Massenet Méditation de Thaïs with Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter

Classical Music Datebook: March 16 

 

Famous Méditation from the Opera Thaïs by J. Massenet

The Méditation is a symphonic intermezzo from Jules Massenet's opera Thaïs, first performed at the Opéra Garnier in Paris, March 16, 1894. It was written for solo violin and orchestra. It is a symphonic entr'acte performed between the scenes of Act II in the opera Thaïs. In the first scene of Act II, Athanaël, a Cenobite monk, confronts Thaïs, a beautiful and hedonistic courtesan and devotée of Venus. He tries to convince her to relinquish her life of worldly life of luxury and pleasure, and find salvation through God. It is during a time of reflection following the encounter that the Méditation is played by the orchestra. In the second scene of Act II, following the Méditation, Thaïs tells Athanaël that she will follow him to the desert.



Brief note about the Méditation symphonic intermezzo.

The famous piece is composed by Massenet in D major and is approximately five minutes long or over six minutes. Massenet may also have written it with religious intent signifying that it should be played religiously and at solemn tempo. The piece opens with a short introduction by the harps, with the solo violin quickly entering with the motif.

After the violin plays the melody twice, the piece goes into animato, gradually becoming more and more passionate or poco a poco appassionato. The climax reaches poco piu appassionato (a little more passion), followed by a short cadenza-like passage from the soloist before returning to the main theme. After the theme is played twice, the soloist joins the orchestra as the harps and strings gently play below the solo line.

Orchestration.
The piece calls for solo violin, two flutes, two oboes, English horn, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, contrabassoon, 2 horns, timpani, SATB chorus, two harps and strings. The solo violin part is generally played by the orchestra's concertmaster in an opera setting, or by a featured soloist standing in front of the orchestra in a concert setting. The SATB chorus is indicated by Massenet to be sung by the entire chorus from behind the curtain in an opera setting, and by four to eight soloists seated among the orchestra in a concert setting.

Performers  and Adaptations.  
Considered to be one of the great violin encore pieces, the Méditation de Thaïs has been performed by  world-class violin soloists with major orchestras around the world.  Well-known performers include:  Joshua Bell, Sarah Chang, Anne-Sophie Mutter, and Itzhak Perlman.

Although the Méditation has been transcribed mainly for violin and piano, it has also been beautifully interpreted in other instruments, among them, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott have recorded a version for cello and piano by Jules Delsart, and flautist James Galway have also performed and recorded separate versions, each with orchestral accompaniment.


Video:
Anne-Sophie Mutter plays Méditation from Thaïs, Youtube, uploaded by Scott Ryan. Accessed May 16, 2013.

Resources:

• Wagner, Paul. "Thaïs: An Opera by Jules Massenet". Music with Ease. Accessed May 16, 2013.
• "Synopsis of Thaïs". Metropolitan Opera. Accessed May 16, 2013.
• Free Sheet Music of Méditation on Cantorion.org. Accessed May 16, 2013.

(c) May 2015. Tel. Inspired Pen. All rights reserved.