Lot n° 282
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4000 - 5000
EUR
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Result
: 3 800EUR
GOUNOD Charles.
autograph musical manuscript signed "Ch. Gounod", Biondina, 1872; title and 34 folio pages
(35.5 x 27.5 cm).
Cycle of twelve melodies in Italian, inspired by Georgina Weldon and dedicated to her.
This unique cycle of melodies, or musical novel in 12 chapters, Biondina [CG 339-350], "A Musical Novel in Twelve Chapters" (English edition) or "Poemetto lirico" (ed.
Italian), was begun in March 1872, and completed in January 1873. Gounod set to music a suite of poems in Italian by Giuseppe ZAFFIRA, the Italian translator of the libretto of Romeo and Juliet; Gounod transposed into music his love for
Georgina WELDON. "The story is that of a poet in love with his neighbour, blonde and orphan; he marries her but death soon takes her away from him. Beyond the intrinsic interest of the melodies, the general curve (which is not easy to master) makes the value of the whole; it is necessary to avoid as much the external grace of the Italian romance as the sweet religiosity of the poetic expression. Gounod has gathered there, without appearing to do so, all the facets of his art, of which each number presents an aspect. The tonal plan proceeds from the same spirit of variety as that of his cantatas or his operas; the rare returns of motives would not be enough to create a feeling of unity which it is necessary to seek rather in the tone, in the Italian colour " (G. Condé, see his remarkable analysis of the cycle, p. 647-650).
The manuscripts, for voice and piano, are written in black ink on 24-line paper; they are all preceded by a signed title page (which we will not count below). They were used for the engraving of the original edition by Duff & Stewart, later reprinted by
Ricordi (then in French by H. Lemoine, with French texts by Jules Barbier).
A thirteenth melody [n° XIII] remained unfinished, and Gounod gave up setting an epilogue.
Biondina (Prologo) : " Da qualche tempo "...,
Allegretto in 6/8 in F major (2 p.). At the top of the title page, Gounod has written in purple ink this dedication: " To my dear Mimi - (on her return from Joan of Arc) 10 9bre /73.
Tavistock House. Ch. Gounod".
Biondina. Canzonetta: "Biondina bella"...,
Allegretto in C in 6/8 (3 p.; plus 1 sheet of the first pencil sketch, with the one for The Better Land on the reverse; and a page in ink of an early version of the accompaniment).
Sotto un cappello rosa. Melody: "Jer l'ho scontrata"..., Allegretto in E flat major at 6/8 (2 p.).
N° 3 [Io mi senti morire biffé] " Le labbra ella compose "..., Moderato (un poco agitato) in C 3/4 (2 p.).
NO. 4. [A te ho dato il core biffé] " E stati alquanto "..., Andantino in G 3/4 (2 p.).
NO. 5. "Ho messo nuove corde al mandolino"..., Allegretto in E major in 6/8 (2 p.).
N° 6. "Se come io son poeta"..., Maestoso pomposo in A major in 3/4 (3 p.).
N° 7. "Siam' iti l'altro giorno "..., Allegretto in F in 4/4 (2 p.).
N° 8. "E le campane hanno suonato "...,
Allegretto in D in 2/4 (3 p., signed at the end and dated " Tavistock House London 7 Jan.
1873 ").
NO. 9. "Ell' è malata"..., Allegro agitato in G minor in 4/4 time (3 p.).
N° 10. "Jer fù mandata"..., Andantino in C minor at 6/8 (3 p.).
N° XI. "L'ho compagnata fino al CampoSanto"..., Andante (Tempo di marcia funebre) in G minor in 4/4 time (3 p.).
N° XII. "Ho sempre nell' orecchio"... in D minor in 4/4; only the 20 bars of piano were written.
Attached:
A. - Autograph manuscript signed by
Giuseppe ZAFFIRA (11 ff. in-4 or in-fol.), annotated by Gounod: cut of the verses, notes written on the words of the poem, tonalities, etc., and the French translation of a poem.
- Autograph manuscript by GOUNOD of his French translation of 3 poems by
Biondina; at the back of the translation of the
Canzonetta, he has written the French version of The Better Land, Le Pays bienheureux (4 p. in-8) - Autograph draft by Gounod of a presentation of Biondina (2 p. in-4).
- Autograph poem signed by Gounod to Georgina Weldon, dedicating Biondina to her: "A
Poet has hidden, under this name of Biondine, / The secret where his heart lived in refuge"...
B. The Italian edition (R. Stabilimento Ricordi,
Milano, Londra; small in-4, worn brown chagrin binding, boards detached, spotting), copy by Georgina WELDON with her signature on the illustrated cover; on the title page, dispatch a.s. Georgina Weldon from Ch. Gounod"; on the page bearing the printed dedication "To Georgina Weldon",
Gounod has inscribed 8 verses in pencil, later retyped in ink by G. Weldon : " I do not give you, I give you back Biondina,/A jewel of the treasure that your heart gave me/When towards the ungrateful artist and his unfaithful work/
The glory reflected the rays of the model/Beauty was alone above the bulwark/
Translated by your features, by your soul and your voice/
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