David: Christophe Colombe

[mikehopf]

Christmas is coming early this year:

Tomorrow on Radio France Musique a performance of Felicien David's Symphonic Ode in 4 Parts: Christophe Colombe (1847).

Be ready with your record buttons and/or timers!

[Mark Thomas]

I'm out all day, but I'll do what I can...

[jerfilm]

Oh dear, I hope someone gets it.

J

[eschiss1]

Thanks!
(Still wondering about his Symphony in E-flat. Maybe someday )

[Aramiarz]

What year is the symphony?

[jdperdrix]

On http://www.musicologie.org/Biographies/d/david_felicien.html (in French), I've found mentions of the following symphonies :
1837, symphony in F
1838, symphony in E
1846, symphony in E
1849, sympnony in C minor,
to which can be added two "ode-symphonies"
1844, "Le Désert"
1847, "Christophe Colomb".

Vocal + piano scores of both ode-symphonies are available at http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:David,_F%C3%A9licien

[eschiss1]

Symphony in E-flat major published in 1846- see OCLC  (date 1846 from Bibliographie de la France). Someone- either Schott (&Worldcat) & BDLF (one of which may be repeating the other), or Musicologie.org - has a typo here. Apparently both Newberry Library, Illinois and the British Library @ St Pancras have copies of this 96-page full orchestral score, so it is not impossible to find out. (Maybe, too, an issue of a French music magazine from around 1846 might have a review of the premiere or of this publication with a description of the work, including maybe even incipits... - some of these have been scanned in by e.g. BNF, I think... will have to check...)

[Mark Thomas]

Unfortunately, my attempt at a timed recording failed and it looks as if "listen again" is not available for the particular broadcast. Did anyone manage to get a recording?

[jdperdrix]

Replay is now available at http://www.francemusique.fr/emission/samedi-soir-l-opera/2014-2015/christophe-colomb-de-felicien-david-12-13-2014-19-00 until January 12.
I'll try to find time to edit it (broadcast is 3:49 hours, the work itself starts at 0:59 and ends at 2:20), the rest being presentation and other works available on CD.
Then I'll upload it. Be patient !

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks very much. Now recording it myself, too. The vocal score is at IMSLP here, by the way.

[jdperdrix]

David's Christophe Colomb has been uploaded. Links in the downloads section, as soon as my post has been approved.

[Mark Thomas]

Very many thanks for this quick work, much appreciated. I must say that it's a very attractive, tuneful and colourfully orchestrated piece, fully up to the standard of Lalla Roukh or Le Désert, although without the perfumed orientalism of the latter.

[Aramiarz]

Thank you jdperdrix!!

[scottevan]

I found it to be the most effective of David's large scale works I've heard so far. I was at the very enjoyable NYC staging of Lalla Roukh, and have heard his other opera, Herculaneum, which has fine choral writing and orchestration. Christophe Colombe has all that and more. I'm curious how it would come across in the theater, given that the narration aspect limits it to concert performance.

Taking into account recent performances and broadcasts of his music a Felicien David revival seems to be unfolding before us.  Given his penchant for the exotic, there should be some interesting travel destinations ahead.