Herold, Adam And Delibes

In the first episode exploring the life and music of Ferdinand Herold, Donald Macleod follows the composer's early footsteps. With a string of successes in Paris notably as a pianist, and as a composer of piano concertos such as his second in E flat major, Herold soon won the Prix de Rome and would be setting off for Italy to soak up the Italian cultural heritage.

It was in Milan where Herold composed his first work for the stage, premiered in front of the entire court of the King of Naples, Joachim Murat. However, still required to satisfy the regulations of the Prix de Rome, he was obliged to send the odd composition back to Paris for assessment, such as his second Symphony.

Once Herold returned to Paris, his career focused upon music for the stage. It is in ballet and opera comique, that we see him make his greatest mark, such as La somnambule, considered by some as the prototype of 19th century romantic ballets.

Donald Macleod focuses on the life and work of Ferdinand Herold.

International success arrived at last for the composer Ferdinand Herold, with his works Zampa and Le Pr退 aux clercs. However it was in the world of ballet where Herold was something of a revolutionary. Disregarding the existing tradition of rehashing popular tunes from the day to create a ballet score, Herold was quite keen to compose more original music. One of his ballets is still very popular today, La Fille mal gard退e.

In the audience for Herold's last great success Le Pr退 aux clercs, was his friend and fellow composer Adolphe Adam. Adam considered that in the world of ballet, Herold had no rival, although he would go on to outshine Herold with his ballet Giselle. After Herold's early death, Adam was steadily developing his own career in music, including one of his biggest theatrical successes from the time, Le chalet.

Donald Macleod discusses Herold's international success, from Zampa and Le pre aux clercs.

Try as he might, one night Richard Wagner just couldn't get to sleep. There was this tune which just wouldn't stop going around in this head. It came from the opera comique Le Postillon de Lonjumeau by Adolphe Adam, which brought the composer international success.

Adam's fame spread, and he was soon invited to the court of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, where he staged a number of his works. On a roll with success, and now back in Paris, Adam would go on to compose the work which he is best known for today, the ballet Giselle - a work he composed in lightening speed in just three weeks. The ballet represented progress in the way it relied more on female dancers in the main roles, as opposed to men as in previous traditions.

With success there was the inevitable low period, but this was due to an argument with the director of the Opera Comique, who swore he'd never have another work by Adam on his stage. At huge financial risk, Adam opened his own opera house in Paris, but with the 1848 revolution, Adam was completely ruined. However success came again, and with financial security, in the form of his opera Si j'退tais roi, and the ballet Le corsair.

Donald Macleod focuses on how Adolphe Adam's fortunes fluctuated.

Adam, like his friend Herold, died young, and it wasn't for another good ten years that one of his pupils would take his place in developing the French Romantic ballet tradition - L退o Delibes. Delibes showed very little promise as a music student, and earned his living from playing as a church organist. One of his works for choir and organ is his simple setting of the Messe br耀ve.

Delibes also held a job as accompanist at the The tre Lyrique, so he was soon following in his tutor's footsteps composing for the stage. For a period of about 14 years Delibes would earn his way, whilst develop his composing skills, writing charming little operettas, and also the odd song requested by his publishers, such as Le Rossignol.

Recognition came his way in the form of a gold medal, and a diamond pin from the Emperor Napoleon III. The opportunity to compose for the ballet soon then presented itself, and La source, ou Naila was born. However, his next ballet is the one Delibes is best known for today, despite a rather cool reception at the time - Copp退lia.

Donald Macleod on the early career of Leo Delibes, when he struggled for recognition.

In this final episode, Donald Macleod journeys through Delibes's final years, and considers how far the developments in Romantic French ballet had come. Delibes had already composed Copp退lia, but his next ballet, Sylvia, was a radical departure in Delibes's symphonic approach to the score. Even Tchaikovsky considered the work a total masterpiece, and felt it cast his Swan Lake into the shadows.

In his last few years, Delibes was presented with numerous honours, including being made a Knight of the Legion of Honour. He also became composition professor at the Paris Conservatoire, despite his own admission that he knew little about fugue or counterpoint. With the vogue during this time for things Spanish, Delibes composed his popular song Les filles de Cadix, where the coquettish young girls of Cadiz want to know if their waists look slim.

Delibes at the very end of his life, was busy writing a grand opera. His previous opera Lakm退 had not been the success he'd hoped for, and he considered the way forward to be some hybrid of comic opera and Wagnerian music-drama. He died having not completed the work. Whereas Lakm退, desipte its original reception, has gone on to be one of Delibes most successful and popular works.

Donald Macleod explores Delibes's final years.