Belle Nuit, ô Nuit D'amour
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"Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour" ("''Beautiful Night, Oh Night of Love''" in French, often referred to as the "Barcarolle") is a piece from ''
The Tales of Hoffmann ''The Tales of Hoffmann'' (French: ) is an by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was written by Jules Barbier, based on three short stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann, who is the protagonist of the story. It was Offenbach's final work; he died in ...
'' (1881),
Jacques Offenbach Jacques Offenbach (; 20 June 18195 October 1880) was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s to the 1870s, and his uncompleted opera ''The Tales of Hoffmann''. He was a p ...
's final opera. A
duet A duet (italian language, Italian: ''duo'') is a musical composition for two Performing arts, performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a har ...
for
soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...
and
mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano (, ), or mezzo ( ), is a type of classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A bel ...
, it is considered the most famous
barcarolle A barcarolle ( ; from French, also barcarole; originally, Italian barcarola or barcaruola, from 'boat') is a traditional folk song sung by Venetian gondoliers, or a piece of music composed in that style. In classical music, two of the most fa ...
ever written and described in the ''Grove Book of Operas'' as "one of the world's most popular melodies." The text, concerning the beauty of the night and of love, is by
Jules Barbier Paul Jules Barbier (; 8 March 182516 January 1901) was a French poet, writer and opera librettist who often wrote in collaboration with Michel Carré.
.


The piece

The piece opens the opera's "Giulietta" act, set in Venice. It is sung by the characters Giulietta – the protagonist Hoffmann's love, a Venetian courtesan – and Nicklausse – Hoffmann's poetic muse, in disguise as his faithful male companion. In addition to the Venetian location it sets the seductive and sinister tone of the Venice act in general and of Giulietta's character specifically. The music reappears later in the act in a septet, "Hélas! Mon cœur s'égare encore," which was constructed by editors of the opera. "Belle nuit" is in the 6/8 time signature characteristic of barcarolles, ''allegretto moderato''. Approximately a minute of musical introduction occurs before the melody appears, although a flute accompaniment figure which suggests the melody, "suspend
ngtime" and creating anticipation for the melody before it begins, is played throughout the piece. Although it is sung by a juvenile male character, Nicklausse, in a "
breeches role In theater, a breeches role or breeches part (also pants role, pants part, trouser role, trouser part, and Hosenrolle) is a role in which a female actor performs in male clothing. Breeches, tight-fitting knee-length pants, were a standard male ...
", and a female character, Giulietta, the fact of its being fundamentally a piece for two women's voices, intertwining in the same octave, means that in productions where Nicklausse has been played by a male baritone instead of a female mezzo-soprano, his part has been reassigned to a chorus soprano.
Carl Dahlhaus Carl Dahlhaus (10 June 1928 – 13 March 1989) was a German musicologist who was among the leading postwar musicologists of the mid to late 20th-century. #Selected bibliography, A prolific scholar, he had broad interests though his research foc ...
cites the piece as an example of the duplicity of musical banality: in the period of
Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...
, when serious opera was marked by chromaticism, Offenbach used the Barcarolle's very consonance to give a sinister feel to the act throughout which it recurs. Dahlhaus attributes this effect to the contrast between the "physical" presence of the vocal line and the ethereal feel of the instrumental introduction, creating a "mirage." "Beneath the music we hear, there seems to be a second musical level descending into the abyss."


