Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Preface
- Permissions
- I The Early Years
- II The 1920s in Paris
- III Last Years in Paris
- IV The Melodic Style
- V The Harmonic Style
- VI Texture and Orchestration
- VII The First Symphony
- VIII The Second Symphony
- IX The Third Symphony
- X The Fourth Symphony
- XI The Fifth Symphony
- XII Between the Symphonies
- XIII Fantaisies Symphoniques
- XIV Beyond the Symphonies
- XV Conclusion
- Appendices
- Bibliography
- Index of Works
- Technical Index
- General Index
4 - The Quotation from Juliette in Fantaisies Symphoniques
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 May 2024
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Preface
- Permissions
- I The Early Years
- II The 1920s in Paris
- III Last Years in Paris
- IV The Melodic Style
- V The Harmonic Style
- VI Texture and Orchestration
- VII The First Symphony
- VIII The Second Symphony
- IX The Third Symphony
- X The Fourth Symphony
- XI The Fifth Symphony
- XII Between the Symphonies
- XIII Fantaisies Symphoniques
- XIV Beyond the Symphonies
- XV Conclusion
- Appendices
- Bibliography
- Index of Works
- Technical Index
- General Index
Summary
The passage from the opera Juliette which Martinů incorporated into the last movement of Fantaisies Symphoniques occurs three times in Act Two. Its first occurrence is in Scene V, at figure 23, just after Julietta encounters Michel for the second time. She meets him at the crossroads in the forest as agreed at the end of Act One. The orchestra plays alone, following these words from Julietta:
Ach, konečně! Konečně! Já jsem běžela, běžela, abych nepřišla pozdě, abych tě tu ještě našla! Ale ted’ tě zde mám! Ve svém náruči! Zajatého a jsme sami, sami dva. A celý les mlčí – poslouchej, poslouchej, poslouchej!
Oh, at last! At last! I ran and ran, so I wouldn’t be late, so I would still find you here! And now I have you here! In my arms! You are my captive, and we are alone, just we two! And the whole forest is silent – listen, listen, listen!’
The second occurrence comes later in Scene V, at figure 32. This time the voices are heard over the orchestra with the following words:
Michel: Byl bych čekal do rana. Ty jsi vyšla a řekla jsi mi…. řekla jsi mi Julietta: Miluji tě, Michel!
Michel: I would have waited until morning. You came out of the house and said to me…you said to me Julietta: I love you, Michel!
It is never really clear whether Julietta is simply completing Michel’s past statement on his behalf, or stating her present feelings, but this passage is the nearest thing the opera has to a declaration of love. Perhaps it was therefore this second occurrence which Martinů had uppermost in his mind when he composed Fantaisies Symphoniques.
The same music appears for the last time towards the end of the act, in the bars leading up to figure 87. Michel’s dream is about to come to an end – he appears distracted, unsure of what he is doing, and when he at last hears a snatch of Julietta’s song, he fails to recognise it.
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- Information
- Martinu and the Symphony , pp. 491 - 494Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2010