Showing posts with label Hector Berlioz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hector Berlioz. Show all posts
July 13, 2026
Tom White Celebration of Life - July 11, 2026
Tom White Memorial - July 11, 2026
graphics by Keela Page
On Saturday the celebration of the life of Thomas Bruce White III was held at the BK Studio in Berkeley, California. Over a hundred people from everywhere were in attendance, friends, students, associates, etc.
Videos commemorating Tom's life were presented by documentation artist Kyung Lee and, of course me, Styrous®. Decades ago, Tom asked that the aria, The King of Thule from the opera The Damnation of Faust by Hector Berlioz, be played should there be a memorial for him when he died. I added photos from our 50 year relationship to the audio of that aria (links below). The 4-1/2 minute piece of music was WAY to short to fit the millions of images I have of him, of course, but I did the best I could.
The aria is a French translation of a German lyric poem, Faust, by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe written in 1774; I've included an English translation. The quality sucks but I've uploaded the video to my blog (links below).
Thūlē also spelled as Thylē) is a mythical island, the most northerly location (if not Hyperborea) mentioned in ancient Greek and Roman literature and cartography. First written of by the Greek explorer Pytheas of Massalia (modern-day Marseille, France) in about 320 BC, it was often described by later writers as an island north of Ireland or Britain, despite that Pytheas never explicitly described it as an island. Modern interpretations have included Orkney, Shetland, Northern Scotland, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland. Other potential locations are the island of Saaremaa in Estonia, or the Norwegian island of Smøla.
The 20 hour soundtrack (all the music I could find from the fifties) for the event featured the songs we loved and danced to way back then (link below soon).
The celebration far exceeded my hopes and expectations thanks to the assistance from friends, family and especially Keela of BK Studio. I am indebted to them forever!
July 11, 2026 sunset
Net links:
Youtube links:
Hector Berlioz ~ The Damnation of Faust
Frederica von Stade ~ The King of Thule
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ~ The King Of Thule reading
KQED ~ We R Here
Kyung Lee ~ TELOS: The Fantastic World of Eugene Tssui
Styrous® ~ Monday, July 13, 2026
Hector Berlioz ~ The King of Thule
The King of Thule - 1896
painting by Pierre Jean Van der Ouderaa
Es war ein König in Thule,
Gar treu bis an das Grab,
Dem sterbend seine Buhle
einen goldnen Becher gab.
Es ging ihm nichts darüber,
Er leert' ihn jeden Schmaus;
Die Augen gingen ihm über,
So oft er trank daraus.
Und als er kam zu sterben,
Zählt' er seine Städt' im Reich,
Gönnt' alles seinen Erben,
Den Becher nicht zugleich.
Er saß beim Königsmahle,
Die Ritter um ihn her,
Auf hohem Vätersaale,
Dort auf dem Schloß am Meer.
Dort stand der alte Zecher,
Trank letzte Lebensglut,
Und warf den heiligen Becher
Hinunter in die Flut.
Er sah ihn stürzen, trinken
Und sinken tief ins Meer,
die Augen täten ihm sinken,
Trank nie einen Tropfen mehr.
There was a king in Thule,
Was faithful till the grave,
To whom his mistress, dying,
A golden goblet gave.
Nought was to him more precious;
He drained it at every bout;
His eyes with tears ran over,
As oft as he drank thereout.
When came his time of dying,
The towns in his land he told,
Nought else to his heir denying
Except the goblet of gold.
He sat at the royal banquet
With his knights of high degree,
In the lofty hall of his fathers
In the castle by the sea.
There stood the old carouser,
And drank the last life-glow;
And hurled the hallowed goblet
Into the tide below.
He saw it plunging and filling,
And sinking deep in the sea:
Then fell his eyelids for ever,
And never more drank he!
December 11, 2021
Brassy Berlioz & Adolphe Sax
~ Hector Berlioz - 1863
photo by Pierre Petit
Today is the birthday of French composer Hector Berlioz who was the author of many styles of music from light "Pop" classical (Symphonie fantastique) to heavenly "Grand" opera (La Damnation de Faust).
