Dear all,
is there anyone out there who has access to a French edition of the vocal scores of Gounod's oratorios 'Rédemption' and 'Mors et Vita'?
I am in the possession of the Novello editions but would love to read Gounod's prefaces in the original French.
Cheers,
Florian
It was published in the "Annales du Théâtre.
Perhaps it can be found in there (sorry too busy at the moment to serch in detail):
http://archive.org/stream/lesannalesdutht22nogoog/lesannalesdutht22nogoog_djvu.txt
Text preceding "Mors et Vita"
See original manuscript : http://www.qobuz.com/fr-fr/info/magazine-actualites/prises-de-son-d-exception/mors-et-vita-trilogie-sacree-de135829 (http://www.qobuz.com/fr-fr/info/magazine-actualites/prises-de-son-d-exception/mors-et-vita-trilogie-sacree-de135829)
(http://d250ptlkmugbjz.cloudfront.net/info/IMG/jpg/Mors_et_Vita_intro.jpg)
"Avertissement
Cet ouvrage fait suite à ma trilogie sacrée « La Rédemption ». On sera peut-être surpris que, dans le titre, j'aie mentionné la Mort avant la Vie. C'est qu'en effet la Mort n'est que la fin de l'Existence qui est un mourir continuel ; mais elle est le premier instant et, en quelque sorte la naissance de ce qui ne meurt plus.
La première partie est consacrée à l'expression des tristesses causées par la perte des êtres aimés et aux solennelles terreurs de la Justice infaillible.
La seconde contient le Réveil des Morts par la trompette des Anges, et le Jugement des Elus et des Réprouvés.
La troisième, tirée de l'Apocalypse, est la description de la Nouvelle Jérusalem et de la Vie bienheureuse.
Ch. Gounod"
I've actually played a section of this (Mors et Vita) with an orchestra in Minnesota. It was very beautiful. That section had no choir.
Could it have been "Judex"? That is purely instrumental and frequently played on its own.
The original libretto, with Gounod's manuscript introduction, can be found on Gallica (online resources of the Bibliothèque nationale de France): http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k3772720 (http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k3772720)
Yes, I'm pretty sure it was Judex. Thanks. That orchestra director was keen on doing unusual repertoire or sections of longer works. I managed to create parts for the Andante movement of Emil Hartmann's symphony no. 4 and we performed that, too. Probably the first time in the US and probably the first time in 80 years anywhere. I have a good mp3 of it (performed using Garritan Orchestra) if anyone is interested.