Scan 36
Groves Dictionary Of Music And Musicians,vol.5 L-m, 1900
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1at the Théâtre-Lyrique in 1867 with an opera, 'Fiesque' (1866), which took a third place; it was subsequently printed and partly performed at the Concert National in 1873. The ballet music from this work, under the title of 'Divertissement', was given with great success at the Concert Populaire of 8 Dec. 1872. Lalo next composed a violin Concerto in F major, played by Sarasate at the Concert National of 18 Jan. 1874 (and at the London Philharmonic Society the following May), and a 'Symphonie espagnole' for violin and orchestra, played by the same artist at the Concert Populaire of 7 Feb. 1875.
3After these two great successes, which gave Lalo a front-rank position as a composer for the concert-room, he produced an 'Allegro symphonique', the overture to his opera 'Le Roi d'Ys', a cello concerto, played by Fischer at the Concert Populaire in 1877, a Scherzo 2 for orchestra (all performed in Paris), and a 'Fantaisie norvégienne' 3 for violin and orchestra, first given in Berlin. His 'Rapsodie norvégienne' and his 'Concerto russe', the latter played by Marsick at the Concert Populaire, were the last important works for the concert-room written before his ballet 'Namouna', performed at the Opéra on 6 Mar. 1882. This work has something of a symphonic style and is orchestrated in a manner far superior to that of many more popular ballets, but it was coldly received by the public. 'Namouna' was given only fifteen times, but when transferred to the concert-room in the form of an orchestral suite in five movements it achieved the success it deserved. An andantino and two other movements from it, arranged for violin and orchestra, were also received with favour at the Concerts Modernes, and a Serenade, arranged for four stringed instruments, was also successful.
5After this reparation for his former failure, Lalo again set to work and orchestrated the whole of his 'Roi d'Ys', of which the general plan had been sketched some five or six years before, and wrote a Symphony in G minor, performed at the Lamoureux concert of Feb. 1887, which was much praised by musicians. The opera was produced at the Opéra-Comique on 7 May 1888, with well-deserved success.4
7Apart from stage and orchestral works Lalo produced chamber music and songs. Some of his instrumental music gained a reputation in Germany as well as in France, though his dramatic work received but tardy recognition. His talent was of an extremely individual kind and was formed, not by the discipline of the Conservatoire, nor by the influence of professors, but by the direct study of such masters as Beethoven, Schubert and Schumann, for whom he had a special predilection. His chief characteristics were the expressive grace of certain ideas, the piquancy of some of his themes and, above all, the richness and skill of his orchestration.
9Lalo was one of the most distinguished of French composers of his time and fully deserved the decoration of the Legion of Honour conferred upon him in July 1880.
11A. J., rev.
13BIBL.—DUFOUR, MÉDÉRIC, 'Édouard Lalo' (Lille 1908). Rev. Mus., 1923, No. 5 (articles by Paul Dukas, Adolphe Jullien and Pierre Lalo).
14SÉRÉ, OGRAVE, 'Musiciens français d'aujourd'hui' (Paris, 1921).
15SERVIÈRES, GEORGES, 'Lalo' (Paris, 1925).
17CATALOGUE OF WORKS
19OPERAS
20'Fiesque' (libretto by M. Beauquier, based on Schiller's tragedy 'Fiesko'), 3 acts (1866), not produced.
21'Le Roi d'Ys' (lib. by Edouard Blau), 3 acts, prod. Paris, Opéra-Comique, 7 May 1888.
22'La Jacquerie' (Blau & Simone Arnaud), unfinished (1 act by Lalo), completed by Arthur Coquard, prod. Monte Carlo, 9 Mar. 1895.
24BALLET
25'Namouna' (scen. by Charles Nuiter & Blaze de Bury, choreog. by Marius Petipa), prod. Paris, Opéra, 6 Mar. 1882.
26'Néron', pantomime with chorus, prod. Paris, Hippodrome, 28 Mar. 1891.
28CHURCH MUSIC
29Op.
3034. 'O salutaris' for women's voices & organ.
31— 'Veni, Creator' for women's voices & organ.
32— 'Litanies de la Sainte Vierge' for treble, tenor, bass & organ.
34ORCHESTRAL WORKS
35— 'Deux Aubades' (orig. 'Aubade et allegretto') for small orch. (1872).
36— 'Divertissement' (1872).
3716. 'Allegro symphonique' (1875) (see also Violoncello and Pianoforte).
38— 'Rapsodie norvégienne' (1881).
39— Scherzo (1884).
40— Symphony, G mi. (1885–86).
41Also 2 unpublished Symphonies.
43SOLO INSTRUMENT AND ORCHESTRA
4420. Vn. Concerto, F ma. (c. 1872).
4521. 'Symphonie espagnole' for vn. (1873).
46— Cello Concerto (1876).
47— 'Fantaisie norvégienne' for vn. (1880).
48— 'Romance-Sérénade' for vn. (1880).
49— 'Concerto russe' for vn. (1883).
50— Pf. Concerto, C mi. (1889).
52CHAMBER MUSIC
537. Trio No. 1, C mi., for vn., cello & pf.
54— Trio No. 2, B mi., for vn., cello & pf.
5519. String Quartet No. 1, E mi. (c. 1855).
5626. Trio No. 3, A mi., for vn., cello & pf. (1881).
5745. String Quartet No. 2, E mi. (new version of Op. 19, 1880).
58Also 2 unpublished Quintets.
601 Composed from the Allegro for cello and piano-forte, Op. 16, 1875.
612 The Scherzo, taken from the Trio in A minor, Op. 26, was orchestrated by Lalo and first performed at the Exhibition, 1889, and at the Lamoureux concert of 12 Nov. 1906.
623 Partly transformed into the 'Rapsodie norvégienne' for orchestra alone; 1st perf. Colonne Concerts, 26 Oct. 1879.
634 It was not heard in England till 1901, when it was produced at Covent Garden on 17 July.
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