Berlioz
discovered the brass and woodwind instruments that were being invented at the time by
Adolphe Sax, fell in love with the sound of them and utilized them in some of his works to great advantage.
This is beautifully demonstrated in his Requiem, Op. 5, The Grande Messe des Morts, that he composed in 1837, which has an orchestration of woodwind and brass instruments, including four antiphonal offstage brass ensembles, as well as the Symphonie fantastique.
In 1837, Adrien de Gasparin, the Minister of the Interior of France, asked Berlioz to compose a Requiem Mass to remember soldiers who died in the Revolution of July 1830. Berlioz accepted the request, having already wanted to compose a large orchestral work. Meanwhile, the orchestra
was growing in size and quality, and the use of woodwinds and brass was
expanding due to the increasing ease of intonation afforded by the current
instrument makers such as Sax.
The Requiem is scored for a massive orchestra, including four brass choirs at the corners of the stage, and chorus. In relation to the number of singers and strings, Berlioz indicates in the score . . .
"The number [of performers] indicated is only relative. If space permits, the chorus may be doubled or tripled, and the orchestra be proportionally increased. But in the event of an exceptionally large chorus, say 700 to 800 voices (!!!!), the entire chorus should only be used for the Dies irae [portraying Judgement Day], the Tuba mirum, and the Lacrimosa [the last two part of the Dies irae], the rest of the movements being restricted to 400 voices."
Lacrimosa dies illa
Qua resurget ex favilla
Judicandus homo reus.
Huic ergo parce, Deus:
Pie Jesu Domine,
Dona eis requiem. Amen.
Full of tears will be that day
When from the ashes shall arise
The guilty man to be judged;
Therefore spare him, O God,
Merciful Lord Jesus,
Grant them eternal rest. Amen.
There is the story that during the premiere in Paris of the Requiem Mass, conductor Francois-Antoine Habeneck, decided to take a pinch of snuff during an especially tricky passage at the very moment he should have been giving an important cue to the orchestra. To avert disaster, Berlioz jumped up, gave the cue, and afterwards accused Habeneck of sabotage. An urban legend (link below)?
One of my favorite pieces of music by Berlioz is the Trio of the Young Ismaëlites from his oratorio, L'enfance du Christ, which features two flutes and harp. It is a beautiful and soothing exposition of flute at its very best.
Viewfinder links:
Net links:
Berlioz site ~ Grande messe des morts (Requiem)
Classical Notes ~ Berlioz Requiem
The Imaginative Conservative ~ Top 10 Greatest Requiem Masses
Indychoir ~ Berloz Requiem: Program notes
Player FM ~ Berlioz gets snuffed?
Requiem (Grande Messe des Morts) ~ sgrathwohl ~ The Berlioz Requiem: A few thoughts
Hector Berlioz ~
Requiem (Grande Messe des Morts) ~
WDR Symphony Orchestra & Choir (complete) (1 hr., 19 mins.)
Leonard Bernstein ~ Dies Irae (3 mins., 18 secs.)
Monteverdi Orchestre et Choeur ~ Dies Irae (12 mins.) Myung-Whun Chung (complete) (56 mins.)
Trio des jeunes Ismaélites (L’enfance du Christ)
November 8, 2021
Hector Berlioz articles/mentions
July 17, 2020
July 7, 2020
December 11, 2018
1,000,001 CDs 11: Hector Berlioz ~ The King of Thule
~
Styrous® ~ Tuesday, December 11, 2018
CD case front
photo by Styrous®
Louis-Hector Berlioz was born on this date, December 11, in 1803. As my tribute to him I've chosen the aria, The King of Thule from his work, La damnation de Faust. The aria is up there with the most beautiful melodies in the repertoire of opera.
CD case back
photo by Styrous®
This version, sung by mezzo-soprano, Frederica von Stade, is my very favorite of all the versions I've heard (link below). It appears in Part Three, scene IX, of La damnation de Faust.
CD libretto detail
detail photo by Styrous®
In it, von Stade as Marguerite sings, in French, a tale of a king savoring his last taste of wine from a goblet given to him by his dead loved one before he himself dies.
