46 replies to this topic

[Dale]

Symphony in C is by Bizet.   It is called just that, if you are looking for it.  It has no number but was an early work by Bizet.

[Dale]

Symphony in C is by Bizet.   It is called just that, if you are looking for it.  It has no number but was an early work by Bizet.

[tempusfugit]

IrishKitri, Symphony in C is a masterpiece, both in its original form and as one of the great Balanchine ballets. Bizet, who was a prodigy, wrote it in 1855 when he was seventeen (you won't believe that when you hear it.... . It was languishing in obscurity, not having been played in concerts for many years, when Balanchine made his ballet Le Palais de Cristal to it in 1947; the name was changed to Symphony in C when the ballet became a staple of NYCB's repertoire.

[Farrell Fan]

Bizet was not successful during his all-too-brief lifetime. Even his last opera, Carmen, was a failure at its opening. A short time later Bizet was dead, and
Carmen on its way to becoming the best-known opera in the world.

I was startled the other day to hear an announcer on a classical-music station (WNYC-FM), refer to Symphony in C as "Bizet's first symphony." Did she know something we don't?

[Mel Johnson]

Bizet wrote another symphony, a programmatic work he titled "Roma".

[djb]

I read that when Tchaikovsky visited Paris, he was especially impressed by Bizet's music.

[Mel Johnson]

But then again, he heard Delibes' Sylvia, and commented that, "My own Swan Lake is poor stuff compared to it."

[djb]

Did the man have any idea how great his own stuff was?

[Alexandra]

Now that's an interesting question -- thinking of the artist's biographies and autobiographies I've read,  think there's a Condition (it's not quite a syndrome) that causes them to know exactly how good they are and, in one pocket of their heart understand this and demand recognition; but in another pocket, they think they're worthless.  And although these seem contradictory, they seem to coexist in many people.  (This must be distinguished from Polite Modesty, as when Ashton would refer to "my poor baubles."  He knew they weren't poor baubles, but I think he wanted the person he was addressing to tell him this. Part reassurance, perhaps, and part acknowledgement.)

[djb]

Yes, I've observed that Condition many times.  I wonder how Bizet felt?  (Getting back on topic .)

[Alexandra]

Poor.

[bingham]

Didn't Mr. B. choreographed something on the Roma symphony?
Joe

[rg]

Roma : Chor: George Balanchine; mus: Georges Bizet; scen & cos: Eugene Berman; lighting: Jean Rosenthal. First perf: New York, City Center, Feb 23, 1955, New York City Ballet.
(the costumes can nowadays be seen dressing 'divertimento from le baiser de la fee')

[tempusfugit]

wry smile. Poor, indeed. I think the Condition Alexandra mentions has to do, often, with the appalling poverty and money struggles of MANY great artists (sorry to be so obvious, but...). experiences such as Mozart's (being told your music has "too many notes") and Rodin's certainly don't bolster the self-esteem-- and then there was Dickinson, never even published or heard during her life.
Joe, Roma was for Tanaquil LeClercq and Andre Eglevsky. everyone who saw the ballet (precious few, unfortunately) raved. it disappeared from the repertoire even before LeClercq's career was ended by polio, and has never been revived...

[Farrell Fan]

Edwin Denby is quoted in Repertory in Review, "Roma was not much of a success at its opening. Its modesty turned out to be an extremely avant-garde effect. People went to see what new twist Balanchine had dreamed up and when they were shown the innocent art of dancing they were too bewildered to recognize it."