Soirées musicales (Rossini)

Les soirées musicales is a collection of eight songs and four duets by Rossini published by Eugène-Théodore Troupenas in 1835. Richard Osborne comments that "It is more an 'Album de Musique' than a song cycle."^[1] The collection was dedicated to "Madame la Comtesse Julie Samoyloff, née Comtesse de Phalen". i.e. Yulya Samoyloff (1803-1875).

Published order

8 Ariettas: generally sung by soprano or mezzo, but can be sung by tenor.

1. La promessa (The promise - a canzonetta) "Ch'io mai vi possa lasciar d'amare"
2. Il rimprovero (The reproach - a canzonetta) "Mi lagnerò tacendo"
3. La partenza (The departure - a canzonetta) "Ecco quel fiero istante!"
4. L'orgia (The orgy - an arietta) "Amiamo, cantiamo"
5. L'invito (The invitation - a bolero (Spanish dance)) "Vieni, o Ruggiero"
6. La pastorella dell'Alpi (The Alpine shepherdess - a tirolese) "Son bella pastorella"
7. La gita in gondola (The trip in a gondola - a barcarola) "Voli l'agile barchetta"
8. La danza (The dance - a tarantella napoletana) "Già la luna è in mezzo al mare"

4 Duets:

9. La regata veneziana (The Venetian regatta - a notturno) "Voga, o Tonio benedeto" (duet for two sopranos)
10. La pesca (The fish - notturno) "Già la notte s'avvicina" (duet for two sopranos)
11. La serenata (duet) (The serenade - notturno) "Mira la bianca luna" (duet for soprano and tenor)
12. Li marinari (The sailors - duetto) "Marinaro in guardia stà" (duet for tenor and bass)

Liszt versions

Liszt recomposed the pieces for solo piano as Soirees Musicales (Rossini-Liszt) S424

I. La promessa – Canzonetta
II. La regata veneziana – Notturno
III. L'invito – Bolero
IV. La gita in gondola – Barcarola
V. Il rimprovero – Canzonetta
VI. La pastorella dell' Alpi – Tirolese
VII. La partenza – Canzonetta
VIII. La pesca – Notturno
IX. La danza – Tarantella
X. La serenata – Notturno
XI. L'orgia – Arietta
XII. Li marinari – Duetto

Britten versions

Britten adapted some of the pieces in his Soirées musicales (Britten) Op.9.

References

^ Richard Osborne Rossini 2007 "Troupenas gathered in 1835 under the title Les soirées musicales . It is more an ' Album de Musique ' than a song cycle . Individual songs can be ( often are ) extracted from it ; nor does the published order of eight songs and four duets.. "

[1] Richard Osborne Rossini 2007 "Troupenas gathered in 1835 under the title Les soirées musicales . It is more an ' Album de Musique ' than a song cycle . Individual songs can be ( often are ) extracted from it ; nor does the published order of eight songs and four duets.. "

[1]