Es war ein König in Thule,
Gar treu bis an das Grab,
Dem sterbend seine Buhle
einen goldnen Becher gab.
Es ging ihm nichts darüber,
Er leert' ihn jeden Schmaus;
Die Augen gingen ihm über,
So oft er trank daraus.
Und als er kam zu sterben,
Zählt' er seine Städt' im Reich,
Gönnt' alles seinen Erben,
Den Becher nicht zugleich.
Er saß beim Königsmahle,
Die Ritter um ihn her,
Auf hohem Vätersaale,
Dort auf dem Schloß am Meer.
Dort stand der alte Zecher,
Trank letzte Lebensglut,
Und warf den heiligen Becher
Hinunter in die Flut.
Er sah ihn stürzen, trinken
Und sinken tief ins Meer,
die Augen täten ihm sinken,
Trank nie einen Tropfen mehr
Gar treu bis an das Grab,
Dem sterbend seine Buhle
einen goldnen Becher gab.
Es ging ihm nichts darüber,
Er leert' ihn jeden Schmaus;
Die Augen gingen ihm über,
So oft er trank daraus.
Und als er kam zu sterben,
Zählt' er seine Städt' im Reich,
Gönnt' alles seinen Erben,
Den Becher nicht zugleich.
Er saß beim Königsmahle,
Die Ritter um ihn her,
Auf hohem Vätersaale,
Dort auf dem Schloß am Meer.
Dort stand der alte Zecher,
Trank letzte Lebensglut,
Und warf den heiligen Becher
Hinunter in die Flut.
Er sah ihn stürzen, trinken
Und sinken tief ins Meer,
die Augen täten ihm sinken,
Trank nie einen Tropfen mehr
There was a king in Thule,
Was faithful till the grave,
To whom his mistress, dying,
A golden goblet gave.
Nought was to him more precious;
He drained it at every bout;
His eyes with tears ran over,
As oft as he drank thereout.
When came his time of dying,
The towns in his land he told,
Nought else to his heir denying
Except the goblet of gold.
He sat at the royal banquet
With his knights of high degree,
In the lofty hall of his fathers
In the castle by the sea.
There stood the old carouser,
And drank the last life-glow;
And hurled the hallowed goblet
Into the tide below.
He saw it plunging and filling,
And sinking deep in the sea:
Then fell his eyelids for ever,
And never more drank he!
Was faithful till the grave,
To whom his mistress, dying,
A golden goblet gave.
Nought was to him more precious;
He drained it at every bout;
His eyes with tears ran over,
As oft as he drank thereout.
When came his time of dying,
The towns in his land he told,
Nought else to his heir denying
Except the goblet of gold.
He sat at the royal banquet
With his knights of high degree,
In the lofty hall of his fathers
In the castle by the sea.
There stood the old carouser,
And drank the last life-glow;
And hurled the hallowed goblet
Into the tide below.
He saw it plunging and filling,
And sinking deep in the sea:
Then fell his eyelids for ever,
And never more drank he!
Berlioz was inspired by a translation of the German dramatic poem by Goethe, Faust when he read Part One in 1828. He
said, "this marvellous book fascinated me from the first", he recalled in his Memoirs. "I could not put it down. I read it incessantly, at meals, in the theatre, in the street." He was so impressed that a suite entitled Eight Scenes from Faust
became his Opus 1 (1829), though he later recalled all the copies of it
he could find. He returned to the material in 1845, to make a larger
work, with some additional text by Almire Gandonnière to Berlioz's specifications, that he first called a "concert opera", and as it expanded, finally a "dramatic legend".
CD 1
photo by Styrous®
La damnation de Faust
was not originally written for the stage but it is usually presented as
an opera. It is a work in four parts and twenty scenes for four solo
voices, full seven-part chorus, a large children's chorus and orchestra.
He called it a "légende dramatique" (dramatic legend). It was first
performed at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on 6 December 1846.
