TITLE: Le Roi David (1921)

COMPOSER: Arthur Honegger (1892-1955)

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Born in Le Havre in March 1892, of Swiss-Protestant parents, Honegger enjoyed the advantages of a Germanic backgound and a French environment and education. His parents were both musical, his mother favoring chamber music, his father opera. He received his musical instruction as a youth in his home town and in Zurich. In 1911, he enrolled in the Paris Conservatory where he traveled each week to attend classes. He studied violin, counterpoint with Gedalge, composition and orchestration with Widor and conducting with d'Indy. In 1913, his parents moved to Paris. His first commission originated from his association with the Theatre du Vieux Columbier, under the direction of Jane Bathori. Bathori commissioned Honegger to compose dances and an interlude for chamber orchestra to accompany a poem by Paul Meral. His resulting second commission from Rene Morax was to compose Le Roi David (King David).

MOVEMENTS: Four Part Oratorium (Twenty-Seven Movements)

Part 1

1. Introduction
2. David's Shepherd's Song
3. Psalm: "Praise the Lord in his Glory" and Fanfares
4. Song of Victory
5. March of the Army
6. Psalm: "Be not afraid"
7. Psalm: "Oh, had I but the wings of a dove!"
8. Song of the Prophets
9. Psalm: "Have pity on me, O God"
10. Saul's Camp
11. Psalm: "God, my Lord, thou art my light"
12. Invocation of the Dead
13. March of the Philistines
14. The Lamentation of Gilboa

Part 2

1. Festive Song
2. Dance before the Ark of the Covenant

Part 3

1. Song: "Hark, my Heart"
2. "Song of the Maidservant"
3. Psalm of Penitence
4. Psalm: "I am enslaved by Sin and Need"
5. Psalm: "I will lift up mine eyes to the mountains"
6. Song of Ephraim
7. March of the Israelites
8. Psalm: "I will submit in loyal love"
9. Psalm: "In thy wrath"
10. The Coronation of Solomon
11. David's Death

PERFORMANCE TIME: 71' 42"

INSTRUMENTATION: 18 Instruments, Chorus, Narrator, Vocal Soloists: Soprano, Alto, Baritone

• 1 Piccolo, 1 Flute, 1 Oboe/English Horn, 1 Clarinet, 1 Bass Clarinet, 1 Bassoon, 1 Horn, 2 Trumpets, 1 Trombone, 1 Cello, 1 Contrabass, Timpani, Celesta, 2 Percussion, 1 Piano, 1 Organ

EDITIONS: Rental

• Theodore Presser Company, Presser Place, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

COMPOSITION SKETCH AND MUSICAL CONSIDERATIONS

"It was the beginning of the year, 1921, when Rene Morax, who in 1903 had founded the Theatre du Jorat together with his brother Jean in the little village of Mezieres en Suisse, came to me and asked me to write the music for a new play that was to be performed at the end of May. It was called King David. Morax had already approached other composers, but they had declined because of the short notice. On the advice of his friends, Ansermet and Stravinsky, who were then living at Morges, he now turned to me. The contents of the play held a great deal of attraction for a religious composer, which I had always wanted to become, and without making it clear to myself what a momentous task I was taking upon myself, I joyfully accepted.

At the time, I was still young and full of fervor and thus I succeeded, with strenuous efforts that I myself hardly noticed, in completing the score during the period from the 25th February to the 22nd April. In order not to lose anytime, I sent the individual pieces fresh from my desk to the publisher immediately, so as to enable the choir, which consisted of untrained singers, students of the University of Lausanne (most of them the children of peasants from the Jorat), to begin rehearsing without delay. I thus wrote the choruses first of all, then the solo parts and finally the orchestral pieces. Here, however, there arose a problem. I was only allowed seventeen musicians, who had to hold their own against a rather powerful choir. I took Stravinsky's advice and scored the work for one piccolo, one flute, one oboe/English horn, one clarinet, one bass clarinet, one bassoon, one horn, two trumpets, one trombone, one contrabass, celesta, two percussion, one piano, and one organ. In King David I must emphasize that I have deliberately given a certain conflict of styles free rein, following the stage designers who, for their part, have endeavored to create a contrast between the sets and costumes for the Hebrews and those for the Philistines.

The individual parts of the "Part One" contain little action. The words where David laments the death of Saul and Jonathan. Here the chorus of lamenting women forms a continuous, sonorous background, against which the voice of the reciter stands out as the actual melody. The entire "Part Two" is taken up with the "Festival Song", followed by the "Dance before the Ark of the Covenant". It is the most important part of the entire score. It concludes with the appearance of the angel who announces the coming of Christ with an Hallelujah. The most important numbers of "Part Three" are, the Psalms, and the Chorus of Repentance for which I used a theme by Goudimel, and the chorale, God says: the day wil come, which is developed from the hallelujah after the manner of the chorales in the Passion.

It will be seen that I have followed the example of my contemporaries here and there, but above all there will be discovered under the surface the influence of the master of all masters: J.S. Bach."

---Note written by Arthur Honegger, March 8, 1951.

SELECTED RECORDINGS:

RELATED WEBSITES:

Honegger Biography - http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/honegger.html