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ARMEPDM117
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The theme of the nightingale, which occurs frequently down the centuries, inevitably takes us back to the year 1816: R.S. Rockstro tells us that two years before that date the already famous Jean Louis Tulou, who held the coveted position of first flute at the Paris Grand Opera, found himself obliged, in order to preserve his artistic primacy, to compete in bravura with a formidable adversary, the up-and-coming enfant prodige Louis Drouet, when he appeared upon the scene in Paris. These contests came to an end only two years later, in 1816, when by general acclaim the Parisians declared Tulou absolute winner following his astounding performance of the extraordinary and very difficult solo in L. S. Lebrun’s Le Rossignol, a work which F. Sconzo declared to be of only slight artistic worth, but one (which) held the scene right up to 1852, with as many as 227 performances, simply by virtue of the magnificent competition in vocalization between the singer and the first flute.
An equally famous and consummate Rossignol is that of Alexandre Alabieff (1787-1851), of which Cesare Ciardi (Florence 1818-Strelna 1877), with his passion for both Tuscan and Russian folk themes, created this enchanting and original chamber version for soprano, flute and piano entitled Le Rossignol Duo Op. 61 pour chant et flute avec piano, which was published by Kistner of Leipzig. The fame achieved both by this work and by its composer is shown by the fact that in the second half of the nineteenth century the Ricordi publishing firm decided to put out two editions of the work, one in Italian and one in English, the latter with a dedication to the soprano Laura Smart and to the flautist V.L. Needham which is probably an indication of the end of the friendly collaborative working relationship with Ciardi.
After a short but spirited cadenced prelude on the flute which recalls Vivaldi, the voice opens the dialogue with an expressive andantino in D minor in compound time; the work then continues, fluctuating between the major and minor key, with virtuoso figurations echoing the birdsong and melodic phrases alternating between the voice and the flute. The sparkling finale, marked by its vocal and instrumental virtuosity, brings the scherzo to an end in the vivid key of D major.
English words by Josepf Cantor.
Composer(s):
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Publishernumber:
ARMEPDM117
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ISBN:
9790215811706
Number:
932008
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