CD 2
photo by Styrous®
The recording is a reissue originally recorded in May, 1981, by Decca and includes a 100 page booklet. It was conducted by Hungarian-born orchestral and operatic conductor, Sir Georg Solti, who was born in Budapest where he studied with Béla Bartók, Leó Weiner and Ernő Dohnányi. In 1961 Solti became musical director of the Covent Garden Opera Company in London. He became music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1969 and conducted 999 concerts with the orchestra. His 1,000th concert was
scheduled for October, 1997, around the time of his 85th birthday, but he died suddenly, in his sleep, on September 5, 1997.
Frederica von Stade was born in Somerville, New Jersey, on June 1, 1945. She debuted at the Metropolitan Opera on January 10, 1970, She has sung on more than a hundred recordings, including
symphonic works, sacred music, operas, musicals, art songs, pop songs,
folk songs, jazz and comedy. She now lives in Alameda, California.
photographer unknown
Tracklist:
The Damnation Of Faust (Dramatic Legend In Four Parts)
Part One - Plains Of Hungary
1-1 Scène I - Introduction 'Le Viel Hiver A Fail Place Au Printemps' 6:17
1-2 Scène II - Ronde Des Paysns 'Les Bergers Quittent Leurs Troupeaux' 3:39
1-3 Scène III - 'Mais D'un Éclat Guerrier Les Campangnes Se Parent' 00:55
1-4 Marche Hongroise 4:47
Part Two - North Germany
1-5 Scène IV -' Sans Regrets J'ai Quitté Les Riantes Campagnes' 5:13
1-6 Chant De La Fête De Pâques - 'Christ Vient De Ressusciter!' 7:39
1-7 Scène V - 'O Pure Émotion! Enfant Du Saint Parvis!' 2:18
1-8 Scène VI - 'A Boire Encor! Du Vin' 0:25
1-9 Choeur De Buveurs - 'Oh! Qu'il Fait Bon' 2:16
1-10 Chanson De Brander - 'Certain Rat, Dans Une Cuisine' 2:16
1-11 Fugue Sur Le Thème De La Chanson De Brander - 'Amen, Etc!' 2:40
1-12 Chanson De Méphistophélès - 'Une Puce Gentille' 3:53
1-13 Scène VII - Air De Méphistophélès - 'Voici Des Roses' 2:31
1-14 Choeur De Gnomes Et De Sylphes - 'Dors! Dors! Heureux Faust' 6:18
1-15 Ballet Des Sylphes 3:41
1-16 Scène VIII - Choeur De Soldats - 'Villes Entourees De Murs Et Remparts" 1:30
1-17 Chanson D'Étudiants - 'Jam Nox Stellata (Bis) Velamina Pandit' 1:06
1-18 Choeur Des Soldats Et Chanson Des Étudiants - Ensemble 2:15
Part Three - Marguerite's Room
2-1 Scene IX - Tambours Et Trompettes Sonnant La Retiraite 1:07
2-2 Air De Faust - 'Merci, Doux Crépuscule! Oh! Sois Le Bienvenu!' 5:18
2-3 Scène X - 'Je L'Entends!' 1:02
2-4 Scène XI - 'Que L'aire Est Étouffant!' 2:55
2-5 Chanson Gothique - 'Le Roi De Thulé" 4:50
2-6 Scène XII - Evocation - 'Esprits Des Flammes Inconstantes' 2:04
2-7 Ménuet Des Follets 5:48
2-8 Sérénade De Méphistophélès Et Choeur De Follets - 'Devant La Maison' 2:04
2-9 Scène XIII - Duo - 'Grands Dieux!' 5:09
2-10 Scène XIV - Trio Et Choeur - 'Allons, Il Est Trop Tard!' 5:04
Part Four
2-11 Scène XV - Romance De Marguerite - 'D'Amour L'Ardente Flamme' 10:44
2-12 Scène XVI - Invocation A La Nature - 'Nature Immense, Impénétrable Et Fière' 4:02
2-13 Scène XVII - Récitatif Et Chasse - 'A La Voute Azurée' 3:04
2-14 Scène XVIII - La Course À L'Abîme - 'Dans Mon Coeur Retentit Sa Voix' 3:36
2-15 Scène XIX - Pandaemonium - 'Ha! Irmiru Karabrao!' 4:01
