50

Le Chevalier enchanté

cantate

fragments

  • [Scène I (Gauvain seul) ]
  • Scène II Romance (Gauvain, Yseult en dehors)
    [musical score]
    23 bars extant
  • Scène III (Gauvain, Yseult entrant)
    [musical score]
    24 bars extant
    [musical score]
    15 bars extant
  • Scène IV Ballade no. 2 (Merlin, Gauvain, Yseult)
    [musical score]
    58 bars extant
  • [Merlin, enchanteur]
  • Yseult, princesse – soprano
  • Gauvain, écuyer – tenor
2 flûtes, 2 hautbois, 2 clarinettes, 2 bassons, 4 cors, 2 trompettes, trombone alto, trombone ténor, trombone basse, ophicléide, timbales, grosse caisse, cymbales, harpe, cordes

Poem: Amédée-David, marquis de Pastoret (1791–1857). Politician and courtier under the Restoration, he declined to serve under Louis-Philippe; he came back into office under Napoleon III. He wrote historical novels and much poetry. He wrote nine of the poems for Prix de Rome cantatas between 1831 and 1844. Le Chevalier enchanté, based on Arthurian legend, was the set text for 1843. It is not set out in the conventional way with musical numbers specified, but is simply divided into four scenes. No first prize was awarded that year. Second prize was awared to Henri Duvernoy, whose cantata is at F-Pn MS 7417.

Composition: 1853-57. These fragments, like those of Ange et Tobie, Loyse de Montfort, Herminie and Le Retour de Virginie, were composed as preparatory exercises while Bizet was Halévy’s composition student at the Conservatoire. Only the voice parts have been written in, although the pages have been set out in full score.

Autograph score: F-Pn MS 432, gift of Reynaldo Hahn. 30-stave paper, 352 x 272 mm., 10 f. (20 p. of music paginated 61–66, 89–94, 97–104). Laid out for full orchestra, but only the voice parts written in. Head of first page:
Printed poem:
Bibliography: