he wrote the precocious Symphony in C Major (1855). Intent on success on the operatic stage, he produced The Pearl Fishers (1863), La Jolie Fille de Perth (1866), and Djamileh (1871). Disgusted with the frivolity of French light opera, he determined to reform the genre of opéra comique. In 1875 his masterpiece, Carmen, reached the stage. Though its harsh realism repelled many, Carmen quickly won international enthusiasm and was recognized as the supreme example of opéra comique. Bizet's death soon after its premiere cut short a remarkable career.

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orig. Alexandre-César-Léopold Bizet

(born Oct. 25, 1838, Paris, France—died June 3, 1875, Bougival) French composer. Son of a music teacher, he gained admission to the Paris Conservatoire at age 9, and at age 17 he wrote the precocious Symphony in C Major (1855). Intent on success on the operatic stage, he produced The Pearl Fishers (1863), La Jolie Fille de Perth (1866), and Djamileh (1871). Disgusted with the frivolity of French light opera, he determined to reform the genre of opéra comique. In 1875 his masterpiece, Carmen, reached the stage. Though its harsh realism repelled many, Carmen quickly won international enthusiasm and was recognized as the supreme example of opéra comique. Bizet's death soon after its premiere cut short a remarkable career.

Learn more about Bizet, Georges with a free trial on Britannica.com.

The incidental music to L'Arlésienne was composed by Georges Bizet to the play of the same name. While the music consists of short pieces with voice and chorus, as is common with incidental music, it is most commonly heard in two separate suites for orchestra. Suite No. 1 was arranged by Bizet himself, and Suite No. 2 was arranged by Ernest Guiraud after Bizet's death. Since their debut, the works have become popular musical works, often performed by professional orchestras.

Suite number one

Background

The music was written to accompany the play of the same name written by Alphonse Daudet in the same year. Originally written as incidental music in 27 numbers and arranged for chorus and small orchestra, the piece received poor reviews at first. The numbers ranged from short solos to longer entr'actes. Despite the poor reviews, Bizet arranged his work into a suite of four movements. Now known as L'Arlésienne Suite Number One, the suite utilized an orchestra but without chorus.

Movements

The four movements of the first suite were:

• I. Allegro deciso; (prelude)
• II. Minuet, Allegro giocoso (minuetto) (The ending of this movement is slightly expanded from the version in the incidental music.)
• III. Adagietto (In the incidental music, this number is preceded and followed by a melodrama that, in the suite, forms the central section of the concluding Carillon. For this purpose it is transposed up a semitone.)
• IV. Carillon - Allegro moderato (Expanded as indicated above.)

The music

The suite opens with a strong, energetic theme, which is based on the Christmas carol "March of the Kings", played by the entire orchestra. Afterwards, the theme is repeated by various sections. After reaching a climax, the theme fades away. It is followed by the theme associated with L'Innocent (the brother of Frédéri, the hero). The Prélude concludes with the theme associated with Frédéri himself. The second movement, resembles a minuet, while the third is more emotional and muted. The last movement, Carillon, features a repeating Bell-tone pattern on the Horns, mimicking a peal of church bells.

Suite number two

Background

L'Arlésienne Suite Number Two, also written for full orchestra, was arranged and published in 1879, four years after Bizet's death, by Ernest Guiraud, using Bizet's original themes (although not all of them were from the L'Arlésienne incidental music). The second suite is generally credited to Bizet since he wrote the themes and the basic orchestration.

Movements

There are also four movements in the second suite.

• I. Pastorale
• II. Intermezzo
• III. Menuet
• IV. Farandole

Music

The second suite begins with an introduction by the wind section, followed by the melody in the strings. The melodies are repeated by various sections throughout the first movement. In the suite, the opening section returns and concludes the piece. In the original version, the "central" section, which was a wordless chorus sung by women, ends the piece. The second movement features utilization of low tones and begins with the wind section. Guiraud adds twelve additional bars to the concluding section. The menuet, which is not from L'Arlésienne, but Bizet's 1866 opera The Fair Maid of Perth, features solos by harp, flute, and, later, saxophone (this replacing the vocal parts of the original); it is the most subdued and emotional movement. The finale, the farandole, incorporates the theme of the March of the Kings once again. This is an expanded combination of numbers 22-24 of the original incidental music, in which the farandole appears first on its own. It is afterwards briefly combined with the march.

Recordings

The suites have been recorded many times, but there are also at least two recordings of the complete incidental music for the play, one of them conducted by Michel Plasson. The Plasson recording uses a full orchestra and chorus. Plasson has also recorded both suites.

See also

• L'Arlésienne
• L'Arlésienne (play)
• Georges Bizet

Notable Uses

The L'Arlesienne suite was played extensively in the episode of "The Prisoner", "Hammer Into Anvil".

The fourth movement of the L'Arlesienne suite is used on Playhouse Disney's Little Einsteins. It was also used in a very successful media campaign in Puerto Rico launched in the late 1980s by the local importers of Finlandia Vodka. It featured French-born photographer Guy Paizy playing the role of a sophisticated, womanizing classical orchestra conductor. The campaign is still remembered in the island nation, almost two decades after its inception.

Albanian dictator Enver Hoxha adopted the First Suite's Prelude as a military march during his reign.

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra uses the theme of the farandole for their song "The March of the Kings/Hark the Herald Angel".

The japanese group mihimaru GT uses the theme of the farandole for their song "Theme of mihimaLIVE 2".

References

• New York City Opera: Georges Bizet
• Classical Notes - L'Arlésienne Suite No. 1
• Suite No. 1, L'Arlésienne
• Winton Dean, Bizet (J.M. Dent & Sons, Ltd., London, 1948)

External links