2-16 Epilogue Sur La Terre - 'Alors, L'Enfer Se Tut' 1:11
2-17 Scène XX - Dans Le Ciel - 'Laus! Laus! Hosanna! Hosanna!' 5:13
Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – The Decca Record Company Limited
Copyright (c) – The Decca Record Company Limited
Recorded At – Medinah Temple
Credits:
Art Direction – Nick Findell
Bass Vocals [Brander] – Malcolm King
Bass Vocals [Méphistophélès] – José van Dam
Chorus – Chicago Symphony Chorus, Glen Ellyn Children's Chorus
Chorus Master – Doreen Rao, Margaret Hillis
Composed By, Libretto By – Hector Berlioz
Conductor – Sir Georg Solti*
Engineer – James Lock (2), Simon Eadon
Libretto By – Almire Gandonnière, Gérard De Nerval
Liner Notes – Hugh Macdonald
Mezzo-soprano Vocals [Marguerite] – Frederica von Stade
Orchestra – Chicago Symphony Orchestra*
Producer – James Mallinson
Tenor Vocals [Faust] – Kenneth Riegel
Notes:
Recording location: Medinah Temple, Chicago, May 1981.
℗ 1982 The Decca Record Company Limited.
© 1986 The Decca Record Company Limited.
Made in USA.
Includes booklet (100 p.) with libretto in German, French and English.
Digital recorder used during session recording, mixing and/or editing, mastering (transcription). Box top illustration: Faust & Mephistopheles by F.V.E. Delacroix, reproduced by permission of the trustees of the Wallace Collection, London. Booklet cover: Hector Berlioz by Emile Signol.
Booklet contains an essay by Hugh Macdonald entitled: "Hector Berlioz - The Damnation Of Faust". Janine Reiss - French Language Coach.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Matrix / Runout (CD1): 414 681-2 03@
Matrix / Runout (CD2): 414 682-2 02@
Label Code: LC 0171
SPARS Code: DDD
Barcode: 028941468024
Berlioz* - Kenneth Riegel, José van Dam, Frederica von Stade, Malcolm King, Chicago Symphony Orchestra* & Chorus*, Sir Georg Solti* – The Damnation Of Faust = Fausts Verdamnis
Label: London Records – 414 680-2
Format: 2 × CD, Reissue
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Classical
Style: Romantic
The Damnation Of Faust (Dramatic Legend In Four Parts)
Part One - Plains Of Hungary
1-1 Scène I - Introduction 'Le Viel Hiver A Fail Place Au Printemps' 6:17
1-2 Scène II - Ronde Des Paysns 'Les Bergers Quittent Leurs Troupeaux' 3:39
1-3 Scène III - 'Mais D'un Éclat Guerrier Les Campangnes Se Parent' 00:55
1-4 Marche Hongroise 4:47
Part Two - North Germany
1-5 Scène IV -' Sans Regrets J'ai Quitté Les Riantes Campagnes' 5:13
1-6 Chant De La Fête De Pâques - 'Christ Vient De Ressusciter!' 7:39
1-7 Scène V - 'O Pure Émotion! Enfant Du Saint Parvis!' 2:18
1-8 Scène VI - 'A Boire Encor! Du Vin' 0:25
1-9 Choeur De Buveurs - 'Oh! Qu'il Fait Bon' 2:16
1-10 Chanson De Brander - 'Certain Rat, Dans Une Cuisine' 2:16
1-11 Fugue Sur Le Thème De La Chanson De Brander - 'Amen, Etc!' 2:40
1-12 Chanson De Méphistophélès - 'Une Puce Gentille' 3:53
1-13 Scène VII - Air De Méphistophélès - 'Voici Des Roses' 2:31
1-14 Choeur De Gnomes Et De Sylphes - 'Dors! Dors! Heureux Faust' 6:18
1-15 Ballet Des Sylphes 3:41
1-16 Scène VIII - Choeur De Soldats - 'Villes Entourees De Murs Et Remparts" 1:30
1-17 Chanson D'Étudiants - 'Jam Nox Stellata (Bis) Velamina Pandit' 1:06
