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On June 3, 1875, exactly 150 years ago, Georges Bizet passed away under mysterious circumstances in Bougival, near Paris, at the young age of 36. Despite his short life, his opera Carmen stands as a landmark work that “significantly contributes to the modernization of the genres of French musical theater and influences the developments of late-century verismo melodrama” (A. Rusconi, in Storia della civiltà europea, edited by Umberto Eco, 66, EncycloMedia Publishers, Milan 2014; our translation).
Bizet’s musical journey began at the prestigious Paris Conservatory, where he studied under notable composers like Jacques Halévy († 1862) and, occasionally, Charles Gounod († 1893). In 1857, he was awarded the esteemed Prix de Rome, enabling him to live in Italy for three years. However, despite this significant recognition, Bizet struggled to find his footing in the competitive Parisian music scene, grappling with profound insecurity that led to many of his works being abandoned or destroyed before completion. Among his notable compositions are Les Pêcheurs de perles (1863), celebrated by Berlioz; Variations chromatiques de concert for piano (1868); Jeux d’enfants (1871), a collection of 12 pieces for piano four hands (five of which were later orchestrated as Petite Suite); and the incidental music for L’Arlésienne (1872) by Alphonse Daudet († 1897).
Bizet’s crowning achievement, the opera-comique Carmen, is set against a backdrop of vibrant Spanish culture, populated by gypsies, bandits, and bullfighters. Despite its initial premiere to disappointing reviews in March 1875, just months before his untimely death, Carmen underwent a remarkable re-evaluation and has since become one of the most cherished operas. Its psychological realism and innovative melodies lend extraordinary depth and vivacity to its characters.
In addition to Carmen, we turn our attention to the Te Deum that the young Bizet composed in Rome between February and May 1858. This work was created for soloists (soprano and tenor), mixed choir, and a rich orchestration that includes 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, harp, and strings. Reflecting his ambivalence about the piece, Bizet wrote to his mother from Rome on April 15, 1858: “My Te Deum is finally finished; I just need to orchestrate it. I don’t know what to think. Sometimes I find it good, other times I find it detestable. What is certain is that I am not suited for writing religious music” (Lettres de Georges Bizet, Paris 1908, pp. 57-58; our translation).
The Te Deum laudamus, traditionally used in the Roman liturgy to express gratitude to the Lord for His blessings, is often referred to as the “Ambrosian hymn.” It is now more confidently attributed to Saint Nicetas of Remesiana, an apostle of Roman Dacia, dating back to around the year 400. The hymn serves as a profound expression of praise and thanksgiving to the Holy Trinity and to Christ the Redeemer, divided into three sections: the first (vv. 1-13) addresses the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; the second (vv. 14-21) celebrates the Son made flesh and savior, the one who came and will return; and the final verses (vv. 22-29), of psalmic origin (Ps 27:9; 144:2; 122:3; 32:22; 30:2), represent a heartfelt supplication for salvation.
In the Liturgy of the Hours, the Te Deum maintains its place in the Office of Readings on Sundays outside the Lenten season, during the Octave of Easter and Christmas, as well as on solemnities and feast days. Over time, it has evolved into a “fixed expression of communal thanksgiving.” Starting from the Baroque period, it has been performed with rich orchestrations and choir, becoming a staple for significant social and state occasions (cf. A. Gerhards, Te Deum Laudamus – Die Marseillaise der Kirche?, in Liturgisches Jahrbuch, Münster 1990, pp. 65-79; our translation).
Bizet’s Te Deum was submitted to the Rodrigues Sacred Composition Competition but did not win the prize, which went to the only other competitor. The jury, composed of distinguished composers such as Daniel Auber († 1871) and Hector Berlioz († 1869), declared, “The committee is unanimous in declaring Mr. Barthe’s composition to be superior and also finds that it meets the conditions of the program more fully” (in H. Lacombe, Georges Bizet, Paris 2000, p. 205).
Bizet’s Te Deum, with some verses of the liturgical text shifted or omitted, is structured in four distinct parts. It opens (You are God: we praise you) with a grand and emphatic style, then transitions to the words Tibi omnes Angeli (To you all angels), sung in more subdued tones, accompanied by clarinets, bassoons, and strings, while cellos and double basses maintain a persistent dotted rhythm. Following an intervention from the four-part choir, a tenor solo emerges, lightly accompanied on the words Patrem immensæ maiestatis (Father, of majesty unbounded). The solo soprano then intones Sanctus, Sanctus (Holy, holy), which is echoed by the choir. The movement concludes by revisiting the initial theme with some interpretative freedom.
The second part features a typically operatic dotted rhythm in the strings, complemented by a trombone solo at the outset, before the solo soprano takes up the theme. This leads into the tenor soloist’s entrance, accompanied quietly by the basses as he sings Iudex crederis (We believe that you will be our judge), before being joined and supported by the entire choir.
The third movement, Te ergo quæsumus (Come then, Lord, and help your people), begins with the woodwinds, followed by muted strings that accompany the solo soprano, who is eventually joined by the choir.
The final part, Fiat misericordia tua (Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy), introduces a fugato style, characteristic of such compositions. The fugato theme progressively shortens, culminating in a final hymn of praise that resonates with the composition’s opening.
“What is certain is that I am not suited for writing religious music,” Bizet stated. Yet, his Te Deum stands as a captivating and highly expressive work that belies this assertion. Perhaps such a phrase might have been more fitting for other composers, but certainly not for Bizet, whose music continues to inspire and resonate with audiences today.