Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra conducted by John Lanchbery.
I - Andante tranquillo - Un poco più animato - Allegro agitato (ma non troppo presto) - Tempo I - Andante: 0:00
II - Scherzo. Allegretto vivace: 13:00
III - Andante molto: 18:24
IV - Carnival. Allegro vivacissimo - Plus vite - Animato - Più presto: 26:39
Bizet's Rome Symphony had a long and complicated history. The piece was conceived in 1860, after Bizet's stay in Italy from winning the Prix de Rome, calling it at first "Rome, Venice, Florence and Naples". However, only the scherzo was finished by 1861, being premiered on January 11 of 1863 in the Concerts Pasdeloup. In 1866 the first version of the work was finished, dropping all extramusical elements, but Bizet was unsatisfied with it, rewriting it all again except the scherzo.
These three revised movements were premiered on February 28 of 1869 under the direction of Jules Pasdeloup. By then the piece was retitled as "Fantaisie symphonique: Souvenirs de Rome", with subtitles intended to evoke suggestions in the audience, with music that barely has any descriptive details. Bizet was still unsatisfied and kept revising the work. By 1871 he seems to have dropped work on his revisions, being focussed on other projects while it was performed as the Rome Symphony. After Bizet's death in 1875, the score was premiered that year in its final version. Its publication in 1880 as the "Troisième Suite de Concert", still sparks debate about the nature of the work; Is it a symphony? A suite? A symphonic fantasy?
The first movement is structured in an modified sonata form. It was originally subtitled as "Rome", then later "Une Chasse dans la forêt d’Ostie" (A Hunt in the Forest of Ostia). Both were removed later on. It begins with a solemn theme on four horns, later joined by woodwinds and strings. An accelerando leads us to the main allegro, in which and agitated and passionate main theme is presented on strings. It is contrasted by a lyric and romantic second theme. A stormy development ensues, with brief references by the horns of the opening theme, then taken by strings. After a brief transition, the introduction is fully repeated, ending the movement with a serene coda.
The second movement is a scherzo in ternary form, being originally subtitled "Florence" before it was removed. It opens with an animated and playful main theme on violins, which gradually passes to the rest of strings in contrapuntal imitation. Its initial figure persists through the whole movement. The central trio section contains a deeply lyrical second theme, almost like a wordless aria underpinned by the rhythmic figure. The scherzo then continues until a charming little coda ends the movement.
The third movement is written in ternary form. It was originally titled as "Venice", and then just as "Une Procession" (A Procession), both again being removed. It begins with a contemplative and lyrical main theme on strings, full of yearning and rising to a passionate climax. The clarinet, and then the rest of the wood, takes it in dialogue with the strings. The central section opens as a second melodic theme appears, hardly contrasting but more bright and uplifting. This whole passage, before the main theme is recapitulated by the horn supported by string arabesques. A serene coda ends the andante.
The fourth movement is structured in sonata form. It was originally titled as "Naples" and after "Carnaval à Rome" (Carnival in Rome), then shortened to "Carnival" when published. It opens with a lively and colourful main theme in form of a tarantella, presented on the oboe and unfolded with a superb orchestration. A more lyric and noble second theme is introduced by strings. Follows an intense and rich development section, characterized by its drastic changes of tempo and dynamics. The recapitulation begins with the return of the tarantella theme, followed by the second one. A triumphal climax leads us to an exciting coda that ends the work brilliantly.
Picture: "Modern Rome - Campo Vaccino" (1839) by the English painter J.M.W. Turner.
Musical analysis mostly written by myself. Sources: tinyurl.com/2b4rtamy and tinyurl.com/2aelvgel
Score: tinyurl.com/26qorbll
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra conducted by John Lanchbery.
I - Andante tranquillo - Un poco più animato - Allegro agitato (ma non troppo presto) - Tempo I - Andante: 0:00
II - Scherzo. Allegretto vivace: 13:00
III - Andante molto: 18:24
IV - Carnival. Allegro vivacissimo - Plus vite - Animato - Più presto: 26:39
Bizet's Rome Symphony had a long and complicated history. The piece was conceived in 1860, after Bizet's stay in Italy from winning the Prix de Rome, calling it at first "Rome, Venice, Florence and Naples". However, only the scherzo was finished by 1861, being premiered on January 11 of 1863 in the Concerts Pasdeloup. In 1866 the first version of the work was finished, dropping all extramusical elements, but Bizet was unsatisfied with it, rewriting it all again except the scherzo.
These three revised movements were premiered on February 28 of 1869 under the direction of Jules Pasdeloup. By then the piece was retitled as "Fantaisie symphonique: Souvenirs de Rome", with subtitles intended to evoke suggestions in the audience, with music that barely has any descriptive details. Bizet was still unsatisfied and kept revising the work. By 1871 he seems to have dropped work on his revisions, being focussed on other projects while it was performed as the Rome Symphony. After Bizet's death in 1875, the score was premiered that year in its final version. Its publication in 1880 as the "Troisième Suite de Concert", still sparks debate about the nature of the work; Is it a symphony? A suite? A symphonic fantasy?
The first movement is structured in an modified sonata form. It was originally subtitled as "Rome", then later "Une Chasse dans la forêt d’Ostie" (A Hunt in the Forest of Ostia). Both were removed later on. It begins with a solemn theme on four horns, later joined by woodwinds and strings. An accelerando leads us to the main allegro, in which and agitated and passionate main theme is presented on strings. It is contrasted by a lyric and romantic second theme. A stormy development ensues, with brief references by the horns of the opening theme, then taken by strings. After a brief transition, the introduction is fully repeated, ending the movement with a serene coda.
The second movement is a scherzo in ternary form, being originally subtitled "Florence" before it was removed. It opens with an animated and playful main theme on violins, which gradually passes to the rest of strings in contrapuntal imitation. Its initial figure persists through the whole movement. The central trio section contains a deeply lyrical second theme, almost like a wordless aria underpinned by the rhythmic figure. The scherzo then continues until a charming little coda ends the movement.
The third movement is written in ternary form. It was originally titled as "Venice", and then just as "Une Procession" (A Procession), both again being removed. It begins with a contemplative and lyrical main theme on strings, full of yearning and rising to a passionate climax. The clarinet, and then the rest of the wood, takes it in dialogue with the strings. The central section opens as a second melodic theme appears, hardly contrasting but more bright and uplifting. This whole passage, before the main theme is recapitulated by the horn supported by string arabesques. A serene coda ends the andante.
The fourth movement is structured in sonata form. It was originally titled as "Naples" and after "Carnaval à Rome" (Carnival in Rome), then shortened to "Carnival" when published. It opens with a lively and colourful main theme in form of a tarantella, presented on the oboe and unfolded with a superb orchestration. A more lyric and noble second theme is introduced by strings. Follows an intense and rich development section, characterized by its drastic changes of tempo and dynamics. The recapitulation begins with the return of the tarantella theme, followed by the second one. A triumphal climax leads us to an exciting coda that ends the work brilliantly.
Picture: "Modern Rome - Campo Vaccino" (1839) by the English painter J.M.W. Turner.
Musical analysis mostly written by myself. Sources: tinyurl.com/2b4rtamy and tinyurl.com/2aelvgel
Score: tinyurl.com/26qorbll