1-18 Choeur Des Soldats Et Chanson Des Étudiants - Ensemble 2:15
Part Three - Marguerite's Room
2-1 Scene IX - Tambours Et Trompettes Sonnant La Retiraite 1:07
2-2 Air De Faust - 'Merci, Doux Crépuscule! Oh! Sois Le Bienvenu!' 5:18
2-3 Scène X - 'Je L'Entends!' 1:02
2-4 Scène XI - 'Que L'aire Est Étouffant!' 2:55
2-5 Chanson Gothique - 'Le Roi De Thulé" 4:50
2-6 Scène XII - Evocation - 'Esprits Des Flammes Inconstantes' 2:04
2-7 Ménuet Des Follets 5:48
2-8 Sérénade De Méphistophélès Et Choeur De Follets - 'Devant La Maison' 2:04
2-9 Scène XIII - Duo - 'Grands Dieux!' 5:09
2-10 Scène XIV - Trio Et Choeur - 'Allons, Il Est Trop Tard!' 5:04
Part Four
2-11 Scène XV - Romance De Marguerite - 'D'Amour L'Ardente Flamme' 10:44
2-12 Scène XVI - Invocation A La Nature - 'Nature Immense, Impénétrable Et Fière' 4:02
2-13 Scène XVII - Récitatif Et Chasse - 'A La Voute Azurée' 3:04
2-14 Scène XVIII - La Course À L'Abîme - 'Dans Mon Coeur Retentit Sa Voix' 3:36
2-15 Scène XIX - Pandaemonium - 'Ha! Irmiru Karabrao!' 4:01
2-16 Epilogue Sur La Terre - 'Alors, L'Enfer Se Tut' 1:11
2-17 Scène XX - Dans Le Ciel - 'Laus! Laus! Hosanna! Hosanna!' 5:13
Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – The Decca Record Company Limited
Copyright (c) – The Decca Record Company Limited
Recorded At – Medinah Temple
Credits:
Art Direction – Nick Findell
Bass Vocals [Brander] – Malcolm King
Bass Vocals [Méphistophélès] – José van Dam
Chorus – Chicago Symphony Chorus, Glen Ellyn Children's Chorus
Chorus Master – Doreen Rao, Margaret Hillis
Composed By, Libretto By – Hector Berlioz
Conductor – Sir Georg Solti*
Engineer – James Lock (2), Simon Eadon
Libretto By – Almire Gandonnière, Gérard De Nerval
Liner Notes – Hugh Macdonald
Mezzo-soprano Vocals [Marguerite] – Frederica von Stade
Orchestra – Chicago Symphony Orchestra*
Producer – James Mallinson
Tenor Vocals [Faust] – Kenneth Riegel
Notes:
Recording location: Medinah Temple, Chicago, May 1981.
℗ 1982 The Decca Record Company Limited.
© 1986 The Decca Record Company Limited.
Made in USA.
Includes booklet (100 p.) with libretto in German, French and English.
Digital recorder used during session recording, mixing and/or editing, mastering (transcription). Box top illustration: Faust & Mephistopheles by F.V.E. Delacroix, reproduced by permission of the trustees of the Wallace Collection, London. Booklet cover: Hector Berlioz by Emile Signol.
Booklet contains an essay by Hugh Macdonald entitled: "Hector Berlioz - The Damnation Of Faust". Janine Reiss - French Language Coach.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Matrix / Runout (CD1): 414 681-2 03@
Matrix / Runout (CD2): 414 682-2 02@
Label Code: LC 0171
SPARS Code: DDD
Barcode: 028941468024
Berlioz* - Kenneth Riegel, José van Dam, Frederica von Stade, Malcolm King, Chicago Symphony Orchestra* & Chorus*, Sir Georg Solti* – The Damnation Of Faust = Fausts Verdamnis
Label: London Records – 414 680-2
Format: 2 × CD, Reissue
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Classical
Style: Romantic
Viewfinder links:
Net links:
YouTube link:
Frederica von Stade ~ The King of Thule
Dedicated to Tom
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