70, 77-86, 88, 91-96, 99, 100

Vingt Mélodies

op. 21


pages high key low key origin
1 Chanson d’avril 1–6 F E♭ published 1867
2 Le Matin 7–15 Gm Fm no. 7 of L’Arlésienne
3 Vieille Chanson 16–20 A♭ F published 1865
4 Adieux de l’hôtesse arabe 21–27 Cm Am published 1866
5 Rêve de la bien-aimée 28–33 C B♭ published 1868
6 J’aime l’amour 34–38 Fm Dm from no. 2 of Djamileh
7 Vous ne priez pas 39–46 Dm Cm
8 Ma Vie a son secret 47–51 F E♭ published 1868
9 Pastorale 51–54 Fm Em published 1868
10 Sérénade 55–57 Cm Am no. 8 of Les Pêcheurs de perles
11 Berceuse 58–62 F E♭ published 1868
12 La Chanson du fou 63–65 Am Gm published 1868
13 Absence 66–74 F E♭ published 1872
14 Douce Mer 75–79 A♭ F published 1867
15 Après l’hiver 80–88 B♭ A♭ published 1867
16 La Coccinelle 89–98 A♭ F published 1868
17 Chant d’amour 99–105 F E♭ published 1872
18 Je n’en dirai rien 106–112 G F no. 12 of La Jolie Fille de Perth
19 L’Esprit saint 113–121 Em Dm published 1869
20 Tarentelle 122–131 Gm Em published 1869
voice and piano

Poems: see individual songs.

Compilation: Two letters to Choudens of late 1872 mention 'deux recueils', suggesting that Bizet had in mind two sets of songs. Only one collection was issued at that time, containing twenty songs, published at the end of 1873 or early in 1874. All the songs except no. 7 had been published previously: nos 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 16 and 20 by Hartmann, the rest by Choudens. All were now issued with alternative transpositions for high or low voice. In no. 20 a French text replaced the Italian text.

Self-borrowing (from):

Four songs were arranged from stage works, see list above.

Autograph score:
F-Pmlm. No. 10, Sérénade, 1 f., recto only, 30-stave paper, prepared for the Vingt Mélodies and marked up by the engraver. In A minor. At the top of the page, the heading No 7 Sérénade (1) has been corrected to show the number 10 instead. Facsimile in Vente Drouot catalogue, Paris, 3-12-2002, lot 20.
Printed scores:
1
pl. no.:

A.C. 2485 (high key), A.C. 2486 (low key), with both numbers on Table

pages:

title page, blank, Table, blank, music p. 1–131

date:

1873 or early 1874

ann.:

Le Ménestrel, 13-6-1875, 18-7-1875, both keys @ 10 fr.

copies:

2

This continued to be issued from Choudens’ later addresses in both keys, after 1885 as ‘1er Recueil’ when the posthumous compilation Seize Mélodies was headed ‘2ème Recueil’. Some songs now have double numbering. No. 6 is also numbered 5 on the first page of music, no. 8 is also numbered 6, nos. 9–11 have 7–9, nos. 13–15 have 10–12, nos. 17–18 have 13–14. An edition containing only sixteen songs, omitting nos. 5, 7, 12 and 16 may therefore have been planned to match the sixteen songs in the 2ème Recueil (Seize Mélodies). No. 11 is mis-numbered 19 on its first page.

3

Sonzogno, Milan, pl. nos 5886–5890, 1888, 111 p., in two keys, in Italian. I-Mc.

4

Schirmer, New York, 1888, 111 p., as Vocal album: thirty-one songs: Volume I, fifteen songs (nos 1, 2, 5–8, 10, 12–19), in two keys, in French and English (translated by Eugene Oudin). US-NYp, US-BEm (vol. I).

5

Kalmus, Miami, 1990, 131 p., facsimile of Choudens edition high key. IMSLP.

Dedicatees: see individual songs.
Letters:
late 1872 Bizet to Choudens:
'Vous trouverez ci-joints [...] 8, 9 les 1res épreuves de mes deux recueils dont je n'ai plus que faire.'
F-Pmlm 462
late 1872 Bizet to Choudens:
'Je vous porterai la 2e épreuve de mes deux recueils.'
Vente Piasa, 27-3-2003
Bibliography: