Classical Works: L' Arlésienne, suite for orchestra No. 1, from the incidental music
Date: 1872
Main Performer: Georges Bizet
Genre: Orchestral
Period: Romantic (1820-1869)
Review
Both L'Arlésienne suites are taken from the incidental music
Bizet wrote for Alfred Daudet's play of the same name, a melodrama about the love of the hero, Frédéri, for a girl from Arles in Provence, France. In a little over six weeks, and limited to an orchestra of 26 players,
Bizet produced 27 numbers, some no more than a few bars long. Taken together, they are an orchestral
tour de force. The orchestra includes a saxophone in E flat, tambourine, piano, and harmonium, with the addition of a small chorus. A few passages are for string quartet alone. The overall effect is of a fully developed, closely integrated set of movements that, as concert performances of the original version have shown, easily stand on their own, and benefit from being freed from the dialogue that accompanied them in the play.
A month after the first production
Bizet rescored the four extracts that form the first suite for full orchestra, with the equally sunny and melodious second suite arranged by his friend, the composer Ernest Guiraud, after
Bizet 's death. Both have proved more durable than the play. Lyrical and spirited by turns, the melodies are rooted in Provençal folk songs and dances, yet have all the color and drama associated with the composer of Carmen.
The first suite comprises four movements: Prelude, Intermezzo (with its title changed to Minuet), Adagietto, and Carillon. Apart from the scoring, the Prelude and Adagietto are unchanged from the original. The latter, a calm reverie for strings, has some magical effects that could not have been conveyed by the original small orchestra. Brass chords set against exultant strings vividly suggest the sound of bells in the Carillon.
Guiraud was closely associated with
Bizet 's music, having supplied recitatives for Carmen. The choral sections make a satisfying whole when the two suites are played consecutively. Guiraud uses almost the same orchestra as
Bizet , though in places with less subtlety. A Pastorale and its following chorus are treated in a similar way to
Bizet 's Carillon. The Intermezzo, with some fine woodwind passages in the trio section, reinstates the Minuet from the first suite. A second Minuet imported from
Bizet 's opera The Fair Maid of Perth is pleasant, but sounds rather odd in this context. Guiraud's version of the Farandole (slightly altered from
Bizet 's) captures the exhilarating nature of this moderately fast traditional "chain" dance. ~ All Music Guide
Albums with Complete Performances of the Work
Bizet: L'Arlésienne Suites Nos. 1 & 2; Carmen Suite Bizet: Symphony in C; L'Arlésienne Suites Nos. 1 & 2 1995 Bizet: Carmen & L'Arlésienne Suites Paul Paray Conducts French Orchestral Music 2004 Bizet: L'Arlésienne Suites; Symphony in C major 2007 Grieg: Peer Gynt Suites; Bizet: L'Arlesienne Suites 1988 Bizet: Arlésienne Op23; Carmen Suites No1-2 Classical Library, Vol. 2 1998 Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite; Borodin: Polovtsian Dances; Bizet: L'Arlesienne Suite No. 1 1990 Bizet: L'Arlésienne & Carmen Suites Passion, Vol. 6: Bizet - L'Arlésienne 2003 Bizet: Arlésienne Op23 Georges Bizet: Carmen Suite/Symphony No. 1/L'arlésienne Suite No. 1 1990 Classical Masterpieces (Box Set) 1998 Bizet: Carmen Suites; L'Arlesienne Suites Bizet: Carmen Suites; L'Arlésienne Suites 1992 Schuricht: Maestro Agile (Box Set) 2002 Bizet: Arlésienne Op23; Carmen Suites