Thread - Burgmuller and Adam's ''Giselle''

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Burgmuller and Adam's ''Giselle'' ⟨User:Carolus⟩ [#34589]

Hi Carolus,

Souvenir de Ratisbonne, Op.67 is the music by Burgmüller that was used in the ballet Giselle (not based on Adam's Giselle):

"Immediately following the first répétition générale of Giselle on the stage of the Paris Opéra, the danseuse Nathalie Fitz-James used her influence as the mistress of an influential patron of the theatre to have a pas inserted for herself into the ballet. Jean Coralli was required to quickly arrange a number for Fitz-James, which was arranged by Coralli as a pas de deux with the danseur Auguste Mabille serving as Fitz-James's partner.

Coralli's original intentions were to have the ballet's composer Adolphe Adam supply the music for Fitz-James's pas, but by this time Adam was unavailable. In light of this, Coralli chose a suite by the composer Friedrich Burgmüller's titled Souvenirs de Ratisbonne to fashion music for Fitz-James's required pas. This pas de deux, which was dubbed the Pas des paysans (or Peasant pas de deux), became part of the ballet's performance tradition."

Also, from Wikipedia: "Burgmüller's...Peasant Pas de Deux was added to Adolphe Adam's ballet Giselle for its 1841 premiere. This music was originally titled Souvenirs de Ratisbonne".

The sheet music is not Peasant pas de deux though but Grand Valse, aka Pas Des Vendanges. Which makes me think that both pieces are from the suite Souvenirs de Ratisbonne.

It also appears that Pas seul from Giselle, Act I is also composed by Burgmüller. So perhaps he needs to be credited on Giselle page.

Posted at 04:04, 21 April 2023 by IgorCello

Hello Igor,

Like many ballet insertions, this is confusing. Burgmüller's piece was first published in 1841 and it was apparently orchestrated the same year. Since Burgmüller was living in Paris at the time it's possible he could have been the orchestrator of his own piece for insertion into the ballet. Other candidates include Jean Coralli or the regular conductor of the ballet company. I think the Naxos recording is mis-identified. The Pas des Vendages appears on page 36 of the first edition piano reduction of the ballet and it is obviously not Burgmüller's piece. I think the WP description of the insertion being entitled as Pas des paysans is more likely. At any rate the page has been re-done a bit and links provided to BNF, etc. The manuscript you uploaded from BNF does not appear to be in Burgmüller's hand - at least from what I can see from Burgmüller;s own ballet La Peri.

Posted at 18:18, 4 June 2023 by Carolus (administrator)
Edited at 18:22, 4 June 2023 by Carolus (administrator)
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