NUITS D'ETE, LES: Sur les Lagunes (f)

op. 7 Hol. 81B / Six Songs-Hector Berlioz: Les nuits d'Ete for Solo Voice & Orchestra Op.7 Hol.81B . Version for medium voice. BA 5786-90: Vocal score voice & piano Berlioz composed these songs in 1840–41 between the composition of Roméo et Juliette and La damnation de Faust. The poems were taken from a collection entitled La comédie de la mort by Théophlie Gautier published in 1838. The songs were for mezzo-soprano or tenor with piano accompaniment and were published as a cycle under the title Les nuits d’été in 1841. The second and fourth songs Le spectre de la rose and Absence were performed a few times at that period and Absence was sung twice in February 1843 by Marie Recio on Berlioz’s first tour of Germany. For Marie who later became his second wife Berlioz at once orchestrated the song for mezzo-soprano and small orchestra. A dozen years later Berlioz orchestrated the remaining five songs of the cycle which appeared in its orchestral form in 1856. Two of these songs Le spectre de la rose and Sur les lagunes were now transposed to a lower key so that the cycle was no longer within the compass of a single voice. 1: Villanelle F major 2: Le spectre de la rose B major 3: Sur les lagunes F minor 4: Absence E-flat major 5: Au cimetière B-flat major 6: L’îsle inconnue D major Urtext of the New Berlioz Edition Full scores and parts available for hire (BA5786-72) English & German translations of the song texts printed sepatarely

op. 7 Hol. 81B / Six Melodies-Original version. BA 5784-90: Vocal score (original keys with alternatives of 2) and 3) in higher keys). 1: Villanelle A major (mezzo-soprano or tenor voice). 2: Le spectre de la rose B major (contralto voice; alternative provided in D major for high voice). 3: Sur les lagunes F minor (baritone or contralto or soprano voice; alternative provided in G minor for high voice). 4: Absence F sharp minor (mezzo-soprano or tenor voice). 5: Au cimetière D major (tenor voice). 6: L’îsle inconnue D major (tenor voice). Full scores and parts available for hire contain both versions of2) and 3) enabling the complete song cycle to be performed in concert by a single vocalist.

French only original keys. Edited by Peter Booth. Published by Editions Musicales du Marais now part of Alphonse Leduc.1.Villanelle; 2.Le Spectre de la Rose; 3.Sur les Lagunes (Lamento); 4.Absence; 5.Au Cimetière (Clair de Lune); 6.L'Ile inconnue