No1-2 The Best of Bizet 1994 Abbado Edition [Box Set] Bizet: Arlésienne Op23; Symphony in C Bizet: Carmen Georges Bizet: Carmen/L'Arlésienne 1993 George Szell Conducts Grieg, Bizet, Mussorgsky [SACD] 2001 Berlioz: Roméo et Juliette; Bizet: Carmen & L'Arlésienne Suites 1992 Bizet: Carmen Suites Nos. 1 & 2 1990 Bizet Greatest Hits 2004 Bizet: Symphony No. 1; L'Arlésienne Suites Nos. 1 & 2 2004 Bizet: Carmen & L'Arlesienne, Orchestral Suites Bizet: L'Arlésienne Suites Nos. 1 & 2; Carmen Suites Nos. 1 & 2 1998 Bizet: Symphony in C; Patrie Overture; L'Arlésienne Suites Nos. 1 & 2 2002 Bizet: Symphony No. 1; L'Arlesienne (Complete Suites); Messiaen: L'Ascension 2004 Franz Schreker conducts Schreker, Bizet, Grieg 2005 Bizet: Carmen & L'Arlésienne Suites 1993 Bizet, Serebrier: Carmen Symphony 2003 Bizet: Carmen & L'Arlesienne Suites 1982 Bizet: Carmen & L'Arlesienne Suites 1994 Romantic Music of Bizet, Berlioz, Debussy & Saint-Saëns 2006 Classical Favorites (Box Set) 1998 Bizet: L'Arlésienne Suites; Carmen Suites 1995 Bizet: L'Arlésienne; Carmen Suites Nos. 1 & 2 1991 Bizet: Carmen Suite No. 1; L'Arlésienne Suite No. 1; Symphony in C 1993 Leopold Stokowski Conducts French Music (Vol. 2) 1994 Bizet: Carmen Suites Nos. 1 & 2; L'Arlésienne Suites Nos. 1 & 2 2004 L'Héritage de Carl Schuricht Bizet: L'Arlesienne Suites 1 & 2/Carmen Suites 1 & 2 1991 Bizet: L'Arlésienne; Symphonie en ut; Jeux d'enfants 2005 Bizet: Carmen Suite, L'Arlésienne Suite; Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream 1995 Passion (Box Set) 2003 Bizet: Symphony in C; L'Arlésienne Suites 2000 Classical Favorites: The Most Beloved Classical Melodies (Box Set) 2001 Bizet: Suites For Orchestra 1997 Bizet, Rimsky-Korsakov, Dukas and others Classics for Flute 1999 A Bizet Weekend Classical Favorites (Box Set) 2001 Classical Pops 1993 Classical Treasures 2000 Bizet: L'Arlésienne, Suite Nos. 1 & 2/Carmen,Suite Nos. 1 & 2 1992 Bizet: Carmen Suite; Petite Suite; L'Arlésienne Suite Nos. 1 & 2 2004 Bizet: Symphony in C; Jeux d'Enfants; L'Arlésienne Suites 1, 2 French Orchestral Masterpieces, Vol. 2 2000 Bizet: Carmen Suite; Arlésienne Suites Nos. 1 & 2; Thomas: Mignon & Raymond Overtures 1992 Daniel Barenboim: The Maestro 1997 100 World's Best Loved Melodies 2004 Bizet: L'arlésienne Suites/La Jolie Fille De Perth/Jeux D'enfants 1994 Portrait of Daniel Barenboim 1999 Beecham Conducts Wagner, Bizet & Delius 2001 Bizet: Symphony in C; L'Arlésienne Suites Nos. 1 & 2 1998 Bizet & Berlioz 1996 Bizet: The Complete Orchestral Works Carl Schuricht Conducts Overtures Bizet: Symphony in C; Arlésienne Op23 1993 The Best of Bizet 1998 Surround Yourself in Classics, Vol.1 1999 Grand Gala De Musique Française Schuricht: Maestro Agile, Disc 3 2002 Classical Favorites, Vol. 1 (Box Set) Bizet: Symphony in C; Carmen (Highlights); Arlésienne Suites Nos. 1 & 2 1997 Bizet: L'Arlésienne-Suites; Ravel: Ma mère l'oye Rachmaninov: Piano Transcriptions 1993 Bizet: L'Arlesienne & Carmen Suites 1989 Panorama: Georges Bizet 2000 Bizet: Carmen Suite; L'Arlésienne Suite; Jeux d'Enfants 1994 Bizet: Carmen/L'Arlésienne Suites 1997 Bizet: Arlésienne Op23; Carmen Suites No1-2 1998 Bizet: Arlésienne Op23; Carmen Suites No1-2 The World's Greatest Composers (Box Set) 1993
Albums with Excerpt Performances of the Work
The Sampler, Vol. 1 1993 Édouard Colonne 2005 Beecham: Maestro Tempestoso, Disc 4 2000 The Very Best of Adagio Discover the Classics: Love and Romance Day Dreams: Music for Romantic Moments, Vol. 2 Classics for Lovers Adagio for Relaxation 2001 William Primrose: Viola Transcriptions 2006 Classical Favorites Advertiser's Guide (Vol. 1, 2, 3, 4) 2000 Musique et Litterature 1993 Chill Classics 2003 21 Piano Miniatures Bizet's Greatest Hits On Wings of Song: Melodies for Flute & Harp 1998 Classical Moods 2003 Best of Bizet 1997 Beecham: Maestro Tempestoso (Box Set) 2000 Classical Moods: 100 Top Classical Favorites of All Time 2002 Night in Paris [DVD Audio] Dream Suite II [DVD Audio] Bizet: Carmen/L'Arlesienne 1993 Sleigh Ride: Classic Carols for Christmas 2002 Bizet's Dream (Music from the Film) 1995 A Classical Weekend Popular Ballet Music The Flag Series-France 1996 Georges Bizet: Carmen And L'Arlésienne Suites 1993 Adagio ma non troppo Over 50 Most Treasured Melodies For When You're Alone 2002 Leonard Bernstein-Nocturne Classical Favorites 2003 Vive La France 1995 Bernstein: The Encore Collection, Vol. 1 1988 The World's Greatest Classical Favorites Bernstein: The Encore Collection, Vol. 2 1988 Romantic Piano Favourites, Vol. 1 (Box Set) 1994 125 All Time Classical Favorites 1994 The Very Best Classical Favourites 1993 50 Classical Performances: Ballet & Opera 2002 A Classical Christmas 2002 Beecham Favourites 1998 Morning Mood: Romantic Moments Culinary Classics: a little French persuasion 1999 Romantic Violin Favourites 1988 Bernstein Favorites: Orchestral Dances 1991 Ultimate Relaxation Album, Vol. 3 2002 Bizet's Greatest Hits 1989 The Romance Collection 1996 Stephen Cottrell: The History of the Saxophone in Words and Music 2002 Adagio 2 1995 The Legacy of Daniel Bonade 2002 Night Music, Vol.1: Classical Favourites for Relaxing and Dreaming 1990 The Presidents, Vol. 1 2003 500 Classic Masterpieces 1992 Cantabile Discover the Classics 2 (Box Set) Opera & Ballet Performances 2003 French Orchestral Favorites The Great Classics: The Best of Bizet This is Classical 2006 Les Grands Classiques D'Edgar 2007 Bizet: Arlésienne Op23; Carmen Suites No1-2 1997 Sounds of Excellence: 200 Greatest Classics, Vol. 13 2000 Discover BRTN Philharmonic Orchestra Brussels 50 Romantic Classics 2000 Seduction 1995 Bizet: Symphony in C; L'Arlésienne Suites Nos. 1 & 2 1987 A Treasury of Golden Classics Classics for Relaxation 2006 Nocturne: Music for a Romantic Evening 1990 Sergei Rachmaninoff: The Complete Recordings 1992 Dreamtime Dolphin 1995 Greatest Hits: Bizet 1995 The Global Classical Relaxation Experience 2005 World's Most Beautiful Music Collection 1994 100 Classical Masterpieces (Box Set) 1998 Flute & Organ At The Church Of Notre-Dame, Paris 1989 Sounds of Silence: Relaxation and Meditation with Classical Music 2000 Adagio Karajan 2 Romantic Piano Favourites, Vol. 2 1995 The Great Composers, Vol. 2 1997 The World's Most Treasured Melodies, Vol. I Nocturne II 1997 Romantic Adagios II 2003 Classic Dining Collection 2006 Claude Monet: Music of His Time 2002 Fifty Enchanting Classics, Vol. 1-4 1996 L'éveil musical des Nations / Nations awakening 2004 The Instruments of the Orchestra 2002 Virtuoso Transcriptions 1996 The Ultimate Relaxation Collection (Box Set) 2003 For Book Lovers Only (Box Set) 2003 Night in Paris [Video DVD] Sergei Rachmaninoff in Concert 1998 Concert-Promenade French Masterworks 2001 Sounds of Silence: Relaxation and Meditation with Classical Music (Box Set) 2000 Sergei Rachmaninov Piano Recital Bizet: Symphony in C; L'Arlésienne Suites Nos. 1 & 2 1997 100 Classical Masterpieces, Vol. 8 1998 Breakfast in Bed 1990 Ich war ein Berliner 2006 Sunday in the Park: Beautiful Classical Music 2000 The Adagio Box (Box Set) Lullabies For Lovers 1998 Adagio 1998
