Le roi David, H.37 (Honegger, Arthur)

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Contents

Performances

Recordings

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Dbmiller (2019/7/15)

22 more: 2. Cantique du berger David • 3. Psaume: Loué soit le Seigneur • 4. Chant de victoire - 5. Cortège • 6. Psaume: Ne crains rien • 7. Psaume: Ah, si j'avais des ailes de colombe • 8. Cantique des Prophètes • 9. Psaume: Pitié de moi, mon Dieu • 10. Le camp de Saül - 11. Psaume: L'Éternel est ma lumière infinie • 12. Incantation - 13. Marche des Philistins • 14. Lamentations de Guilboa • 15. Cantique de fête • 16. La danse devant l'Arche • 17. Cantique: De mon cœur jaillit un cantique • 18. Chant de la servante • 19. Psaume de pénitence • 20. Psaume: Je fus conçu dans le péché • 21. Psaume: Je lève mes regards vers la montagne • 22. La chanson d'Ephraïm • 23. Marche des Hébreux • 24. Psaume: Je t'aimerai, Seigneur, d'un amour tendre • 25. Psaume: Dans cet effroi • 26. Couronnement de Salomon - 27. La mort de David

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Performer Pages Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (orchestra)
Ernest Ansermet (conductor)
Publisher Info. Decca, 1962
Performers Suzanne Danco, soprano
Michel Hamel, tenor
Marie-Lise de Montmollin, mezzo-soprano
Pauline Martin, witch
Stéphane Audel, narrator
Chœur des Jeunes de l'Église Nationale Vaudoise
Copyright
Misc. Notes Recorded 1956
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Naxos

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Sheet Music

Full Scores

Original Version

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Dbmiller (2023/2/21)

Editor Roger Volet (1919-1999), copyist
Language French/German/English
Translator Hans Reinhart (1880–1963), German text

Edward Agate (1880–1940), English text

Publisher. Info. Lausanne: Fœtisch Frères, No.5918a, c1925 (ca.1950s).
Copyright
Misc. Notes This full score was published in the 1950s in a manuscript made from the original performance parts by copyist Roger Volet. There is no claim of a new copyright (c1925) since there is no original material. See errata.
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Revised Orchestral Version

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Dbmiller (2020/6/4)

Language French/German
Translator Hans Reinhart (1880–1963), German text
Publisher. Info. Lausanne: Fœtisch Frères, 1924. Plate P.6198F.
Reprinted Boston: E.C. Schirmer, 1952.
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Vocal Scores

PDF scanned by US-R
David Campbell (2015/5/6)

Publisher. Info. Lausanne: Fœtisch Frères, 1924. Plate F. 5990 F.
Copyright
Misc. Notes This file is part of the Sibley Mirroring Project. "Psaume symphonique". Copyright on page 3.
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PDF scanned by Hathitrust
Dbmiller (2023/11/10)

Language English
Translator Edward Agate (1880–1940), English text
Publisher. Info. Lausanne: Fœtisch Frères, 1925. Plate F. 6001 F.
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Extracts

PDF scanned by Daniel Van Gilst
Vangi (2013/11/24)

Publisher. Info. Lausanne: Fœtisch Frères, n.d. Plate F. 2205 F.
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Libretto

PDF scanned by Orfeo Mandozzi
Cellofan (2018/1/12)

Language French
Publisher. Info. Lausanne: Fœtisch Frères, 1923. Plate 3793.
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Misc. Notes 300 dpi color Hq
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General Information

Work Title Le roi David
Alternative. Title
Composer Honegger, Arthur
Opus/Catalogue NumberOp./Cat. No. H.37
I-Catalogue NumberI-Cat. No. IAH 35
Movements/SectionsMov'ts/Sec's 27 movements:
  1. Introduction
  2. The Song of David, the Shepherd
  3. Psalm: All Praise to Him
  4. Song of Victory
  5. March
  6. Psalm: In the Lord I Put my Faith
  7. Psalm: O Had I Wings Like a Dove
  8. Song of the Prophets
  9. Have Mercy on Me, my Lord
  10. Saul's Camp
  11. Psalm: God, the Lord Shall Be my Light
  12. Incantation
  13. March of the Philistines
  14. The Lamentations of Gilboa
  15. Festival Song (Song of the Daughters of Israel)
  16. The Dance before the Ark
  17. Song, Now my Voice in Song Upsoaring
  18. Song of the Handmaid
  19. Psalm of Penitence
  20. Psalm; Behold, in Evil I Was Born
  21. Psalm: O Shall I Raise mine Eyes unto the Mountains?
  22. The Song of Ephraim
  23. March of the Hebrews
  24. Psalm: In my Distress
  25. Psalm: In this Terror, the Great God which I Adore
  26. The Coronation of Solomon
  27. The Death of David
Year/Date of CompositionY/D of Comp. 1921 April 28/1923 (see Wikipedia)
First Performance. 1921-06-11 (first version)

1923 January 21 (symphonic psalm, 2nd version, conducted by Georges Martin Witkowski in Lyons) 1923 December 2, Winterthur (in German) (oratorio version with full orchestra (3rd version)) conducted by Ernst Wolters

First Publication. 1921 (incidental music only)
1924 (usual (3rd) version, vocal score)
Librettist René Morax (1873-1963)
Language French (+ translations)
Dedication To the composer's parents (2nd version, as symphonic psalm, see below)
Average DurationAvg. Duration 1 hour
Composer Time PeriodComp. Period Early 20th century
Piece Style Early 20th century
Instrumentation Voices: vocal soloists, mixed chorus
Orchestra in 1921 version: 2 flutes (1 doubles piccolo), oboe (doubles English horn),
2 clarinets (1 doubles bass clarinet?), bassoon, horn, 2 trumpets, trombone, timpani,
percussion, celesta, harmonium, piano, choir, double bass only
Orchestra in 1923 version: expanded orchestra with full strings
External Links Wikipedia article (includes instrumentation for both versions.)
Naxos Recording Notes

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34 versions. As incidental music: 1921 April 28 (completion date, except for orchestration from score. Quote: "Everything was completed on 28th April, in two months, apart from the orchestration for a small ensemble of six woodwind, four brass, a harmonium, a piano, two timpani, a double bass, a gong and a tam-tam."). As "symphonic psalm" (or as described by French Wikipedia, "le version oratorio"): 1923.

(Some information taken from Naxos "About this recording" notes as translated/written by Keith Anderson - see link.) According to French Wikipedia, premiered 11 June 1921 in its first version. Translated into German and premiered in December 1923 in Winterthur as an oratorio. Also see Halbreich, "Honegger", pp.397-409: version 1, Biblical Drama (1921 25 February-28 April); version 2, Symphonic Psalm (with translations into German by Hans Reinhart and English by Edward Agate) (premiered 21 January 1923, conducted by Georges Martin Witkowski; version 3 with large orchestra, recorchestrated July-August 1923. First performance - in German - 2 Dec. 1923 as above. (First French performance of version 3: 1924 March 14, Salle Gaveau, Paris.)