is an unfinished by Emmanuel Chabrier of which only some numbers survive. The French libretto was by

Paul Verlaine Paul-Marie Verlaine (; ; 30 March 1844 – 8 January 1896) was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement and the Decadent movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the '' fin de siècle'' in international and ...

.Delage R. ''Emmanuel Chabrier''. Paris, Fayard, 1999 (Catalogue des Oeuvres).

Background

In the early 1860s Chabrier was a close friend of Verlaine and dined at the Verlaines' house, rue Lecluze every Saturday from 1860-1863. With Verlaine and Chabrier, the friends who met together there included Albert Mérat, Adolphe Racot,

François Coppée François Edouard Joachim Coppée (26 January 1842 – 23 May 1908) was a French poet and novelist. Biography Coppée was born in Paris to a civil servant. After attending the Lycée Saint-Louis he became a clerk in the ministry of war and won ...

Louis-Xavier de Ricard Louis-Xavier de Ricard (January 25, 1843July 2, 1911) was a French poet, author and journalist of the 19th century. He was founder and editor of '' La Revue du progrès'' (''La Revue du Progrès moral, littéraire, scientifique et artistique'') w ...

and Édouard Lepelletier.Delage R. ''Chabrier, Iconographie musicale.'' Minkoff Lattès, 1982, p49. Although

Roger Delage Roger Delage (4 December 1922 – 8 February 2001) was a French musicologist and conductor. He was the leading authority on the life and works of the composer Emmanuel Chabrier, and as a conductor was known for reviving the music of early French c ...

has dated Chabrier’s work on the score of ''Vaucochard et fils Ier'' to around 1864, Verlaine continued to mention work for the project for several years after. Only four complete numbers exist from this early comic piece where the cowardly but bawdy title role is a satire of

Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A nephew ...

. In this, one of the Chabrier's earliest works, Poulenc discerned elements of the composer's true style in the 'Chanson de l'homme armé',Poulenc F. ''Emmanuel Chabrier.'' La Palatine, Geneva & Paris, 1961. while Delage notes two future favourite rhythms of the composer – the waltz in the duo for Aglaé and Médéric and the

bourrée The bourrée ( oc, borrèia; also in England, borry or bore) is a dance of French origin and the words and music that accompany it. The bourrée resembles the gavotte in that it is in double time and often has a dactylic rhythm. However, it i ...

in the trio finale.

Performance history

The surviving numbers from ''Vaucochard et fils Ier'' were first performed on 22 April 1941 at the Salle du

Conservatoire A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger ins ...

, Paris with Germaine Cernay, Lucienne Trajin, Paul Derenne and

Roger Bourdin Roger Bourdin (14 June 1900 in Paris – 14 September 1973 in Paris) was a French baritone, particularly associated with the French repertory. His career was largely based in France. His daughter is Françoise Bourdin. Life and career Born in t ...

, conducted by

Roger Désormière Roger Désormière () (13 September 1898 – 25 October 1963) was a French conductor. He was an enthusiastic champion of contemporary composers, but also conducted performances of early eighteenth century French music. Life and career Désormièr ...

. A recording of the four numbers was made in Strasbourg in 1992, conducted by Roger Delage.

Roles

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vaucochard et fils Ier French-language operas Operas 1864 operas Operas by Emmanuel Chabrier Unfinished operas Opérettes