Le Roi David (Honegger)
Encyclopedia
Le roi David was composed in Mézières
, Switzerland
in 1921 by Arthur Honegger
and is classified as an oratorio
or more specifically as a dramatic psalm. The libretto
was written by René Morax (1873-1963), and tells the biblical story of King David’s life from the time he was a shepherd
, to his conquests in battle, his rise to power, his lust for another man’s wife, his agony over his son’s death, his disobedience to God
, and finally to his own death. The work is separated into twenty-seven sections or movements and depends heavily on thematic elements.
Arthur Honegger was commissioned to write incidental music to accompany Rene Morax’s play Le roi David in 1921. Honegger was given the nearly impossible deadline of 2 months to complete the work and was rewarded with much acclaim at the premiere. In 1923 he combined Morax’s narrative with his music and created a "symphonic psalm," the form that is familiar today, and titled his work Le roi David.
to Baroque
to jazz. Honegger’s utilization of all of these concepts allowed him to make a serious contribution to the neoclassical era
. The music is littered with thematic gestures and is most often performed in French.
Mézières, Fribourg
Mézières is a municipality in the district of Glâne in the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland.-History:Mézières is first mentioned in 1179 as de Maseriis.On 1 January 2004 the former municipality of Berlens merged into the municipality of Mézières....
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in 1921 by Arthur Honegger
Arthur Honegger
Arthur Honegger was a Swiss composer, who was born in France and lived a large part of his life in Paris. He was a member of Les six. His most frequently performed work is probably the orchestral work Pacific 231, which is interpreted as imitating the sound of a steam locomotive.-Biography:Born...
and is classified as an oratorio
Oratorio
An oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
or more specifically as a dramatic psalm. The libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
was written by René Morax (1873-1963), and tells the biblical story of King David’s life from the time he was a shepherd
Shepherd
A shepherd is a person who tends, feeds or guards flocks of sheep.- Origins :Shepherding is one of the oldest occupations, beginning some 6,000 years ago in Asia Minor. Sheep were kept for their milk, meat and especially their wool...
, to his conquests in battle, his rise to power, his lust for another man’s wife, his agony over his son’s death, his disobedience to God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, and finally to his own death. The work is separated into twenty-seven sections or movements and depends heavily on thematic elements.
Arthur Honegger was commissioned to write incidental music to accompany Rene Morax’s play Le roi David in 1921. Honegger was given the nearly impossible deadline of 2 months to complete the work and was rewarded with much acclaim at the premiere. In 1923 he combined Morax’s narrative with his music and created a "symphonic psalm," the form that is familiar today, and titled his work Le roi David.
Instrumentation
The instrumentation is often sparse, as a medium-sized orchestra (2 flutes [1 doubling piccolo], 2 oboes [1 doubling English horn], 2 clarinets [1 doubling bass clarinet], 2 bassoons [1 doubling contrabassoon], 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, 1 tuba, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, tambourine, tam-tam, organ, celesta, harp, timpani, and strings) accompanying a chorus (often singing antiphonally or in unison), soprano, alto and tenor soloists, a narrator and an actress for nº 12 - Incantation Scene (Saul and the witch at Endor). The music is separated into 27 mostly brief sections and features many individual instruments.Movements
- Introduction
- The Song of David, the Shepherd
- Psalm: All Praise to Him
- Song of Victory
- March
- Psalm: In the Lord I Put my Faith
- Psalm: O Had I Wings Like a Dove
- Song of the Prophets
- Have Mercy on Me, my Lord
- Saul's Camp
- Psalm: God, the Lord Shall Be my Light
- Incantation
- March of the Philistines
- The Lamentations of Gilboa
- Festival Song (Song of the Daughters of Israel)
- The Dance before the Ark
- Song, Now my Voice in Song Upsoaring
- Song of the Handmaid
- Psalm of Penitence
- Psalm; Behold, in Evil I Was Born
- Psalm: O Shall I Raise mine Eyes unto the Mountains?
- The Song of Ephraim
- March of the Hebrews
- Psalm: In my Distress
- Psalm: In this Terror, the Gread God which I Adore
- The Coronation of Solomon
- The Death of David
Plot
Le roi David is divided into three main parts and tells the biblical story of King David. In the first part, the Lord directs the prophet Samuel to choose Saul as the ruler of the people of Israel. However, when Saul does not follow the Lord’s instructions, Samuel is told to place David as ruler. The first part continues to tell the story of David’s battles against the Philistines as well as Saul’s growing jealousy of David. The second part covers David’s crowning and unification of Israel. The third and final part tells of David’s lust for Bathsheba and his punishment for adultery. In this final section of the piece, David flees Jerusalem, loses his power, manages to restore his position as king then offends God by censuring the people. An epidemic disease afflicts Jerusalem, and David appoints his son Solomon to succeed him and then dies. At the end of the piece an angel tells of Isaiah’s prophesy of a flower blooming from David’s stem.Analysis of text and music
The most significant element of Le roi David is the combination of different styles of music in one complete work. Honegger uses compositional techniques ranging from Gregorian chantGregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
to Baroque
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
to jazz. Honegger’s utilization of all of these concepts allowed him to make a serious contribution to the neoclassical era
Neoclassicism (music)
Neoclassicism in music was a twentieth-century trend, particularly current in the period between the two World Wars, in which composers sought to return to aesthetic precepts associated with the broadly defined concept of "classicism", namely order, balance, clarity, economy, and emotional restraint...
. The music is littered with thematic gestures and is most often performed in French.