To be discovered urgently, Chœurs d'opérettes françaises vol. 2 , a selection of 17 operetta choirs for mixed voice choirs and piano (SATB), dedicated to Jacques Offenbach.
Jacques Offenbach is a witness of his time. He transcribes in his work the evolution of French and Parisian society: that of industry, of the railways, of the advent of a bourgeoisie that gradually takes the
reigns of power, of a Paris that radiates its prestige, its great Haussmannian works and its artistic vitality. He makes fun of the powerful and the nouveau riche, the cocottes and the cuckolds.
But beyond that, there is music of a rare quality, "sticking" to the texts of his talented librettists (Henri Meilhac, Ludovic Halévy, Hector Crémieux,...), a musical sense of humour that is never vulgar and a melodic ease.
Claude Debussy said, speaking of Déodat de Séverac: "His music smells good". One could say that Jacques Offenbach's music "does good". |
