Le Ruisseau op. 21/2, 1894? (3′) Duet or choir for two women voices (S/MS) and orchestra

Duet or choir for two women voices (S/MS) and orchestra

Text: Amédée Landely Hettich

Besetzung/Scoring/Nomenclature:
deux voix de femmes, 1 flûte, 1 hautbois, 1 clarinette en la, 1 cornet à piston en ut, 1 harpe, cordes
Soprano and Mezzosoprano, 1Instruments .1.1.0.-1.0.0.0, Harp, Strings

Preface:

Mel Bonis has written around 40 songs and numerous, usually religious choral pieces. Only three of her vocal works were orchestrated by her: Noël de la Vierge Marie, Le Chat sur le toit and Le Ruisseau.
Le Ruisseau can be performed with two soloists as well as with a choir. The song is dedicated to Madame Georges Aboilard, her younger sister. Mel Bonis sets a bucolic love poem by Amédée Landely Hettich to the tune of the zeitgeist.
For this edition we had two documents: a rough version in the form of a handwritten manuscript and a score and parts of a calligraphy. In addition, there was the old edition of the duet with piano accompaniment.
Since neither of the two orchestral documents is dated, the indication in 1894 is based on the piano version of the song. This is just a hypothesis. Since the two orchestral documents differ, we had to make numerous decisions.
The most important concerned the line-up: in the manuscript we only find the first part, “soprano”, and a piano part. The calligraphy, on the other hand, shows – like the piano version – two voices, “soprano” and “alto”, as well as an intended but not written harp part instead of the piano part. We chose the two-part version because it benefits the beauty of the work and increases the usability for performers – primarily for female choirs.
I՚ve heard several compelling interpretations of this version. However, we will not retain the names “soprano” and “alto” suggested by Mel Bonis, but have preferred the names “soprano” and “mezzosoprano” because the voices are close to each other.

Christine Géliot