History

The Barcarolle does not originate in ''The Tales of Hoffmann''; it was written in 1864 for Offenbach's '' Die Rheinnixen'', where it is sung as "Komm' zu uns" by the chorus of elves in the third act. In ''Hoffmann'', it appeared in the version of 1881; although the third act was cut at the premiere, the location of the second act (Antonia) was changed from Munich to Venice in order to retain the duet, which was sung by offstage chorus and soloists rather than characters. The Barcarolle inspired English composer Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji to write his ''Passeggiata veneziana sopra la Barcarola di Offenbach'' (1955–56). Moritz Moszkowski also wrote a virtuoso transcription of it for piano. Many films have made use of Offenbach's music for the Barcarolle, for example in ''
Life Is Beautiful ''Life Is Beautiful'' (, ) is a 1997 Italian period comedy-drama film directed by and starring Roberto Benigni, who co-wrote the film with Vincenzo Cerami. Benigni plays Guido Orefice, a Jewish Italian bookshop owner, who employs his imagin ...
'' (1997). The piece (which represents European culture as contrasted with fascist oppression in the film) is used diegetically, first in a scene where Guido sees Dora (the woman he loves) at the opera and later when Guido plays the piece through the concentration camp on a record player and Dora (now his wife) hears it. Other uses include: ''Titanic'' (1997) by the ship's orchestra during the evacuation, Walt Disney ''
Silly Symphony ''Silly Symphony'' (also known as ''Silly Symphonies'') is an American animation, animated series of 75 musical short films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Productions from 1929 to 1939. As the series name implies, the ''Si ...
'' "Birds of a Feather" (1931), '' G.I. Blues'' (1960), where a jazzed-up version becomes the tune for
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
's "Tonight is so Right for Love", ''
Dad's Army ''Dad's Army'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard (United Kingdom), Home Guard during the World War II, Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft (TV producer), David Crof ...
'' ("Time on my Hands", 1972), where it is identified as a "German" classical song with a swing rhythm, ''
Margaret Margaret is a feminine given name, which means "pearl". It is of Latin origin, via Ancient Greek and ultimately from Iranian languages, Old Iranian. It has been an English language, English name since the 11th century, and remained popular thro ...
'' (2011), and ''
Midnight in Paris ''Midnight in Paris'' is a 2011 fantasy comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen. Set in Paris, the film follows Gil Pender (Owen Wilson), a screenwriter and aspiring novelist, who is forced to confront the shortcomings of his relationsh ...
'' (2011). It is also the tune of "Adrift on a Star" from the musical '' The Happiest Girl in the World'', of Ophelia's song in the ''
Gilligan's Island ''Gilligan's Island'' is an American sitcom created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz. The show's ensemble cast features Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Tina Louise, Russell Johnson, and Dawn Wells. It aired for th ...
'' episode "
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", and is used by Sherlock Holmes to set a trap for the criminals in '' The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone''.
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
's song " I've Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You", from his album '' Rough and Rowdy Ways'' (2020), quotes from the Barcarolle in the guitar accompaniment. The melody from "Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour" was also adapted for the 1968 song "Please Don't Go", which was given English lyrics by Les Reed and Jackie Rae. The song was a hit in the UK for Welsh singer
Donald Peers Donald Rhys Hubert Peers (10 July 1908 – 9 August 1973) was a Welsh people, Welsh singer of traditional pop. His best remembered rendition and signature song was "In a Shady Nook by a Babbling Brook". Biography Early life Donald Peers was b ...
, whose version lasted 21 weeks in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at No. 3 in March 1969. Barcarolle, Tales of Hoffmann has been recounted by many first class passengers on the RMS Titanic as the final piece of music played on April 14th 1912 at the after dinner concert. "...Yet Titanic was still on her mind. As the countess would relate to historian Walter Lord, she was with friends at a London restaurant in the spring of the following year when she was suddenly overcome with emotion. At first she couldn’t understand what was wrong but soon realized it was because the orchestra was playing “The Tales of Hoffman,” the last selection Titanic’s band played at dinner the night of the sinking."


Words


French lyrics

Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour, Souris à nos ivresses ! Nuit plus douce que le jour ! Ô belle nuit d'amour ! Le temps fuit et sans retour Emporte nos tendresses; Loin de cet heureux séjour Le temps fuit sans retour ! Zéphyrs embrasés. Versez-nous vos caresses ! Zéphyrs embrasés. Donnez-nous vos baisers ! Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour, Souris à nos ivresses ! Nuit plus douce que le jour ! Ô belle nuit d'amour !


English translation

Beauteous night, O night of love, Smile thou on our enchantment; Radiant night, with stars above, O beauteous night of love! Fleeting time doth ne'er return, But bears on wings our dreaming, Far away where we may yearn, For time doth ne'er return. Sweet zephyrs aglow, Shed on us thy caresses, Sweet zephyrs aglow, Thy soft kisses bestow. Ah! Beauteous night, O night of love, Smile thou on our enchantment, Radiant night with stars above, O beauteous night of love!


References


External links


Recording
by the Victor Military Band, conducted by Walter B. Rogers, in the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
National Jukebox {{DEFAULTSORT:Belle nuit, o nuit d'amour Songs about nights Compositions by Jacques Offenbach 1864 compositions 1881 compositions Opera excerpts Female vocal duets