The Styrous® Viewfinder: 09/01/2024

September 6, 2024

20,000 vinyl LPs 373: Giacomo Meyerbeer ~ Les Huguenots

vinyl LP front cover

cover photo by

photo of album cover by Styrous®

Yesterday was the birthday of composer, Giacomo Meyerbeer, a German opera composer, "the most frequently performed opera composer during the nineteenth century, "linking Mozart and Wagner", so it is said.

Meyerbeer was born on September 5, 1791, in Tasdorf (now a part of Rüdersdorf), near Berlin, then the capital of Prussia. His father was the wealthy financier Judah Herz Beer (1769–1825) and his mother, Amalia (Malka) Wulff (1767–1854), also came from the moneyed elite. Their other children included the astronomer Wilhelm Beer and the poet Michael Beer. He was to adopt the surname Meyerbeer on the death of his grandfather Liebmann Meyer Wulff (1811) and italianize his first name to Giacomo during his period of study in Italy, around 1817.

As Huguenots gained influence in France and more openly displayed their faith, Catholic hostility grew. A series of religious conflicts followed, known as the French Wars of Religion, fought intermittently from 1562 to 1598. Louis XIV, gradually increased persecution of Protestantism; the destruction of Huguenot churches and the closure of Huguenot schools until he issued the Edict of Fontainebleau (1685). This ended legal recognition of Protestantism in France and the Huguenots were forced to either convert to Catholicism or flee as refugees and they were subject to violent dragonnades.

On August 23, 1572, the eve of the Feast of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle, the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre occurred in Paris. Lasting several weeks in all, the massacre expanded outward to the countryside and other urban centers. Modern estimates for the number of dead across France vary from 5,000 to 30,000.

St. Bartholomew's Day massacre - August 23, 1572

Painting by François Dubois

The story of Les Huguenots ends with this massacre. George Sand at first refused to attend a performance of the opera, saying that she did not want to watch Catholics and Protestants slit each other's throats to music written by a Jew. However, she did, was overwhelmed and wrote to Meyerbeer that "Though you are a musician, you are more a poet than any of us!"

Les Huguenots is one of the most popular and spectacular examples of grand opera. In five acts, to a libretto by Eugène Scribe and Émile Deschamps, it premiered in Paris on February 29, 1836.

The love duet, Tu m'aimes, from act four is the highlight of the opera. The tenor role is a real bitch with incredibly high notes to be reached! Same goes for the soprano role as well. This recording came with a very simple libretto.

Giacomo Meyerbeer ~ Les Huguenots

vinyl LP box w/libretto

photo by Styrous®

Giacomo Meyerbeer ~ Les Huguenots

vinyl LP, side 1

photo by Styrous®

Giacomo Meyerbeer ~ Les Huguenots

vinyl LP, side 2

photo by Styrous®

Tracklist:

Side 1:

A1 - Act I: Overture
A2 - Entré de Raoul (Guy Fouché - Tenor)
A3 - Intermede Symphonique: L'Orgie
A4 - Récit et Romance (Guy Fouché - Tenor)
A5 - Choral de Luther (Henri Médus - Bass)
A6 - Chanson Huguenote: "Piff, Paff" (Henri Médus - Bass)
A7 - Cavatine du Page (Simone Couderc - Mezzo-soprano)

Side 2:

B1 - Act II: Entr'acte et Air de la Reine
B2 - Duo: Marguerite - Raoul (Renée Doria - Soprano; Guy Fouché - Tenor)
B3 - Act III: Scene et Duo de Valentine - Marcel

Side 3:

C1 - Act III: Septuor du duel
C2 - Act IV: Conjuration et Bénédiction des Poignards

Side 4:

D1 - Act IV: Grand Duo: Valentine - Raoul

Credits:

    Baritone Vocals – Charles Cambon
    Bass Vocals – Henri Médus
    Choir – Académie Chorale De Paris
    Conductor – Jean Allain
    Flute [Solo] – André Sagnier
    Mezzo-soprano Vocals – Simone Couderc
    Musician [Alto Solo] – Pierre Cheval
    Orchestra – Orchestre De L'Association Des Concerts Pasdeloup
    Recorded By [Prise De Son Et Gravure] – André Charlin
    Soprano Vocals – Jeanne Rinella, Renée Doria
    Tenor Vocals – Guy Fouché
    Words By – Christophe Deschamps

Meyerbeer*, Jean Allain, Orchestre De L'Association Des Concerts Pasdeloup, Académie Chorale De Paris, Renée Doria, Henri Médus, Jeanne Rinella, Simone Couderc, Guy Fouché, Charles Cambon – Les Huguenots
Giacomo Meyerbeer - Les Huguenots album cover
Label:    Westminster – OPW 1204
Format:    2 x Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released:
Genre:    Classical
Style:    Opera

Viewfinder links:

Giacomo Meyerbeer

Net links:

YouTube links:

Les Huguenots - (complete) (2 hrs., 54 mins.)

Les Huguenots - (trailer)

Bonheur de la tablé

Act V Ballet

Tu m'aimes, duet act 4

"an evangel of love"

~ George Sand

Styrous® ~ Thursday, September 6, 2024